CN109155458B - System and method for reducing intermodulation of electronically controlled adaptive antenna arrays - Google Patents

System and method for reducing intermodulation of electronically controlled adaptive antenna arrays Download PDF

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CN109155458B
CN109155458B CN201780030664.4A CN201780030664A CN109155458B CN 109155458 B CN109155458 B CN 109155458B CN 201780030664 A CN201780030664 A CN 201780030664A CN 109155458 B CN109155458 B CN 109155458B
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phase
clause
transition
change material
state
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CN109155458A (en
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埃里克·J·布莱克
布莱恩·马克·多伊奇
亚历山大·雷姆莱·卡特科
梅尔罗·马卡多
杰伊·霍华德·麦坎德利斯
雅罗斯拉夫·A·乌尔朱莫夫
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Elva GmbH
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q5/00—Arrangements for simultaneous operation of antennas on two or more different wavebands, e.g. dual-band or multi-band arrangements
    • H01Q5/30—Arrangements for providing operation on different wavebands
    • H01Q5/307—Individual or coupled radiating elements, each element being fed in an unspecified way
    • H01Q5/314—Individual or coupled radiating elements, each element being fed in an unspecified way using frequency dependent circuits or components, e.g. trap circuits or capacitors
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q15/00—Devices for reflection, refraction, diffraction or polarisation of waves radiated from an antenna, e.g. quasi-optical devices
    • H01Q15/0006—Devices acting selectively as reflecting surface, as diffracting or as refracting device, e.g. frequency filtering or angular spatial filtering devices
    • H01Q15/006—Selective devices having photonic band gap materials or materials of which the material properties are frequency dependent, e.g. perforated substrates, high-impedance surfaces
    • H01Q15/0066—Selective devices having photonic band gap materials or materials of which the material properties are frequency dependent, e.g. perforated substrates, high-impedance surfaces said selective devices being reconfigurable, tunable or controllable, e.g. using switches
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q21/00—Antenna arrays or systems
    • H01Q21/30—Combinations of separate antenna units operating in different wavebands and connected to a common feeder system
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q3/00—Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system
    • H01Q3/26—Arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system varying the relative phase or relative amplitude of energisation between two or more active radiating elements; varying the distribution of energy across a radiating aperture
    • H01Q3/2605—Array of radiating elements provided with a feedback control over the element weights, e.g. adaptive arrays

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  • Variable-Direction Aerials And Aerial Arrays (AREA)
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Abstract

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for mitigating or reducing intermodulation of radiating elements of an adaptive antenna array. Tunable elements or tunable materials, such as phase change materials or state change materials, may be used to increase the linearity of the RF transmission characteristics. These phase or state change materials may modify the electromagnetic response of the radiating element. In some embodiments, a variable coupler may be further added to the system to reduce intermodulation. An adaptive antenna array using the techniques described herein may have all or some of the elements co-located.

Description

System and method for reducing intermodulation of electronically controlled adaptive antenna arrays
All subject matter of the priority application is incorporated by reference herein to the extent such subject matter is not inconsistent herewith.
Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for reducing intermodulation. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to intermodulation reduction techniques for electronically controlled adaptive antenna arrays.
Disclosure of Invention
The antenna system may include a shared feed with an adaptive cell array. Each unit may comprise a radiating element and a co-located (co-located) adjustable element co-located with each radiating element. The biasing member may be used to provide a DC bias to each of the adjustable elements. The DC bias of each tunable element may be selected to increase the linearity of operation of the tunable element to reduce signal intermodulation. By tuning the tunable elements of the radiating elements, the activation component can be used to control the activation or degree of radiation of the radiating elements in response to the energy in the shared feed.
One or more solutions may be employed to reduce intermodulation. For example, the resonant frequency may be modified by a variable capacitor. In another embodiment, the Q factor (e.g., the damping rate of the resonator) may be modulated with a variable resistor. In another embodiment, the resonance strength may be varied by activating/deactivating switches of certain parts of the resonant element. In some embodiments, a dedicated variable coupler may be utilized to control the input power in each element.
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Fig. 1 illustrates an antenna system including adjustable elements to reduce signal intermodulation according to an embodiment.
Fig. 2 illustrates an antenna system including a flexible helical radiating element according to an embodiment.
Fig. 3 illustrates an antenna system including a variable coupler according to an embodiment.
Fig. 4 shows a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method for reducing signal intermodulation.
Fig. 5 shows a flow diagram of another embodiment of a method for reducing signal intermodulation.
Detailed Description
Various embodiments, systems, devices, and methods related to reducing passive intermodulation and intermodulation distortion are described herein. The embodiments described herein may enable co-location of elements that are typically separated by a distance.
For example, the adaptive antenna array (a3) forms the basis of various beamforming and electronically steerable antennas that rapidly penetrate various areas of wireless communication. They are also used as MIMO systems, where multiple antenna elements are used to control channel gain, for signal diversity in multipath scenarios, and/or for spatial multiplexing. A common method for controlling a3 is by means of electronic switches, electronically controlled variable capacitors (varactors), variable resistors, phase shifters and other electronic circuit elements that change their electromagnetic properties according to the voltage level on the control port. When a3 equipped with such a control element is used for wireless communication, i.e. for transmitting digitally encoded information, a very high linearity of the transmitter and receiver antennas is required.
This is especially important for high power and/or Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) systems due to Passive Intermodulation (PIM). The co-location of high power transmit systems with receive systems in other frequency bands can produce intermodulation distortion (IMD) even without highly nonlinear components such as transistors and varactors. Indeed, IMDs may be produced from purely passive system components, including loose RF connections and even rusted bolts. The PIM limits the maximum information throughput rate achievable using such adaptive antennas. High order, high spectral efficiency digital modulation schemes such as OFDM tend to have high peak-to-average power ratios (PAPR) and are therefore more susceptible to IMD and PIM.
PIM must be highly suppressed due to the power levels that may exist with some wireless communication transmitters. For example, commercial systems typically require a PIM level of about-150 dBc. This requirement for high linearity typically precludes the use of circuit elements such as varactors and varactors to implement a3 in such systems because the inclusion of these components induces PIM. If these components are used in a system, they must often be placed separately, taking up additional space. Reducing interference using the systems and methods described herein may eliminate this need.
The linearity of the system can be achieved by adjusting various parameters of the resonant elements. The adaptation of A3 based on resonant elements can be achieved by modulating the resonant frequency (ω)r) To realize the operation; q factor of resonance, or equivalently, its damping rate γ ═ ωr(ii)/2Q; and/or the resonance strength F (which in the case of an electric or magnetic dipole resonator corresponds to the square of the dipole moment normalized by the excitation strength).
In addition, non-resonant and resonant radiating elements can be tuned by modulating the power coupling level (T) between the radiating element and its feedc) To provide flexibility. The existence of this parameter as a separate degree of freedom means that there is a (possibly very short) transmission line between the shared (common) feed and the radiating resonant element, which gives a degree of isolation between the parameters of the lorentz resonator and the amount of power allowed into the radiating resonant element. Furthermore, for this type of architecture, the value T is controlledcMay be co-located with the common (shared) feed structure but spatially separated from the radiating resonator, in particular from the upper (radiating) surface into which its radiation enters free space.
The resonance frequency, the Q-factor and the vresonance strength correspond to three parameters defining a lorentzian resonance, which has a response curve of the form:
Figure BDA0001868912720000031
the power coupling level describes the intensity of the excitation incident on the radiating element; in other words, the power coupling level is further increased by Eexc＝TcEinForm representation EexcIn which EinThe field in the (usually shared) feed directly below the resonant element. Similar results are achieved for power coupling level and resonance strength in controlling radiation amplitude. Thus, in some embodimentsIn the equation, only one of these parameters may be modified for efficiency.
A parameter describing the linearity of a particular device is useful for quickly comparing the suitability of multiple candidate devices. One such parameter that is commonly used is the third order intercept point (IP3) of the device. The nonlinear device will induce spectral regrowth by generating frequency harmonics and mixing products. IP3 is an extrapolation of (input) power levels, where the base signal power level (frequency ω is0) Equal to the third harmonic (frequency 3 omega)0). This parameter can estimate the degree of linearity of a particular device.
Described herein are various embodiments that describe various PIM and IMD mitigation techniques related to the above parameters.
In an embodiment, an electronically controlled adaptive antenna array system may have a shared feed. The system may also include an adaptive array of cells. Each of these units may include a radiating element and an adjustable element co-located with each radiating element. Further, the biasing member or the applying the biasing member may provide a DC bias to each of the adjustable elements. The DC bias may be selected for each tunable element to increase linearity of operation of the tunable element to reduce signal intermodulation. Finally, the activation component can be configured to control the activation or degree of radiation of the radiating element in response to the energy in the shared feed by tuning the tunable element of the radiating element.
In some implementations, the shared feed (e.g., transmission line or waveguide) can be configured for microwave frequency electromagnetic waves, radio frequency electromagnetic waves, infrared electromagnetic waves, or optical frequency electromagnetic waves. In some embodiments, a conductor may be used to conduct a time-dependent current signal. In other implementations, the shared feed can include a conductor for guiding surface waves. In any implementation, the adaptive array of cells may overlay the shared feed. The shared feed may additionally or alternatively be a radiator that is progressively or reactively coupled to the adaptive array of cells and/or a radiator that is radiatively coupled to the adaptive array of cells.
The activation component can be configured to control radiation using various methods. For example, the activation component may be configured to control radiation by applying a modified voltage over a DC bias. In another embodiment, the activation component may control the radiation by providing a signal to an electrical terminal different from the terminal to which the DC bias is applied. In other embodiments, the activation component is configured to control the radiation by inducing mechanical actuation of the adjustable element and/or adjusting the phase of the adjustable element.
The radiating element of the system may comprise a resonant element. An adjustable element corresponding to the radiating element is configured to modify a response of the resonant element to the shared feed. This may control the activation or radiation level of the respective radiating elements.
The tunable elements may be configured to adjust the resonant frequency of the respective radiating element. The activation component may be configured to selectively tune the tunable elements of the respective radiating elements to match frequencies within the shared feed to activate radiation of the radiating elements.
In other embodiments, the tunable element is configured to selectively modify a capacitance or inductance of the radiating element. For example, the tunable element may be a semiconductor junction based variable capacitor. The variable capacitor may comprise a diode, or more specifically a varactor diode. In another example, the variable capacitor may be a transistor. More specifically, the tunable element may be a variable capacitor based on a ferroelectric material. In some embodiments, the ferroelectric material comprises Barium Strontium Titanate (BST). In yet another example, the tunable element may be a variable capacitor based on a liquid crystal medium.
