EP3902060B1 - Antenne multifaisceau à polarisation linéaire basée sur des métamatériaux - Google Patents

Antenne multifaisceau à polarisation linéaire basée sur des métamatériaux Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3902060B1
EP3902060B1 EP21158613.6A EP21158613A EP3902060B1 EP 3902060 B1 EP3902060 B1 EP 3902060B1 EP 21158613 A EP21158613 A EP 21158613A EP 3902060 B1 EP3902060 B1 EP 3902060B1
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Prior art keywords
antenna
patches
antenna according
metal
respective length
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German (de)
English (en)
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EP3902060A1 (fr
EP3902060C0 (fr
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Roberto VITIELLO
Giovanni PETRAGLIA
Fabio PASCARIELLO
Giuliana D'ALTERIO
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MBDA Italia SpA
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MBDA Italia SpA
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q25/00—Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns
    • H01Q25/02—Antennas or antenna systems providing at least two radiating patterns providing sum and difference patterns
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01Q—ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS
    • H01Q1/00—Details of, or arrangements associated with, antennas
    • H01Q1/36—Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewith
    • H01Q1/38—Structural form of radiating elements, e.g. cone, spiral, umbrella; Particular materials used therewith formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an antenna of the linearly polarized multi-beam type based on metamaterials, in particular for monopulse applications or the like.
  • Document [1] describes the concept of holographic antenna formed by a dielectric on which a surface wave propagates.
  • the radiation is obtained from miniaturized metal radiators (patches) all equal in shape and size.
  • the antenna beam is a single one.
  • the radio frequency input is in waveguide, which entails a certain size and high costs.
  • Documents [2], [3] present antennas based on modulated metasurfaces, in which the radiation is obtained from a surface wave which strikes patches printed on a dielectric, having a different shape to vary the reactance thereof.
  • the radiation pattern of the antenna is consequently controlled by acting, during the design step, on the physical parameters of these small metal elements (patches) forming the surface.
  • the antenna beam is a single one, since the radiation is produced by the entire opening and the polarization is circular and may not be linear starting from the contributions of the specific patches according to the teachings of the articles and the rest of the prior art.
  • Document [5] presents the synthesis of multi-beam antennas based on modulated metasurfaces: in a first case, it is an antenna with two opposite circularly polarized beams (right and left) and, in a second case, an antenna with four circularly polarized beams opposite two by two (in both cases, the beams are distinct and separated with different phase centers).
  • This document also defines the field distribution on the opening, but not the geometry, distribution and size of the patches which may implement it.
  • An experimental example is not given in this regard and the current state of the art does not allow to manufacture such antennas in the absence of a defined geometry of the patches.
  • Document [6] presents an embodiment of a 4-quadrant monopulse antenna with a plurality of active radiating elements, called meshes, coupled to one another, whose dimensions, as it may be seen from the relative Figs. 1 and 2 , are between 0.5 and 1.25 lambda. In fact, in a diameter of 5 lambdas, there are 4 elements in one plane and 10 elements in the other one. In this known antenna, all eight radiating elements of each quadrant are arranged in a non-repetitive manner and are directly coupled with one another, since they are mechanically in contact with one another. In total, the radiating elements are 32.
  • Document [7] discloses a realization of a 4-quadrant monopulse antenna with dual X and Ka bands.
  • the antenna is a classic array of waveguide slots, while for the Ka band it is a dielectric patch array superimposed on the guide array. Patches are much smaller than slots (by less than half) since they have to operate at more than double the frequency. This allows to interlace the patches with the slots, without the former covering the latter, as shown in Fig. 1 thereof.
  • the patches are however always at least half a wavelength in dimensions, but at a much higher frequency.
  • the patches of each row of the Ka band array are directly connected to one another by a microstrip line, as shown in Fig. 5 thereof, in turn connected by means of an adapter to the waveguide, to a guide splitter (see Fig. 6 ), similar to the one for the input of the radiating guides of the slots.
  • the antenna in [7] consists of input guides for the two bands, radiating guides for the X band and patches connected to a microstrip for the Ka band.
  • the radiating waveguides and the input ones are added to the dielectric layer of the patches, for a total of at least three levels (layers) which may not be decoupled: in fact, the antenna in the Ka band does not operate without the presence of the first and third level; similarly, the X band antenna does not operate without the third level input waveguide.
  • Document [8] presents a circularly polarized multi-beam lens antenna.
  • the antenna is an array of circularly polarized radiating elements, patches of a particular shape, and an underlying planar lens, obtained by arranging in underlying layers the same elements suitably arranged.
  • the antenna comprises three patch levels (upper metal patch, medium metal patch and lower metal patch, see Fig. 5 thereof).
  • the pitch between the patches is of the order of half a wavelength.
  • the patches are elliptical, with an I-shaped hole, and operate in circular polarization.
  • the invention consists of a linearly polarized multi-beam antenna based on metamaterial technology and in particular as a modulated metasurface.
  • the antenna may be monopulse, as a specific case of the multi-beam.