In some embodiments, each tunable element may be configured to adjust a quality factor of a resonance of the respective radiating element. For example, the tunable element may be a variable resistor. The variable resistor may be a resistor based on at least one semiconductor junction. Additionally, in some embodiments, the variable resistor may be a diode. The diode may have an intrinsic semiconductor region (PIN diode) between the p-type semiconductor region and the n-type semiconductor region. In another embodiment, the variable resistor may be a transistor. For example, the transistor may be a Field Effect Transistor (FET). The transistors may operate in a common source configuration with the gate terminal serving as the throw terminal and the drain terminal, and the source terminal serving as the switch terminal. Alternatively, the variable resistor may be a high isolation between the gate terminal and the alternating current signal.
In some embodiments, the radiating element may be configured to reduce intermodulation. For example, the radiating element may further include one or more of a radio frequency choke and an insulated control wire. As another example, the radiating element is shunt-reflective. The shunting may allow current to bypass another point in the circuit by creating a low resistance path such as a switch. This allows each radiating element to conduct current or not, and then results in a radiating element in two states. The linearity may determine whether the radiating element receives current. For example, when the switch is less linear, the circuit may shunt current. The off state of the switch may be used to activate or control the radiation of the radiating element. In yet another example, the embodiment may have a radiating on (on) state of the radiating element corresponding to an off state of the tunable element corresponding to the radiating element.
In some embodiments, the tunable element may be configured to adjust a resonant strength of the radiating element. For example, the tunable element may tune the resonance strength of an electric or magnetic dipole resonance. In another embodiment, the DC bias may deactivate or activate a portion of the resonant element of the respective radiating element. For example, the radiating element may have multiple wires connected in series, and one or more of the wires may be activated or deactivated based on a DC bias. This will effectively change the length of the radiating element. Finally, the tunable elements may be configured to adjust two or more of a quality factor of the resonance of the respective radiating element, a resonant frequency of the respective radiating element, and a resonant strength of the radiating element.
In some embodiments, the system may include a shared feed connected to the adaptive array of cells. Each cell may include a radiating element and an adjusting element co-located with the radiating element. The tuning element may include one or more tunable materials, such as phase change materials and/or state change materials. The transition control component may be configured to selectively induce a change in an electromagnetic (e.g., electrical or magnetic) property of the tunable material to control the activation and/or degree of radiation of the radiating element.
The tunable material may initially be in a first phase or state that is substantially unresponsive to the electromagnetic field provided by the shared feed. The second phase or state may also be substantially unresponsive to electromagnetic fields from the shared feed. However, the activation state, the degree of transmissivity or radiation may be modified from the first state to the second state.
The phase and/or state change material may comprise a material that transitions between a discrete structural change and a material phase change, which results in a discrete change in one or more electrical and/or magnetic properties of the tunable material. The tunable material may include a phase and/or state change material, wherein the transition control component is configured to selectively induce a phase change in the phase and/or state change material.
The phase and/or state change material may be configured to transition between a first material phase and a second material phase. The phase and/or state change material may be a material whose electromagnetic properties depend on the current material phase of the phase and/or state change material. The electromagnetic properties of the phase and/or state change material may have a first dielectric constant in the first phase and a second dielectric constant in the second phase. The first permittivity may have a different real or imaginary part than the second permittivity.
The first phase may be a liquid phase and the second phase may be a gas phase. The first phase may be a crystalline solid and the second phase may be an amorphous solid. The first phase may be a liquid phase and the second phase may be a gas phase. The first phase may be a crystalline solid and the second phase may be an amorphous solid. The phase and/or state change material may be capable of forming a plurality of metastable allotropes. The first phase may be a first crystalline solid and the second phase may be a second crystalline solid. The phase and/or state-change material may transition between a variety of metastable phases. Multiple metastable phases may exist within a common temperature range and a common pressure range.
The phase and/or state-change material may be a reversible phase and/or state-change material such that, after a transition from a first metastable phase to a second metastable phase, the phase change transition may be reversed back to the first metastable phase. The phase and/or state change material may be a chalcogenide material, such as one or more of GeTe, GeSbTe, AgInSbTe, InSe, SbSe, SbTe, InSbSe, InSbTe, GeSbSe, GeSbTeSe, and AgInSbSeTe.
The first metastable phase may be an amorphous solid phase and the second metastable phase may be a crystalline solid phase. The phase and/or state-change material may be electrically insulating in the first metastable phase. The phase and/or state change material may be a poor conductor, such as a semiconductor, semi-metal or low conductivity metal, in the second metastable phase. The second material phase may require one or more of a different temperature, a different pressure, a different electric field, or a different magnetic field to maintain the phase and/or state-change material in its second phase.
The first material phase and the second material phase may have different electron binding structures. A phase change in a phase and/or state change material may involve the migration of atoms or ions between the phase and/or state change material and the second medium. The phase and/or state change material may be a superconducting material in one of two possible phases, such that the phase change is between the superconducting and non-superconducting (normal) phases. For example, the phase and/or state change material may be vanadium dioxide (VO 2).
The transition between the first material phase and the second material phase may be a transition between two allotropic modifications. The reversible phase change in the phase and/or state change material may include ion transport of the phase and/or state change material in either direction with the second medium. For example, the ions may include oxygen ions or oxygen-containing molecular ions. The transition control component may be configured to provide heating or cooling to the phase and/or state change material for a temperature induced transition from the first material phase to the second material phase.
The transition control component is configured to selectively activate a heating or cooling element co-located with the cell to induce or maintain the transition. The temperature-induced transition may be a first order transition between two or more of a solid phase, a liquid phase, a gas phase, and a plasma phase. The temperature-induced transition may be a second order transition between two solid allotropes. The temperature-induced transition may be a transition between a ferromagnetic phase and a non-ferromagnetic phase.
The temperature-induced transition may be a transition between a superconducting phase and a non-superconducting phase. The temperature-induced transition may be a transition between a paraelectric phase and a ferroelectric phase. The temperature-induced transition may be a chemical reaction, the energy barrier of which is overcome above a certain temperature. The phase and/or state change material may be a thermoelectric material, wherein the temperature-induced transition comprises a change in electrical polarization of the thermoelectric material as a function of temperature.
The transition control component may increase or decrease the pressure on the phase and/or state change material to induce a transition from the first material phase to the second material phase. The transition control component can selectively activate a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) co-located with the cell to induce or maintain an increased or decreased pressure on the phase and/or state change material to maintain the transition.
The transition control component may increase or decrease an electric field incident on the phase and/or state change material to induce and/or maintain a transition from the first material phase to the second material phase. The phase and/or state change material comprises a ferroelectric material and the transition may be between a state without remnant polarization and a state with remnant polarization. For example, the ferroelectric material may be one or more of BaTiO3, PbTiO3, and PZT. The phase and/or state change material includes an antiferroelectric material and/or a multiferroic material. The phase and/or state change material may be a ferromagnetic material, a ferrimagnetic material, an antiferromagnetic material, and/or a multiferroic material. The transition control component may selectively activate an electromagnet co-located with the cell. As previously mentioned, the material may be a state-change material rather than a phase and/or state-change material.
The state-change material may be a material that continuously changes electromagnetic properties in response to an applied stimulus. For example, a state-change material, wherein the transition control component is configured to selectively induce a continuous or gradual change in an electromagnetic property of the state-change material. The state-change material may be configured to switch between a first state having a first set of electrical and/or magnetic properties and a second state having a second set of electrical and/or magnetic properties in response to a change in one or more of temperature, pressure, electric field, and magnetic field.
The state-change material may comprise a paraelectric material, such as one or more of SrTiO3 and BaSrTi, or a ferroelectric material, such as one or more of BaTiO3, PbTiO3, and PZT. The phase and/or state change material may be a phase and/or state change material, wherein at least one phase is a state change material. For example, a tunable dielectric material may change its phase from ferroelectric to paraelectric, ferroelectric may change its phase from polar to non-polar by an applied electric field, and paraelectric has a dielectric constant that depends on the electric field.
The radiating element may be a resonant element. The tuning elements may be radiating elements configured to modify the response of the resonant elements to the shared feed to control the degree of activation or radiation of the respective radiating elements. Each adjusting element can adjust a quality factor of the resonance of the corresponding radiating element. In various embodiments, the shared feed comprises a conductor for conducting a time-dependent current signal. The shared feed includes a surface-bounded structure for guiding surface waves. Additionally, in some embodiments, the adaptive array of cells may overlay a shared feed.
Fig. 1 shows an antenna system 100 including an adjustable element 108 to reduce signal intermodulation according to one embodiment. Antenna system 100 may include an adaptive array of shared feeds 102, bias elements 104, activation elements 112, and units 106.
Each cell 106 may also include one or more tunable elements 108 co-located with each radiating element 110.
In some embodiments, the tunable element 108 may be configured to modify the capacitance and/or inductance of the resonant element. By modifying the capacitance and/or inductance, the resonant frequency of the radiating element 110 may be modulated to reduce signal intermodulation. For example, due to the tunable elements 108, the resonance of each cell 106 may change, which may allow certain cells to be turned off or on to increase the linearity of the system as a whole.
For example, the tunable element 108 may be a variable capacitor. In some embodiments, the variable capacitor may include a semiconductor junction made of a diode and a transistor. However, semiconductor junctions are inherently non-linear. To reduce the non-linearity, the DC voltage from the biasing component 104 may be used to bias the capacitor in a particular state. For example, each cell 106 may be tuned to a frequency that reduces non-linearity and signal intermodulation by varying the voltage across the semiconductor junction.
While variable capacitors allow the frequency of cell 106 to be varied, they will be the primary source of IMD, and thus they are PIM in a3 if used. Therefore, reducing the PIM and IMD generated by the variable capacitor will reduce the overall PIM and IMD of a 3.
One technique to reduce IMD and PIM is to select an appropriate DC bias point. For example, varactors based on p-n junctions have a capacitance-voltage (CV) relationship of the form:
Figure BDA0001868912720000091
wherein C isj0Is the zero-bias junction capacitance, [ phi ] is a parameter dependent on the contact potential of the semiconductor, [ gamma ] is a parameter dependent on the junction structure (abrupt junction or hyper-abrupt junction, etc.), and VRIs reverse biased.
The CV characteristic of such a device is determined by the reverse bias voltage, which includes a DC voltage V _ DC and an applied RF voltage V _ RF. In small signal limit, V _ RFn < V _ DC, so the DC bias voltage controls the CV characteristic. At a specific bias point VDCNearby, the CV characteristic may be approximated using a taylor series. For example, C (V-V)DC)＝C0+C1(V-VDC)+C2(V-VDC)2+C3(V-VDC)3+ …. As shown, coefficient C0、C1、C2、C3… depend on VDC. Thus, by selecting an appropriate DC bias range, PIM and IMD can be reduced by the variable capacitor device.
The DC bias may be selected based on the desire for tunability and linearity. For example, in some embodiments, the biasing component 104 may provide a low DC voltage. Such an embodiment would provide high tunability but would also be highly non-linear. Thus, in embodiments where linearity is more desirable, the DC bias may be set to a higher voltage. As the bias voltage increases, the voltage from activation component 112 may also increase. The bias may be adjusted according to the requirements of a particular application.
In some embodiments, the variable capacitor may be made of a ferroelectric material, such as Barium Strontium Titanate (BST). BST-based devices are generally more linear than many semiconductor junction-based devices. A typical BST variable capacitance may have an IP3 of about +60dBm 1 kW. This value is significantly higher than the typical specifications for semiconductor junction variable capacitors. Thus, the use of BST variable capacitors reduces PIM generated by a 3.
In another embodiment, a variable capacitor based on Liquid Crystal (LC) material may be used. The tunability of LC-based variable capacitors is based on applying an electric field to change the orientation of the LC molecules. Because LC molecules must respond to a field to reorient, their inertial characteristics determine the speed at which they can respond to an applied field. If an AC electric field of frequency ω is applied to the LC-based variable capacitor, the tunability of the LC molecules is a function of ω. At high frequencies, the LC molecules cannot be reoriented within one period of 2 π/ω. Thus, LC-based variable capacitors cannot tune in response to an applied field above a particular frequency.
Again, the CV characteristic can be approximated using a Taylor series, e.g., C (V-V)DC)＝C0+C1(V-VDC)+C2(V-VDC)2+C3(V-VDC)3+ …. As shown, coefficient C0、C1、C2、C3… depend on VDC. Here, the coefficients are C _1, C _2, C _3,. < C _ 0. Furthermore, C _0 depends only on the DC bias point. In the case of C _0 control CV characteristics, LC-based variable capacitors have very low non-linearity and are therefore suitable for reducing PIM and IMD in a 3. LC-based variable capacitors have limited switching times. Therefore, it may be suitable for embodiments with slower switching time requirements.
Similarly, any metamaterial that changes its effective dielectric constant at microwave frequencies as a function of some external stimulus may be used. For example, the stimulus may include mechanical vibration, acoustic waves, light, magnetic fields, lower frequency electric fields, RF, or DC bias. These fields may allow for reorientation of molecules, nanoparticles, nanoclusters, microparticles, and the like. This would allow some embodiments to reduce PIM.
Switched fixed capacitor arrays may also be employed. These variable capacitors have discrete sets of possible capacitance values (typically powers of 2) that they can assume, while variable capacitors based on BST or semiconductor junctions can apply a DC bias voltage to the same terminal as the one with the desired variable capacitance. Switched capacitor arrays typically have more complex control systems than simple DC biasing. The control signals are used with a generic and/or proprietary format, such as a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) bus, to control the switches and thus the total capacitance. The control method provides a convenient way of selecting from a discrete number of states and enables easy control of the switch array. It has the added benefit of decoupling control from the applied AC voltage. With reference to the taylor series approximation, the coefficient C _ n depends weakly on the applied voltage and strongly on the switch matrix state. This results in significantly reduced non-linearity, thereby improving PIM and IMD. A semiconductor-based fixed capacitor array can provide IP3 of approximately +65dBm 3kW, a significant improvement over a variable capacitor with DC control bias applied directly in the varactor.
Furthermore, this can be improved by using a suitable fixed capacitor with enhanced linearity. Microelectromechanical System (MEMS) capacitors impart very high linearity because their operation is based on mechanical geometry and separation. A switch array using MEMS capacitors can produce very linear devices: in particular, they may result in IMDs (note not IP3) < -130dBc and possibly < -150 dBc.
For example, the biasing component 104 or the controller can be decoupled from the shared feed 102. This will increase the linearity of the two terminal devices (e.g., diodes or BST capacitors) because the bias component 104 does not apply a DC voltage at the same location as the RF voltage. The switched fixed capacitor array may also be made of a significantly more linear material. For example, any kind of conventional capacitor may be used. Such an embodiment may therefore provide a linear electronic switching regime.
In another embodiment, a MEMS-based variable capacitor may be used as the tunable element. MEMS-based variable capacitors achieve tuning through mechanical deformation. Such deformation may be achieved by various mechanisms, including but not limited to, by electrostatic, magnetostatic, and piezoelectric. MEMS variable capacitors have improved linearity compared to semiconductor junctions for a variety of reasons. First, actuation methods that are not based on AC electric fields (e.g., piezoelectricity) provide a way to decouple the control signal from the RF voltage. Decoupling the control signal from the RF signal may improve linearity. Second, MEMS variable capacitors depend on mechanical deformation. Such a mechanical system will have a considerable inertia (mass) and the amount of this inertia can be easily adjusted by choosing the appropriate dimensions of the deformable element. The MEMS variable capacitor will also not be able to reorient in response to arbitrarily high frequencies. Therefore, using a MEMS variable capacitor will result in high linearity.
Alternatively, the tunable element 108 may be configured to modulate the damping rate of the radiating element 110. For example, a variable resistor based on a semiconductor junction or Phase Change Material (PCM) may be used.
In embodiments utilizing a variable resistor based on a semiconductor junction, the junction may include a diode and a transistor. For example, various types of Field Effect Transistors (FETs) and PIN diodes may be used for high frequency Q-switches. Transistors such as metal oxide semiconductor fets (mosfets) and pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistors (pHEMT) may also be used due to excellent frequency characteristics, but they generally do not provide good PIM performance.
Such FETs typically operate in a common source configuration with the gate operating as the throw of the switch and the drain and source operating as the switch terminals. This configuration is sensitive to the induced AC voltage on the gate, which can lead to mixing at the drain of the FET. This will result in PIM and IMD if the gate is not sufficiently isolated from the AC signal.
To improve PIM and IMD performance, FET-based switch a3 high isolation between the gate and any AC signal may be used. In some embodiments, this may be achieved by adding RF chokes and ensuring that any DC control lines are not affected by the induced AC voltage. To further improve linearity, appropriate bias conditions for the FETs may be selected. The IP3 of the FET depends on the voltage across the switch terminal V _ DS, the control voltage V _ GS and the current drawn from the drain I _ DS. For a given FET, selecting a particular bias condition may improve the linearity measured by IP3 by 6dB or more.
In another embodiment, a PIN diode may be used for high frequency Q-switching. When they are two-terminal devices and therefore a DC control bias is applied to the switch terminals, the physical nature of the operation of the PIN diodes results in increased linearity compared to varactors. A typical PIN diode may have an IP3 of about +40 dBm-10W. Thus, PIN diodes are better suited for better PIM and IMD performance than many FETs.
Linearity in these embodiments can be improved by using FET and PIN diodes when the radiating element 110 is shunt reflective. For example, a two-state radiating element (on or off) may be used for the tunable element 108, such that the switch is the same or complementary to the radiating state. That is, the radiating element 110 may be designed to be in an on state or an off state when the switch is in the on state.
Certain switching devices may provide improved linearity in the on or off state. For example, a switch that is more linear in the off state may be selected. In such an example, the radiating element is designed such that the radiation on state corresponds to a switch off state, wherein the switch is positioned such that it provides a reflected shunt. In this case, the switch operates in a higher linearity mode when the element is radiating. The radiation off state corresponds to the switch on state. In the switch on state, the switch provides a through shunt. Thus, the more nonlinear mode of the switch results in the IMD not radiating at the element because it is shunted.
In another embodiment, a Phase Change Material (PCM) based variable resistor may be used for the tunable element 108. The PCMs used may be of various materials, the properties of which depend on their phase (in a material or substance sense). These include familiar phases such as liquids and gases, as well as more subtle distinctions such as crystalline and amorphous solids, or even more subtle distinctions such as crystalline polymorphic forms (having the ability to have multiple metastable allotropes). PCM may enable switching of the complex dielectric constant between two states. The dielectric constants that switch between them can be different from each other by the real part, imaginary part, or both of the dielectric constants (the amount is proportional to the conductivity).
In some embodiments, the PCM may switch between metastable states, both of which can exist at the same temperature and pressure. For example, chalcogenide materials, which are typically glasses (amorphous solids), may be used. Such materials include GeTe, GeSbTe, AgInSbTe, InSe, SbSe, SbTe, InSbSe, InSbTe, GeSbSe, GeSbTeSe, AgInSbSeTe and the like. In these embodiments, the transition typically occurs between an amorphous (glassy) state, which is essentially an insulator, and a crystalline state, which is a semiconductor or poor conductor. These two states have very large contrast in conductivity and have usable contrast in the real part of the dielectric constant. The tunable elements 108 of these embodiments may be switched between these states to increase linearity. These PCMs do not require any energy input in any one state to store them in any of these states. However, for some applications, the transition time may not be fast enough.
In another embodiment, the PCM switches between states, where the two states require different temperatures, pressures, electric fields, magnetic fields, and/or another physical stimulus. For example, vanadium dioxide (VO2) may be used. In VO2, the conversion is between the two allotropic modifications of rutile. At room temperature, VO2 is monoclinic-crystalline twisted rutile with the electronic band structure of the semiconductor; above 70 degrees celsius it becomes metallic, resulting in a sharp increase in conductivity. In another example, a superconductor may be used. Superconductors experience a sharp increase in electrical conductivity below their critical temperature, and this transition is also affected by external magnetic fields and pressure. Thus, a tunable element 108 made of PCM material may achieve significant tunability by means other than electromagnetic fields.
Fig. 2 shows an antenna system 200 including a flexible helical radiating element 210 according to one embodiment. Antenna system 200 may include an adaptive array of shared feeds 202, bias components 204, adjustable elements 208, activation components 212, and units 206. In this and other embodiments, biasing component 204 and activating component 212 may control each adjustable element 208 and/or cell 206 individually or in groups (in consecutive or non-consecutive neighbors).
In one embodiment, the radiating element 210 comprises a compliant helix as part of the radiator, as shown. The outer radius of the helix can be adjusted mechanically by rotating the inner or outer anchor points. As a result, the Magnetic Dipole (MD) resonance strength (which is related to the self-inductance of the helix) varies to the extent that the area of the helical element is modulated, and the Electric Dipole (ED) resonance strength (which is related to the self-capacitance) varies to the extent that the gap between successive turns is affected by pinching. Thus, the resonance strength (F) of an Electric Dipole (ED) or Magnetic Dipole (MD) type resonance can be varied by mechanical variation of the helix.
The radiating element 210 may be of different shapes. For example, another embodiment may use a liquid metal alloy having reservoirs filled in different configurations, so it may be configured in any shape. It may be a spiral, dipole, or even a patch. By changing the geometry, the resonator strength and resonant frequency can be changed.
Radiating element 210 (e.g., a square or circular spiral) may comprise an arm comprising a plurality of wires connected in series and interleaved with a switch. The switch may be a dual electronic switch, a mechanical switch, or other suitable switch. Furthermore, they may be semiconductor-based, MEMS-based or merely mechanical.
The switch can be controlled to be conductive (short circuit) or insulative (open circuit). Depending on the position of the first open switch, the effective length of the arm will change because part of it is electrically open. Thus, the inductance and MD strength of the resonator including the arm can be adjusted in several discrete steps. The number and magnitude of these steps depends on the number and length of these sections.
Fig. 3 illustrates an antenna system 300 including a variable coupler according to an embodiment. Antenna system 300 may include an adaptive array of shared feeds 302, bias components 304, adjustable elements 308, activation components 312, and units 306. The variable coupler 314 may be configured to control the input power and may be used in conjunction with the methods discussed previously. In some embodiments, the variable coupler may be switch based.
Fig. 4 shows a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method for reducing signal intermodulation. The method shown may be implemented in a computer by means of software and a processor or microprocessor. The method may be implemented as stored instructions on a transitory or non-transitory computer-readable medium, which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the processors to implement operations corresponding to the methods described herein. The method may additionally, partially, or alternatively be implemented using application specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays, other hardware circuits, integrated circuits, software, firmware, and/or combinations thereof.
As shown, the offset 410 for the adjustable elements of the adaptive array of radiating elements may be determined. Each radiating element may include an adjustable element co-located with each radiating element. Furthermore, an adaptive array of radiating elements may cover the shared feed. A bias 420 may be provided for each adjustable element. The bias of each tunable element is selected to increase the linearity of operation of the tunable elements, thereby reducing intermodulation between the radiating elements. The activation or degree of radiation 430 of the radiating element can be controlled. This can be done by tuning the tunable elements of the radiating elements in response to the energy in the shared feed.
Fig. 5 shows a flow diagram of another method for reducing signal intermodulation. Also, the illustrated method may be computer implemented by software and a processor or microprocessor. The method may be implemented as stored instructions on a transitory or non-transitory computer-readable medium, which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the processors to implement operations corresponding to the methods described herein. The method may additionally, partially, or alternatively be implemented using application specific integrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays, other hardware circuits, integrated circuits, software, firmware, and/or combinations thereof.
An electromagnetic signal 510 may be generated in the shared feed. "generated" is to be understood broadly to include embodiments in which the shared feed source receives electromagnetic signals from internal or external sources. The reception, reflection, refraction, scattering, etc. of electromagnetic radiation from a source constitutes "generation" as used herein with respect to a shared feed source. Electromagnetic signals may be fed from the shared feed to the adaptive array of cells 520. Each cell may include a radiating element and an adjusting element co-located with the radiating element.
The adjustment element may comprise an adjustable material, such as a phase and/or state change material or a state change material. The transition control component may selectively induce a change in an electrical or magnetic property of the tunable material to control the activation or degree of radiation 530 of the radiating element. The tunable material may include a first phase or state that is substantially non-responsive to an electromagnetic field provided by the shared feed prior to changing the electrical or magnetic properties of the tunable material. After a change in the electrical or magnetic properties of the tunable material, the tunable material may respond to the electromagnetic field in a different manner than in the first state.
In various embodiments, a system may be conceptually considered as multiple layers and/or physically implemented as multiple layers. The first layer may include a shared feed. The second layer may comprise an array of radiating elements. Each radiating element may be reactively coupled with one or more adjacent radiating elements within the second layer. "adjacent" broadly includes radiating elements that are immediately adjacent to a given radiating element as well as other radiating elements that may not be immediately adjacent to the given radiating element.
The third layer may include an array of near-field coupling elements coupled to the radiating elements in the second layer. Each coupling element may be configured to selectively control a field coupling level between one or more radiating elements and the shared feed. The plurality of coupling control components may be adapted to control the level of field coupling between the one or more radiating elements. The coupling control component may be substantially unresponsive to electromagnetic fields provided by the shared feed, radiated by the radiating element, and/or received by the radiating element within one or more operating frequency bands.
In some embodiments, the term "near-field" may include or be limited to a reactive near-field. If not deep sub-wavelength, all three layers may be separated by a sub-wavelength distance and thus may be within a reactive near-field of each other. According to some modifications to the illustrated embodiment, the layers may be visualized in conjunction with any of FIGS. 1-3.
Aspects of the invention are set forth in the following numbered clauses:
1. a system, comprising:
sharing a feed source;
an adaptive array of cells, wherein each cell comprises a radiating element and an adjusting element co-located with the radiating element, wherein the adjusting element comprises an adjustable material; and
a transition control component configured to selectively induce a change in an electromagnetic property of the tunable material to control at least one of an activation or a degree of radiation of the radiating element.
2. The system of clause 1, wherein the tunable material is substantially unresponsive to an electromagnetic field provided by the shared feed in at least one of its states.
3. The system of clause 1, wherein the tunable material is substantially unresponsive to an electromagnetic field provided by the shared feed prior to the induced change in the electromagnetic properties of the tunable material.
4. The system of clause 1, wherein the tunable material is substantially unresponsive to the electromagnetic field provided by the shared feed after an induced change in an electromagnetic property of the tunable material.
5. The system of clause 1, wherein the tunable material is substantially unresponsive to the electromagnetic field provided by the shared feed before and after the induced change in the electromagnetic properties of the tunable material.
6. The system of clause 1, wherein the tunable material comprises at least one of a phase change material and a state change material.
7. The system of clause 1, wherein the tunable material comprises a phase change material.
8. The system of clause 1, wherein the tunable material comprises a state-change material.
9. The system of clause 7, wherein the phase change material comprises a material that transitions between discrete structural forms or material phases resulting in discrete changes in electromagnetic properties of the tunable material.
10. The system of clause 1, wherein the tunable material comprises a phase change material, and wherein the transition control component is configured to selectively induce a phase change in the phase change material.
11. The system of clause 10, wherein the phase change material is configured to transition between a first material phase and a second material phase.
12. The system of clause 11, wherein the phase change material comprises a material whose electromagnetic properties depend on a current material phase of the phase change material.
13. The system of clause 12, wherein the electromagnetic property comprises a complex dielectric constant of the phase change material, wherein when the current material phase comprises the first material phase, the phase change material comprises a first dielectric constant that is different from a second dielectric constant when the current material phase comprises a second material phase.
14. The system of clause 13, wherein the first complex permittivity comprises a different real or imaginary part than the second permittivity.
15. The system of clause 14, wherein the first material phase comprises a liquid phase and the second material phase comprises a gas phase.
16. The system of clause 14, wherein the first material phase comprises a crystalline solid phase and the second material phase comprises an amorphous solid phase.
17. The system of clause 14, wherein the phase change material is capable of forming a plurality of stable allotrope forms.
18. The system of clause 14, wherein the phase change material is capable of forming a plurality of metastable allotrope forms.
19. The system of clause 14, wherein the first material phase comprises a first crystalline solid phase, and wherein the second material phase comprises a second crystalline solid phase.
20. The system of clause 10, wherein the phase change material is configured to transition between a plurality of metastable phases, wherein the plurality of metastable phases are capable of existing within a common temperature range and a common pressure range.
21. The system of clause 20, wherein the phase change material comprises a reversible phase change material, wherein the phase change transition can be reversed back to the first metastable phase after transitioning from the first metastable phase to the second metastable phase.
22. The system of clause 21, wherein the phase change material comprises a chalcogenide material.
23. The system of clause 22, wherein the chalcogenide material comprises one or more of GeTe, GeSbTe, AgInSbTe, InSe, SbSe, SbTe, insbsse, InSbTe, GeSbSe, GeSbTeSe, and aginsbssete.
24. The system of clause 21, wherein the first metastable phase comprises an amorphous solid phase, and wherein the second metastable phase comprises a crystalline solid phase.
25. The system of clause 24, wherein the phase change material is generally electrically insulating in the first metastable phase.
26. The system of clause 25, wherein the phase change material is a poor conductor, such as a semiconductor, a semi-metal, or a low conductivity metal, in the second metastable phase.
27. The system of clause 10, wherein the phase change material is configured to transition between a first material phase and a second material phase, wherein the second material phase requires one or more of a different temperature, a different pressure, a different electric field, or a different magnetic field to maintain the phase change material in its second phase.
28. The system of clause 10, wherein the phase change material is configured to transition between a first material phase and a second material phase, wherein the first material phase and the second material phase have different electronic band structures.
29. The system of clause 10, wherein the phase change in the phase change material involves the migration of atoms or ions between the phase change material and the second medium.
30. The system of clause 29, wherein the migration of atoms or ions is facilitated by one of an electric field, a magnetic field, a pressure gradient, a strain gradient, or a temperature gradient.
31. The system of clause 10, wherein the phase change material comprises a reversible phase change material, wherein the phase change material may be reversed back to the first material phase after the transition from the first material phase to the second material phase.
32. The system of clause 31, wherein the phase change material comprises a superconducting material and the phase change is a phase change between a superconducting phase and a non-superconducting phase.
33. The system of clause 27, wherein the phase change material comprises vanadium dioxide (VO)2)。
34. The system of clause 31, wherein the transition between the first material phase and the second material phase comprises a transition between two allotropic forms.
35. The system of clause 31, wherein the reversible phase change in the phase change material comprises a migration of ions between the phase change material and a second medium.
36. The system of clause 35, wherein the migration of ions is facilitated by an electric field and is reversible by reversing the direction of the electric field.
37. The system of clause 35, wherein the ions comprise oxygen ions or oxygen-containing molecular ions.
38. The system of clause 10, wherein the transition control component is configured to provide heating or cooling to the phase change material for a temperature-induced transition from a first material phase to a second material phase.
39. The system of clause 38, wherein the transition control component is configured to continue to provide heating or cooling to maintain the phase change material in the second material phase.
40. The system of clause 38, wherein the transition control component is configured to selectively activate a heating or cooling element co-located with the unit to induce or maintain the transition.
41. The system of clause 38, wherein the temperature-induced transition comprises a first order transition between two or more of a solid phase, a liquid phase, a gas phase, and a plasma phase.
42. The system of clause 38, wherein the temperature-induced transition comprises a second-order transition between two solid allotropic forms.
43. The system of clause 38, wherein the temperature-induced transition comprises a transition between a ferromagnetic phase and a non-ferromagnetic phase.
44. The system of clause 38, wherein the temperature-induced transition comprises a transition between a superconducting phase and a non-superconducting phase.
45. The system of clause 38, wherein the temperature-induced transition comprises a transition between a paraelectric phase and a ferroelectric phase.
46. The system of clause 38, wherein the temperature-induced transition comprises a chemical reaction whose energy barrier is overcome above a threshold temperature.
47. The system of clause 38, wherein the phase change material comprises a thermoelectric material, and wherein the temperature-induced transition comprises a change in electrical polarization of the thermoelectric material as a function of temperature.
48. The system of clause 10, wherein the transition control component is configured to increase or decrease the pressure on the phase change material to induce the transition from the first material phase to the second material phase.
49. The system of clause 48, wherein the transition control component is configured to maintain the increased or decreased pressure to maintain the phase change material in the second material phase.
50. The system of clause 48, wherein the transition control component is configured to selectively activate a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) co-located with the cell to induce or maintain an increased or decreased pressure on the phase change material to maintain the transition.
51. The system of clause 10, wherein the transition control component is configured to increase or decrease an electric field induced in the phase change material to induce the transition from the first material phase to the second material phase.
52. The system of clause 51, wherein the transition control component is configured to maintain an increased or decreased electric field to maintain the phase change material in the second material phase.
53. The system of clause 52, wherein the phase change material comprises a material having a paraelectric phase and a ferroelectric phase.
54. The system of clause 51, wherein the phase change material comprises a ferroelectric material and the transition is between a state without remnant polarization and a state with remnant polarization.
55. The system of clause 54, wherein the ferroelectric material comprises BaTiO3、PbTiO3And PZT.
56. The system of clause 51, wherein the phase change material comprises an antiferroelectric material.
57. The system of clause 51, wherein the phase change material comprises a multiferroic material.
58. The system of clause 57, wherein the multiferroic material exhibits ferroelectric and ferromagnetic properties.
59. The system of clause 10, wherein the transition control component is configured to increase or decrease the magnetic field induced in the phase change material to induce the transition from the first material phase to the second material phase.
60. The system of clause 59, wherein the transition control component is configured to maintain the reduced or reduced magnetic field to maintain the phase change material in the second material phase.
61. The system of clause 59, wherein the phase change material comprises a ferromagnetic material.
62. The system of clause 59, wherein the phase change material comprises a ferrimagnetic material.
63. The system of clause 59, wherein the phase change material comprises an antiferromagnetic material.
64. The system of clause 59, wherein the phase change material comprises a multiferroic material.
65. The system of clause 59, wherein the transition control component is configured to selectively activate an electromagnet co-located with the cell.
66. The system of clause 8, wherein the state-change material comprises a material that causes a continuous change in the electromagnetic property in response to the applied stimulus.
67. The system of clause 1, wherein the tunable material comprises the state-change material, and wherein the transition control component is configured to selectively vary an electromagnetic property of the state-change material.
68. The system of clause 67, wherein the change in the electromagnetic property of the state-change material is one of continuous and gradual.
69. The system of clause 67, wherein the electrical or magnetic property comprises a complex dielectric constant of the state-change material, wherein the dielectric constant of the state-change material is adjustable between a first dielectric constant and a second dielectric constant.
70. The system of clause 69, wherein the first complex permittivity comprises a different real or imaginary part than the second permittivity.
71. The system of clause 67, wherein the state-change material is configured to transition between a first state having a first set of electromagnetic properties and a second state having a second set of electrical or magnetic properties in response to a change in one or more of temperature, pressure, electric field, and magnetic field.
72. The system of clause 71, wherein the state-change material comprises a superconducting material, and wherein the state change is between a superconducting state and a non-superconducting state.
73. The system of clause 67, wherein the state-change material comprises a paraelectric material.
74. The system of clause 73, wherein the paraelectric material comprises SrTiO3And one or more of BaSrTi.
75. The system of clause 67, wherein the transition control component is configured to provide heating or cooling to the state-change material for a temperature-induced transition of the electromagnetic property.
76. The system of clause 75, wherein the transition control component is configured to continue providing heating or cooling to maintain the transition in the electromagnetic properties of the state-change material.
77. The system of clause 75, wherein the transition control component is configured to selectively activate a heating or cooling element co-located with the unit to induce or maintain the transition.
78. The system of clause 75, wherein the state-change material comprises a thermoelectric material, and wherein the temperature-induced transition comprises a change in electrical polarization of the thermoelectric material as a function of temperature.
79. The system of clause 67, wherein the transition control component is configured to increase or decrease the pressure on the state-change material to induce the change in the electromagnetic property.
80. The system of clause 79, wherein the transition control component is configured to selectively activate a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) co-located with the cell to induce or maintain an increased or decreased pressure on the state-change material.
81. The system of clause 79, wherein the state-change material comprises a magnetostrictive material.
82. The system of clause 67, wherein the transition control component is configured to increase or decrease an electric field incident on the state-change material to induce the change in the electrical or magnetic property.
83. The system of clause 82, wherein the state-change material comprises a paraelectric material.
84. The system of clause 83, wherein the paraelectric material comprises SrTiO3And one or more of BaSrTi.
85. The system of clause 82, wherein the state-change material comprises a ferroelectric material.
86. The system of clause 85, wherein the ferroelectric material comprises BaTiO3、PbTiO3And PZT.
87. The system of clause 82, wherein the state-change material comprises an antiferroelectric material.
88. The system of clause 82, wherein the state-change material comprises a multiferroic material.
89. The system of clause 88, wherein the multiferroic material exhibits ferroelectric and ferromagnetic properties.
90. The system of clause 88, wherein the multiferroic material is BiFeO3Or YMnO3One kind of (1).
91. The system of clause 67, wherein the transition control component is configured to increase or decrease the magnetic field incident on the state-change material to induce the change in the electromagnetic property.
92. The system of clause 91, wherein the state-change material comprises a ferromagnetic material.
93. The system of clause 91, wherein the state-change material comprises a ferrimagnetic material.
94. The system of clause 91, wherein the state-change material comprises an antiferromagnetic material.
95. The system of clause 91, wherein the state-change material comprises a multiferroic material.
96. The system of clause 91, wherein the transition control component is configured to selectively activate an electromagnet co-located with the cell to induce the change in the electromagnetic property.
97. The system of clause 1, wherein the tunable material comprises a phase change material having at least one of a plurality of possible phases, the phase change material comprising a state change material.
98. The system of clause 1, wherein the radiating elements comprise resonant elements, wherein the adjustment element corresponding to a radiating element is configured to modify a response of the resonant element to the shared feed to control at least one of the activation or the degree of radiation of the respective radiating element.
99. The system of clause 98, wherein each adjusting element is configured to adjust a quality factor of the resonance of the respective radiating element.
100. The system of clause 99, wherein the adjustment element comprises a variable resistor.
101. The system of clause 1, wherein the adjustment element comprises a switch for controlling the activation or degree of radiation of the radiating element, wherein the tunable material modifies the resistance of the switch.
102. The system of clause 1, wherein the shared feed comprises a Transmission Line (TL).
103. The system of clause 102, wherein the TL comprises a TL for microwave frequency electromagnetic waves.
104. The system of clause 102, wherein the TL comprises a TL for radio frequency electromagnetic waves.
105. The system of clause 102, wherein the TL comprises a TL for infrared electromagnetic waves.
106. The system of clause 102, wherein the waveguide comprises a TL for optical frequency electromagnetic waves.
107. The system of clause 1, wherein the shared feed comprises a conductor for conducting a time-dependent current signal.
108. The system of clause 1, wherein the shared feed comprises a surface-bounded structure for a guided surface wave.
109. The system of clause 1, wherein the shared feed comprises radiators progressively or reactively coupled with the adaptive array of cells.
110. The system of clause 1, wherein the shared feed comprises a radiator radiationally coupled with the adaptive array of elements.
111. The system of clause 1, wherein the adaptive array of cells overlays the shared feed.
112. A method, comprising:
transmitting an electromagnetic signal to the shared feed source;
feeding an electromagnetic signal from a shared feed to an adaptive array of cells, wherein each cell comprises a radiating element and a conditioning element co-located with the radiating element, an
Modifying, by the transition control component of the at least one adjustment element, an electromagnetic property of the tunable material of the at least one adjustment element to control at least one of an activation or a degree of radiation of the radiating element.
113. The method of clause 112, wherein the tunable material comprises a phase change material.
114. The method of clause 112, wherein the tunable material comprises a state-change material.
115. The method of clause 112, wherein the tunable material does not substantially respond to the electromagnetic field provided by the shared feed prior to the induced change in the electromagnetic properties of the variable material.
116. The method of clause 112, wherein the tunable material does not substantially respond to the electromagnetic field provided by the shared feed after the induced change in the electromagnetic properties of the tunable material.
117. The method of clause 112, wherein the tunable material is substantially unresponsive to the electromagnetic field provided by the shared feed before and after the induced change in the electromagnetic properties of the tunable material.
118. The method of clause 113, wherein the phase change material comprises a material that transitions between discrete structural changes or material phase changes resulting in discrete changes in the electrical or magnetic properties of the tunable material.
119. The method of clause 112, wherein the tunable material comprises a phase change material, and wherein the transition control feature is configured to selectively induce a phase change in the phase change material.
120. The method of clause 119, wherein the phase change material is configured to transition between a first material phase and a second material phase.
121. The method of clause 120, wherein the phase change material comprises a material whose electromagnetic properties depend on a current material phase of the phase change material.
122. The method of clause 121, wherein the electromagnetic property comprises a complex dielectric constant of the phase change material, wherein when the current material phase comprises the first material phase, the phase change material comprises a first dielectric constant that is different from a second dielectric constant when the current material phase comprises a second material phase.
123. The method of clause 122, wherein the first dielectric constant comprises a different real or imaginary part than the second dielectric constant.
124. The method of clause 123, wherein the first material phase comprises a liquid phase and the second material phase comprises a gas phase.
125. The method of clause 123, wherein the first material phase comprises a crystalline solid phase and the second material phase comprises an amorphous solid phase.
126. The method of clause 123, wherein the phase change material is capable of forming a plurality of stable or metastable allotrope forms.
127. The method of clause 123, wherein the first material phase comprises a first crystalline solid phase, and wherein the second material phase comprises a second crystalline solid phase.
128. The method of clause 119, wherein the phase change material is configured to transition between a plurality of metastable phases, wherein the plurality of metastable phases are capable of existing within a common temperature range and a common pressure range.
129. The method of clause 128, wherein the phase change material comprises a reversible phase change material, wherein the phase change transition is reversible back to the first metastable phase after transitioning from the first metastable phase to the second metastable phase.
130. The method of clause 129, wherein the phase change material comprises a chalcogenide material.
131. The method of clause 130, wherein the chalcogenide material comprises one or more of GeTe, GeSbTe, AgInSbTe, InSe, SbSe, SbTe, insbsse, InSbTe, GeSbSe, GeSbTeSe, and aginsbssete.
132. The method of clause 129, wherein the first metastable phase comprises an amorphous solid phase, and wherein the second metastable phase comprises a crystalline solid phase.
133. The method of clause 132, wherein the phase change material is generally electrically insulating in the first metastable phase.
134. The method of clause 133, wherein the phase change material is a poor conductor, such as a semiconductor, a semi-metal, or a low conductivity metal, in the second metastable phase.
135. The method of clause 119, wherein the phase change material is configured to transition between a first material phase and a second material phase, wherein the second material phase requires one or more of a different temperature, a different pressure, a different electric field, or a different magnetic field to maintain the phase change material in its second phase.
136. The method of clause 119, wherein the phase change material is configured to transition between a first material phase and a second material phase, wherein the first material phase and the second material phase have different electronic band structures.
137. The method of clause 119, wherein the phase change in the phase change material involves the migration of atoms or ions between the phase change material and the second medium.
138. The method of clause 119, wherein the phase change material comprises a reversible phase change material, wherein the phase change material may be reversed back to the first material phase after the transition from the first material phase to the second material phase.
139. The method of clause 138, wherein the phase change material comprises a superconducting material and the phase change is a phase change between a superconducting phase and a non-superconducting phase.
140. The method of clause 134, wherein the phase change material comprises vanadium dioxide (VO)2)。
141. The method of clause 138, wherein the transition between the first material phase and the second material phase comprises a transition between two allotropic forms.
142. The method of clause 138, wherein the reversible phase change in the phase change material comprises a migration of ions between the phase change material and a second medium.
143. The method of clause 142, wherein the ions comprise oxygen ions or oxygen-containing molecular ions.
144. The method of clause 119, wherein the transition control component is configured to provide heating or cooling to the phase change material for a temperature-induced transition from a first material phase to a second material phase.
145. The method of clause 144, wherein the transition control component is configured to continue to provide heating or cooling to maintain the phase change material in the second material phase.
146. The method of clause 144, wherein the transition control component is configured to selectively activate a heating or cooling element co-located with the unit to induce or maintain the transition.
147. The method of clause 144, wherein the temperature-induced transition comprises a first order transition between two or more of a solid phase, a liquid phase, a gas phase, and a plasma phase.
148. The method of clause 144, wherein the temperature-induced transition comprises a secondary transition between two solid allotropes.
149. The method of clause 144, wherein the temperature-induced transition comprises a transition between a ferromagnetic phase and a non-ferromagnetic phase.
150. The method of clause 144, wherein the temperature-induced transition comprises a transition between a superconducting phase and a non-superconducting phase.
151. The method of clause 144, wherein the temperature-induced transition comprises a transition between a paraelectric phase and a ferroelectric phase.
152. The method of clause 144, wherein the temperature-induced transformation comprises a chemical reaction whose energy barrier is overcome above a threshold temperature.
153. The method of clause 144, wherein the phase change material comprises a thermoelectric material, and wherein the temperature-induced transition comprises a change in an electrical polarization of the thermoelectric material as a function of temperature.
154. The method of clause 119, wherein the transition control component is configured to increase or decrease the pressure on the phase change material to induce the transition from the first material phase to the second material phase.
155. The method of clause 154, wherein the transition control component is configured to maintain the increased or decreased pressure to maintain the phase change material in the second material phase.
156. The method of clause 154, wherein the transition control component is configured to selectively activate a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) co-located with the cell to induce or maintain an increased or decreased pressure on the phase change material to maintain the transition.
157. The method of clause 119, wherein the transition control component is configured to increase or decrease an electric field incident on the phase change material to induce the transition from the first material phase to the second material phase.
158. The method of clause 157, wherein the transition control component is configured to maintain an increased or decreased electric field to maintain the phase change material in the second material phase.
159. The method of clause 158, wherein the phase change material comprises a material having a paraelectric phase and a ferroelectric phase.
160. The method of clause 157, wherein the phase change material comprises a ferroelectric material and the transition is between a state without remnant polarization and a state with remnant polarization.
161. The method of clause 160, wherein the ferroelectric material comprises BaTiO3、PbTiO3And PZT.
162. The method of clause 157, wherein the phase change material comprises an antiferroelectric material.
163. The method of clause 157, wherein the phase change material comprises a multiferroic material.
164. The method of clause 119, wherein the transition control component is configured to increase or decrease the magnetic field on the phase change material to induce the transition from the first material phase to the second material phase.
165. The method of clause 164, wherein the transition control component is configured to maintain the reduced or reduced magnetic field to maintain the phase change material in the second material phase.
166. The method of clause 164, wherein the phase change material comprises a ferromagnetic material.
167. The method of clause 164, wherein the phase change material comprises a ferrimagnetic material.
168. The method of clause 164, wherein the phase change material comprises an antiferromagnetic material.
169. The method of clause 164, wherein the phase change material comprises a multiferroic material.
170. The method of clause 164, wherein the transition control component is configured to selectively activate an electromagnet co-located with the cell.
171. The method of clause 114, wherein the state-change material comprises a material that causes a continuous change in the electromagnetic property in response to an applied stimulus.
172. The method of clause 112, wherein the tunable material comprises the state-change material, and wherein the transition control component is configured to selectively cause a change in an electromagnetic property of the state-change material.
173. The method of clause 172, wherein the change in the electromagnetic property of the state-change material is one of continuous and gradual.
174. The method of clause 172, wherein the electrical or magnetic property comprises a dielectric constant of the state-change material, wherein the dielectric constant of the state-change material is adjustable between a first dielectric constant and a second dielectric constant.
175. The method of clause 174, wherein the first permittivity comprises a different real or imaginary part than the second permittivity.
176. The method of clause 172, wherein the state-change material is configured to transition between a first state having a first set of electrical or magnetic properties and a second state having a second set of electrical or magnetic properties in response to a change in one or more of temperature, pressure, electric field, and magnetic field.
177. The method of clause 176, wherein the state-change material comprises a superconducting material, and wherein the state change is between a superconducting state and a non-superconducting state.
178. The method of clause 172, wherein the state-change material comprises a paraelectric material.
179. The method of clause 178, wherein the paraelectric material comprises SrTiO3And one or more of BaSrTi.
180. The method of clause 172, wherein the transition control component is configured to provide heating or cooling to the state-change material for the temperature-induced transition of the electrical or magnetic property.
181. The method of clause 180, wherein the transition control component is configured to continue providing heating or cooling to maintain the transition in the electrical or magnetic property of the state-change material.
182. The method of clause 180, wherein the transition control component is configured to selectively activate a heating or cooling element co-located with the unit to induce or maintain the transition.
183. The method of clause 180, wherein the state-change material comprises a thermoelectric material, and wherein the temperature-induced transition comprises a change in electrical polarization of the thermoelectric material as a function of temperature.
184. The method of clause 172, wherein the transition control component is configured to increase or decrease the pressure on the state-change material to induce the change in the electrical or magnetic property.
185. The method of clause 184, wherein the transition control component is configured to selectively activate a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) co-located with the cell to induce or maintain an increased or decreased pressure on the state-change material.
186. The method of clause 184, wherein the state-change material comprises a magnetostrictive material.
187. The method of clause 172, wherein the transition control feature is configured to increase or decrease an electric field incident on the state-change material to induce the change in the electrical or magnetic property.
188. The method of clause 187, wherein the state-change material comprises a paraelectric material.
189. The method of clause 188, wherein the paraelectric materialComprising SrTiO3And one or more of BaSrTi.
190. The method of clause 187, wherein the state change material comprises a ferroelectric material.
191. The method of clause 190, wherein the ferroelectric material comprises BaTiO3、PbTiO3And PZT.
192. The method of clause 187, wherein the state change material comprises an antiferroelectric material.
193. The method of clause 187, wherein the state-change material comprises a multiferroic material.
194. The method of clause 172, wherein the transition control component is configured to increase or decrease a magnetic field incident on the state-change material to induce the change in the electrical or magnetic property.
195. The method of clause 194, wherein the state-change material comprises a ferromagnetic material.
196. The method of clause 194, wherein the state-change material comprises a ferrimagnetic material.
197. The method of clause 194, wherein the state-change material comprises an antiferromagnetic material.
198. The method of clause 194, wherein the state-change material comprises a multiferroic material.
199. The method of clause 194, wherein the transition control component is configured to selectively activate an electromagnet co-located with the cell to induce the change in the electromagnetic property.
200. The method of clause 112, wherein the tunable material comprises a phase change material having at least one of a plurality of possible phases, the phase change material comprising a state change material.
201. The method of clause 112, wherein the radiating elements comprise resonant elements, wherein the adjustment element corresponding to a radiating element is configured to modify a response of the resonant element to the shared feed to control at least one of the activation or the degree of radiation of the respective radiating element.
202. The method of clause 201, wherein each adjusting element is configured to adjust a quality factor of a resonance of the respective radiating element.
203. The method of clause 202, wherein the adjustment element comprises a variable resistor.
204. The method of clause 112, wherein the adjustment element comprises a switch for controlling the activation or degree of radiation of the radiating element, wherein the tunable material modifies the resistance of the switch.
205. The method of clause 112, wherein the shared feed comprises a Transmission Line (TL).
206. The method of clause 205, wherein the TL comprises a TL for microwave frequency electromagnetic waves.
207. The method of clause 205, wherein the TL comprises a TL for a radio frequency electromagnetic wave.
208. The method of clause 205, wherein the TL comprises a TL for an infrared electromagnetic wave.
209. The method of clause 205, wherein the waveguide comprises a TL for optical frequency electromagnetic waves.
210. The method of clause 205, wherein the shared feed comprises a conductor for conducting a time-dependent current signal.
211. The method of clause 205, wherein the shared feed comprises a surface-bounded structure for a guided surface wave.
212. The method of clause 205, wherein the adaptive array of elements overlays the shared feed.
213. A system, comprising:
a first layer comprising a shared feed;
a second layer comprising an array of radiating elements, wherein a radiating element is reactively coupled with one or more neighboring radiating elements within the second layer;
a third layer comprising an array of near-field coupling elements coupled with radiating elements in the second layer, wherein each coupling element is configured to selectively control a level of field coupling between one or more radiating elements and the shared feed,
a plurality of coupling control components configured to control a level of field coupling between the one or more radiating elements, wherein the coupling control components are substantially unresponsive to an electromagnetic field provided by the shared feed.
214. The system of clause 213, wherein the plurality of coupling control components are embedded in a third layer.
215. The system of clause 213, wherein the plurality of coupling control features are located in the fourth layer and are electrically coupled to the coupling elements in the third layer by way of electrically conductive connectors.
216. The system of clause 215, wherein the conductive connector comprises a through-hole.
217. The system of clause 213, wherein a coupling element for the one or more radiating elements is located between the shared feed and the one or more respective radiating elements to control an excitation intensity incident on the one or more radiating elements from the shared feed.
218. The system of clause 213, wherein the third layer is located between the first layer and the second layer.
219. The system of clause 213, wherein one or more of the first, second, and third layers are not truly planar layers.
220. The system of clause 213, wherein one or more of the first, second, and third layers intersect or at least partially overlap one or more of the other two layers.
221. The system of clause 213, wherein each coupling element is configured to adjust a size of an opening between the shared feed and one or more respective radiating elements.
222. The system of clause 221, wherein the shared feed comprises a transmission line, and wherein each coupling element comprises a mechanical aperture, wherein the coupling control component controls the mechanical aperture to adjust the size of the aperture between the TL and the one or more radiating elements.
223. The system of clause 213, wherein each coupling element is configured to adjust a distance between the shared feed and the one or more radiating elements.
224. The system of clause 223, wherein each coupling element comprises a mechanical actuator to adjust a distance between the shared feed and the one or more radiating elements.
225. The system of clause 213, wherein each coupling element is configured to modify an electromagnetic impedance between the shared feed and the one or more radiating elements.
226. The system of clause 225, wherein the electromagnetic impedance comprises a passive impedance, and wherein the coupling element comprises a variable resistor coupling the one or more radiating elements to the shared feed.
227. The system of clause 225, wherein the electromagnetic impedance comprises an active impedance, and wherein the coupling element comprises a variable capacitor coupling the one or more radiating elements to the shared feed.
228. The system of clause 225, wherein the impedance comprises an active impedance, and wherein the coupling element comprises a variable inductor coupling the one or more radiating elements to the shared feed.
229. The system of clause 213, wherein each coupling element in the third layer corresponds to one radiating element in the second layer.
230. The system of clause 213, wherein each coupling element in the third layer corresponds to more than one radiating element in the second layer.
231. The system of clause 213, wherein each radiating element in the second layer corresponds to more than one coupling element in the third layer.
232. The system of clause 213, wherein the shared feed comprises a Transmission Line (TL).
233. The system of clause 232, wherein the TL comprises a TL for microwave frequency electromagnetic waves.
234. The system of clause 232, wherein the TL comprises a TL for radio frequency electromagnetic waves.
235. The system of clause 232, wherein the TL comprises a TL for infrared electromagnetic waves.
236. The system of clause 232, wherein the TL comprises a TL for optical frequency electromagnetic waves.
237. The system of clause 213, wherein the shared feed comprises a conductor for conducting a time-dependent current signal.
238. The system of clause 213, wherein the shared feed comprises a surface bounded structure for a guided surface wave.
239. A system, comprising:
sharing a feed source;
an adaptive array of cells, wherein each cell comprises a radiating element and an adjustable element co-located with each radiating element;
a biasing component for providing a DC bias to each adjustable element, wherein the DC bias for each adjustable element is selected to increase linearity of operation of the adjustable element to reduce signal intermodulation; and
an activation component configured to control an activation or degree of radiation of the radiating element in response to energy in the shared feed by tuning a tunable element of the radiating element.
240. The system of clause 239, wherein the shared feed comprises a Transmission Line (TL).
241. The system of clause 240, wherein the TL comprises a TL for microwave frequency electromagnetic waves.
242. The system of clause 240, wherein the TL comprises a TL for radio frequency electromagnetic waves.
243. The system of clause 240, wherein the TL comprises a TL for infrared electromagnetic waves.
244. The system of clause 240, wherein the waveguide comprises a TL for optical frequency electromagnetic waves.
245. The system of clause 239, wherein the shared feed comprises a conductor for conducting a time-dependent current signal.
246. The system of clause 239, wherein the shared feed comprises a conductor for a guided surface wave.
247. The system of clause 239, wherein the shared feed comprises radiators progressively coupled to the array of adaptive elements.
248. The system of clause 239, wherein the shared feed comprises a radiator reactively coupled to the adaptive array of cells.
249. The system of clause 239, wherein the shared feed comprises a radiator radiationally coupled to the array of adaptive elements.
250. The system of clause 239, wherein the adaptive array of elements overlays the shared feed.
251. The system of clause 239, wherein the activation component is configured to control radiation by applying a modified voltage over the DC bias.
252. The system of clause 239, wherein the activation component is configured to control radiation by providing a signal to an electrical terminal different from the terminal to which the DC bias is applied.
253. The system of clause 239, wherein the activation component is configured to control the radiation by causing mechanical actuation of the adjustable element.
254. The system of clause 239, wherein the radiating element comprises a resonant element, wherein the adjustable element corresponding to the radiating element is configured to modify a response of the resonant element to the shared feed to control an activation or degree of radiation of the corresponding radiating element.
255. The system of clause 254, wherein each adjustable element is configured to adjust a resonant frequency of a respective radiating element.
256. The system of clause 255, wherein the activation component is configured to selectively tune the tunable elements of the respective radiating elements to match frequencies within the shared feed to activate radiation of the radiating elements.
257. The system of clause 255, wherein the tunable element is configured to selectively modify a capacitance or an inductance of the radiating element.
258. The system of clause 257, wherein the tunable element comprises a semiconductor junction-based variable capacitor.
259. The system of clause 258, wherein the variable capacitor comprises a diode.
260. The system of clause 259, wherein the diode comprises a varactor.
261. The system of clause 258, wherein the variable capacitor comprises a transistor.
262. The system of clause 257, wherein the tunable element comprises a ferroelectric material-based variable capacitor.
263. The system of clause 262, wherein the ferroelectric material comprises Barium Strontium Titanate (BST).
264. The system of clause 257, wherein the tunable element comprises a variable capacitor based on a liquid crystal medium.
265. The system of clause 254, wherein each adjustable element is configured to adjust a quality factor of a resonance of the respective radiating element.
266. The system of clause 265, wherein the adjustable element comprises a variable resistor.
267. The system of clause 266, wherein the variable resistor comprises a resistor based on at least one semiconductor junction.
268. The system of clause 267, wherein the variable resistor comprises a diode.
269. The system of clause 268, wherein the diode comprises a diode having an intrinsic semiconductor region between a p-type semiconductor region and an n-type semiconductor region (PIN diode).
270. The system of clause 266, wherein the variable resistor comprises a transistor.
271. The system of clause 270, wherein the transistor comprises a Field Effect Transistor (FET).
272. The system of clause 271, wherein the transistor operates in a common source configuration, wherein the gate terminal operates as a throw and drain terminal and the source terminal operates as a switch terminal.
273. The system of clause 271, wherein the variable resistor comprises a high degree of isolation between the gate terminal and the ac signal.
274. The system of clause 273, wherein the radiating element further comprises one or more of a radio frequency choke and an insulated control wire.
275. The system of clause 265, wherein the radiating element is shunt-reflective.
276. The system of clause 275, wherein the radiation on state of the radiating element corresponds to a switch off state of the adjustable element corresponding to the radiating element.
277. The system of clause 254, wherein each adjustable element is configured to adjust a resonant strength of the radiating element.
278. The system of clause 277, wherein the strength of resonance comprises a strength of an electric or magnetic dipole resonance.
279. The system of clause 277, wherein the DC bias deactivates or activates a portion of the resonant element of the respective radiating element.
280. The system of clause 279, wherein the radiating element comprises a plurality of wires connected in series, wherein one or more of the wires are activated or deactivated based on the DC bias to effectively modify the length of the radiating element.
281. The system of clause 254, wherein the adjustable element is configured to adjust two or more of a quality factor of the resonance of the corresponding radiating element, a resonant frequency of the corresponding radiating element, and a resonant intensity of the radiating element.
282. A method, comprising:
determining a bias for an adjustable element for an adaptive array of radiating elements, wherein each radiating element comprises an adjustable element co-located with each radiating element, wherein the adaptive array of radiating elements is coupled with a shared feed;
providing a bias for each tunable element, wherein the bias for each tunable element is selected to increase linearity of operation of the tunable element to reduce intermodulation between radiating elements; and
by tuning the tunable elements of the radiating elements, the degree of activation or radiation of the radiating elements is controlled in response to the energy in the shared feed.
283. The method of clause 282, wherein the shared feed comprises a Transmission Line (TL).
284. The method of clause 283, wherein the TL comprises TL for microwave frequency electromagnetic waves.
285. The method of clause 283, wherein the TL comprises a TL for radio frequency electromagnetic waves.
286. The method of clause 283, wherein the TL comprises a TL for infrared electromagnetic waves.
287. The method of clause 283, wherein the waveguide comprises a TL for optical frequency electromagnetic waves.
288. The method of clause 282, wherein the shared feed comprises a conductor for conducting a time-dependent current signal.
289. The method of clause 282, wherein the shared feed comprises a conductor for a guided surface wave.
290. The method of clause 282, wherein the shared feed comprises radiators progressively coupled to the adaptive array of cells.
291. The method of clause 282, wherein the shared feed comprises a radiator reactively coupled to the adaptive array of cells.
292. The method of clause 282, wherein the shared feed comprises a radiator radiationally coupled to the adaptive array of cells.
293. The method of clause 282, wherein the adaptive array of elements overlays the shared feed.
294. The method of clause 282, further comprising controlling radiation by the activation component applying a modified voltage over the DC bias.
295. The method of clause 282, further comprising controlling radiation by the activation component providing a signal to an electrical terminal other than the terminal to which the DC bias was applied.
296. The method of clause 282, further comprising controlling the radiation by activating the component to cause mechanical actuation of the adjustable element.
297. The method of clause 282, wherein the radiating element comprises a resonant element, wherein the adjustable element corresponding to the radiating element is configured to modify a response of the resonant element to the shared feed to control an activation or degree of radiation of the corresponding radiating element.
298. The method of clause 297, wherein each adjustable element is configured to adjust a resonant frequency of the respective radiating element.
299. The method of clause 298, further comprising selectively tuning tunable elements of respective radiating elements to match frequencies within the shared feed by the activation component to activate radiation of the radiating elements.
300. The method of clause 298, wherein the tunable element is configured to selectively modify a capacitance or an inductance of the radiating element.
301. The method of clause 300, wherein the tunable element comprises a semiconductor junction based variable capacitor.
302. The method of clause 301, wherein the variable capacitor comprises a diode.
303. The method of clause 302, wherein the diode comprises a varactor.
304. The method of clause 301, wherein the variable capacitor comprises a transistor.
305. The method of clause 300, wherein the tunable element comprises a ferroelectric material based variable capacitor.
306. The method of clause 305, wherein the ferroelectric material comprises Barium Strontium Titanate (BST).
307. The method of clause 300, wherein the tunable element comprises a variable capacitor based on a liquid crystal medium.
308. The method of clause 297, further comprising adjusting a quality factor of a resonance of the respective radiating element of each tunable element.
309. The method of clause 308, wherein the adjustable element comprises a variable resistor.
310. The method of clause 309, wherein the variable resistor comprises a resistor based on at least one semiconductor junction.
311. The method of clause 310, wherein the variable resistor comprises a diode.
312. The method of clause 311, wherein the diode comprises a diode having an intrinsic semiconductor region between a p-type semiconductor region and an n-type semiconductor region (PIN diode).
313. The method of clause 309, wherein the variable resistor comprises a transistor.
314. The method of clause 313, wherein the transistor comprises a Field Effect Transistor (FET).
315. The method of clause 314, wherein the transistor operates in a common source configuration with the gate terminal operating as a throw and drain terminal and the source terminal operating as a switch terminal.
316. The method of clause 314, wherein the variable resistor comprises a high degree of isolation between the gate terminal and the ac signal.
317. The method of clause 316, wherein the radiating element further comprises one or more of a radio frequency choke and an insulated control wire.
318. The method of clause 308, wherein the radiating element is shunt-reflective.
319. The method of clause 318, wherein the radiating on state of the radiating element corresponds to a switch off state of the tunable element corresponding to the radiating element.
320. The method of clause 297, wherein each adjustable element is configured to adjust a resonant strength of the radiating element.
321. The method of clause 320, wherein the strength of resonance comprises a strength of an electric or magnetic dipole resonance.
322. The method of clause 320, wherein the DC bias deactivates or activates a portion of the resonant element of the respective radiating element.
323. The method of clause 322, wherein the radiating element comprises a plurality of wires connected in series, wherein one or more of the wires are activated or deactivated based on the DC bias to effectively modify the length of the radiating element.
324. The method of clause 297, wherein the adjustable element is configured to adjust two or more of a quality factor of a resonance of the corresponding radiating element, a resonant frequency of the corresponding radiating element, and a resonant intensity of the radiating element.
325. A system, comprising:
sharing a feed source;
an adaptive array of cells, each cell containing at least one radiating element, wherein each radiating element comprises an array of switched fixed capacitors for selectively tuning the radiating element to reduce signal intermodulation, wherein each of the array of switched fixed capacitors is co-located with a respective radiating element; and
an activation component configured to respond to the shared feed by enabling or disabling capacitors in the switched fixed capacitor array to control the degree of activation or radiation of radiating elements.
326. The system of clause 325, wherein the radiating elements comprise resonant elements, wherein the switched fixed capacitor array is configured to modify a response of the respective radiating element to the shared feed to control an activation or degree of radiation of the respective radiating element.
327. The system of clause 326, wherein each of the switched fixed capacitor arrays is configured to modify a resonant frequency of a respective radiating element.
328. The system of clause 325, wherein each of the switched fixed capacitor arrays is configured to provide a discrete set of possible capacitance values based on which capacitor in the switched fixed capacitor array is activated or deactivated.
329. The system of clause 325, wherein the activation component is configured to control the degree of activation or radiation of the radiating element by selectively activating or deactivating one or more of the capacitors in the switched fixed capacitor array by providing a signal to the switched fixed capacitor array over the serial or parallel bus.
330. The system of clause 330, wherein the signal comprises a digital signal.
331. The system of clause 330, wherein the activation component provides a signal to a first terminal of the switched fixed capacitor array, and wherein a voltage or signal from the shared feed is provided to the capacitors of the switched fixed capacitor array at one or more second terminals to decouple control from the shared feed.
332. The system of clause 325, wherein the switched fixed capacitor array comprises one or more microelectromechanical system (MEMS) capacitors.
333. The system of clause 325, wherein the switched fixed capacitor array comprises one or more microelectromechanical system (MEMS) switches to activate or deactivate capacitors of the switch array.
334. A system, comprising:
sharing a feed source;
an adaptive cell array having resonant radiating elements, wherein each resonant radiating element comprises a Field Effect Transistor (FET) for tuning the damping rate of the resonant radiating element, wherein the resonant radiating elements comprise a high isolation between the gate of the FET and any alternating current signal to reduce intermodulation between the radiating elements; and
an activation component configured to control an activation or degree of radiation of the radiating element in response to the shared feed, wherein the activation component controls the activation or degree of radiation of the radiating element by providing a voltage to the first terminal of the FET.
335. The system of clause 334, wherein the control line between the activation component and the first terminal comprises a shielding layer that shields against electromagnetic waves.
336. The system of clause 334, wherein the array of adaptive resonant radiating elements comprises one or more RF chokes to isolate the first terminal of the FET from other Alternating Current (AC) signals or electromagnetic waves outside of the gate or control line between the activation component and the gate.
337. A system, comprising:
sharing a feed source;
an adaptive cell array having radiating elements, wherein each radiating element includes an adjustable geometry for increasing linearity of operation to reduce intermodulation between the radiating elements; and
an activation component for independently and selectively modifying the geometry of the radiating elements to independently control the activation or degree of radiation of the radiating elements.
338. The system of clause 337, wherein each radiating element comprises one or more microelectromechanical system (MEMS) capacitors, and wherein the activation component is configured to modify the geometry of the radiating element by modifying the geometry of the one or more MEMS capacitors.
339. The system of clause 337, wherein the activation component is configured to modify the geometry of the radiating element by providing one or more of a voltage, an electric field, and a magnetic field to result in an improved geometry of the radiating element.
340. The system of clause 339, wherein the radiating element comprises a piezoelectric material.
341. The system of clause 337, wherein at least one of the radiating elements comprises a flexible helix, and wherein the activation component changes a length or diameter of the flexible helix.
342. The system of clause 337, wherein the radiating elements comprise resonant elements, wherein the activation component modifies a geometry of the radiating elements to modify a response of the resonant elements to the shared feed to control an activation or degree of radiation of the respective radiating elements.
343. The system of clause 342, wherein the activation component is configured to modify a geometry of the radiating element to modify one or more of a capacitance and an inductance of the radiating element.
344. The system of clause 342, wherein the activation component is configured to modify a geometry of the radiating element to adjust one or more of:
the resonant frequency of the respective radiating element;
a resonant strength of the radiating element; and
quality factor of the resonance of the respective radiating element.
The components of the disclosed embodiments, as generally described and illustrated in the figures herein, may be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Furthermore, features, structures, or operations associated with one embodiment may be applied to, or combined with, features, structures, or operations described in connection with another embodiment. In many instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the disclosure.
The embodiments of the systems and methods provided in this disclosure are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, but merely represent possible embodiments. Further, the steps of the methods do not necessarily need to be performed in any particular order or even sequentially, nor do the steps need to be performed only once. As mentioned above, the explanations and variations described with respect to the transmitter apply equally to the receiver and vice versa.
The disclosure has been made with reference to various exemplary embodiments, including the best mode. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that changes and modifications may be made to the exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. While the principles of the disclosure have been illustrated in various embodiments, many modifications of structure, arrangement, proportions, elements, materials, and components may be adapted to specific environments and/or operative requirements without departing from the principles and scope of the present disclosure. These and other changes or modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure.
The present disclosure is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope thereof. Similarly, benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described above with regard to various embodiments. However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential feature or element. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined from the following claims.

Claims (29)

1. A system, comprising:
sharing a feed source;
an adaptive array of cells, wherein each cell comprises a radiating element and an adjusting element co-located with the radiating element, wherein the adjusting element comprises an adjustable material and is controlled to reduce an amount of signal intermodulation between two or more cells in the adaptive array of cells; and
a transition control component configured to selectively induce a change in an electromagnetic property of the tunable material to control at least one of an activation or a degree of radiation of the radiating element;
wherein the tunable material is substantially non-responsive to an electromagnetic field provided by the shared feed prior to the induced change in the electromagnetic property of the tunable material.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the tunable material comprises a phase change material, and wherein the transition control component is configured to selectively induce a phase change in the phase change material.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the phase change material is configured to transition between a plurality of metastable phases, wherein the plurality of metastable phases are capable of existing within a common temperature range and a common pressure range.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the phase change material comprises a reversible phase change material, wherein after transitioning from a first metastable phase to a second metastable phase, the transition may be reversed back to the first metastable phase.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein the phase change material comprises a chalcogenide material.
6. The system of claim 4, wherein the first metastable phase comprises an amorphous solid phase, and wherein the second metastable phase comprises a crystalline solid phase.
7. The system of claim 2, wherein the transition control component is configured to provide heating or cooling to the phase change material for a temperature-induced transition from a first material phase to a second material phase.
8. The system of claim 2, wherein the transition control component is configured to increase or decrease a pressure on the phase change material to induce the transition from the first material phase to the second material phase.
9. The system of claim 2, wherein the transition control component is configured to increase or decrease an electric field induced in the phase change material to induce the transition from the first material phase to the second material phase.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein the phase change material comprises a ferroelectric material and the transition is between a state without remnant polarization and a state with remnant polarization.
11. The system of claim 2, wherein the transition control component is configured to increase or decrease a magnetic field induced in the phase change material to induce the transition from the first material phase to the second material phase.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the phase change material comprises a ferromagnetic material, a ferrimagnetic material, an antiferromagnetic material, or a multiferroic material.
13. The system of claim 1, wherein the tunable material comprises a state-change material, and wherein the transition control component is configured to selectively vary an electromagnetic property of the state-change material.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein the state-change material is configured to transition between a first state having a first set of electromagnetic properties and a second state having a second set of electrical or magnetic properties in response to a change in one or more of temperature, pressure, electric field, and magnetic field.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein the state-change material comprises a superconducting material, and wherein the state change is between a superconducting state and a non-superconducting state.
16. A method for reducing intermodulation of an adaptive antenna array, comprising:
transmitting an electromagnetic signal to the shared feed source;
feeding an electromagnetic signal from the shared feed to an array of adaptive cells, wherein each cell comprises a radiating element and a tuning element co-located with the radiating element;
controlling at least one adjustment element to reduce an amount of signal intermodulation between two or more cells in the adaptive cell array; and
modifying, by a transition control component of the at least one adjustment element, an electromagnetic property of a tunable material of the at least one adjustment element to control at least one of an activation or a degree of radiation of the radiating element;
wherein the tunable material comprises a phase change material, and wherein the transition control component is configured to selectively induce a phase change in the phase change material.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the phase change material is configured to transition between a plurality of metastable phases, wherein the plurality of metastable phases are capable of existing within a common temperature range and a common pressure range.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the phase change material comprises a reversible phase change material, wherein after a transition from a first metastable phase to a second metastable phase, the transition may be reversed back to the first metastable phase.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the phase change material comprises a chalcogenide material.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein the first metastable phase comprises an amorphous solid phase, and wherein the second metastable phase comprises a crystalline solid phase.
21. The method of claim 16, wherein the transition control component is configured to provide heating or cooling to the phase change material for a temperature-induced transition from a first material phase to a second material phase.
22. The method of claim 16, wherein the transition control component is configured to increase or decrease a pressure on the phase change material to induce the transition from the first material phase to the second material phase.
23. The method of claim 16, wherein the transition control component is configured to increase or decrease an electric field incident on the phase change material to induce the transition from the first material phase to the second material phase.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the phase change material comprises a ferroelectric material and the transition is between a state without remnant polarization and a state with remnant polarization.
25. The method of claim 16, wherein the transition control component is configured to increase or decrease a magnetic field on the phase change material to induce the transition from the first material phase to the second material phase.
26. The method of claim 25, wherein the phase change material comprises a ferromagnetic material, a ferrimagnetic material, an antiferromagnetic material, or a multiferroic material.
27. The method of claim 16, wherein the tunable material comprises a state-change material, and wherein the transition control component is configured to selectively vary the electromagnetic property of the state-change material.
28. The method of claim 27, wherein the state-change material is configured to transition between a first state having a first set of electrical or magnetic properties and a second state having a second set of electrical or magnetic properties in response to a change in one or more of temperature, pressure, electric field, and magnetic field.
29. The method of claim 28, wherein the state-change material comprises a superconducting material, and wherein the state change is between a superconducting state and a non-superconducting state.
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