  • a modulated metasurface is a particular case of a leaky-wave antenna, i.e., a guiding structure in which a surface wave radiates as it propagates along the surface itself.
  • a modulated metasurface the radiation is controlled by modulating the boundary conditions.
  • Said boundary conditions are imposed by the presence on the surface of metal patches of different size and orientation, which suitably modify the surface impedance and therefore the radiation in the various points (see, for example, Fig. 1 ).
  • the patches are excited by the surface wave and therefore have no direct connection to an electrical power supply.
  • Monopulse antennas are similar, in general construction, to conical scanning systems, although they have four distinct contemporary beams, pointed in slightly different directions.
  • the signals reflected by the target are received, they are amplified separately and compared with one another, generating the sum and delta signals (delta-azimuth, delta-elevation and delta-delta), from which it is possible to trace the direction of the target with respect to the boresight of the antenna.
  • the antenna described herein comprises at least one dielectric layer (preferably a single dielectric layer), for example of a circular shape (although a rectangular shape or any other shape is possible).
  • the at least one dielectric layer is a single material, although it may also be multi-material, for example in different portions.
  • the dielectric layer is functionally divided into at least four quadrants, for example, exactly four or eight quadrants.
  • surface waves corresponding to the channels of the four quadrants are launched by means of corresponding pins (one conductor per quadrant).
  • the pins (or other input system, see below) are placed close to the center of the antenna and for this reason the antenna is said to have a "central" input of a radio frequency signal.
  • a ground metallized layer is found, as per the prior art.
  • the patches around the pins must be at a non-null distance from the pins (preferably, at least 0.1 times the central wavelength).
  • the thickness of the patches is very small with respect to the operating frequencies of the antenna, for example, of the order of one hundredth of a wavelength.
  • the patches are substantially elliptical, to be given an orientation direction and therefore provide a parameter on which to act to vary the surface impedance thereof (preferably, the patches are not perforated, in particular, they do not have an I-shaped hole).
  • the patch has a surface area defined by two development directions, for example, orthogonal, one of which is greater than the other, also called "privileged direction").
  • a subset of the patches may also have a shape without a privileged direction, for example a circular shape.
  • each patch may have a different shape, although, for manufacturing and design convenience, they may all be equal.
  • the pitch between the patches may both be of the order of one tenth of the central wavelength of the antenna.
  • each of the pitch and the dimensions of the patch may have values between 0.01 and 0.5 times the central wavelength along each of the directions of a Cartesian reference on said antenna plane (therefore, a pitch and a dimension in one direction of the reference system, a pitch and a dimension in the other direction of the reference system).
  • the patches must not be mechanically connected to one another.
  • the aforesaid values may be individually comprised between 0.05 and 0.3 times the central wavelength, more preferably between 0.1 and 0.2 times the central wavelength along each of the directions of a Cartesian reference on the dielectric.
  • the pitch may not even have an obligatory upper limit.
  • the antenna according to the invention is a leaky-wave antenna, where the patches do not create the signal to be radiated, but perturb it.
  • the surface wave introduced into the antenna is perturbed and thus modeled according to the needs.
  • the patches must not touch one another under any circumstances, but must have the same general shape with some parameters which may be adjusted according to the design.
  • the excitation points of the surface wave in the quadrants must be at a non-null distance from the nearest patches, so that the surface wave is formed before it is perturbed by them.
  • the dielectric layer is here assumed to be planar, although it may also be curved. In the second case, there would no longer be a Cartesian reference but surface curvilinear coordinates. In the following we will talk about a superficial reference system to include both cases.
  • No antenna combination network is required, since each of the four input points corresponds to a different antenna beam.
  • a combiner may be added only if the four monopulse beams are to be generated from those of the quadrants.
  • the monopulse beams may be obtained by combining the sum and delta of the inputs intended for the four connectors, by means of a plurality of waveguide combiners (also called "Magic Ts"), as known in the field.
  • waveguide combiners also called "Magic Ts”
  • combinators may be avoided and the monopulse signals received may be digitally reconstructed, in a known manner, from the signals of the four quadrants.
  • the set of dielectric and metal patches forms the modulated metasurface of the antenna according to the invention.
  • the antenna input may consist of four connectors (in any case, a number corresponding to the quadrants), one for each quadrant.
  • the antenna input may be achieved by means of four slot couplings with a waveguide, always in a number corresponding to the quadrants.
  • the waveguide is positioned under the ground layer adjacent to (deposited on) the dielectric and is coupled with the dielectric itself by means of a slot which crosses the wall of the guide itself and the ground layer up to the dielectric.
  • the slot replaces the connector of the other embodiment according to the invention.
  • quadrant simply means a functional portion of the antenna, without limitations in geometry.
  • the quadrants all have the same shape and size.
  • a fundamental parameter for obtaining the advantages indicated below with respect to the prior art is the orientation of the patches (at least of a non-null subset of the patches, for example, elliptical or with a privileged extension direction). Since the necessary radiation impedance may be calculated at each point of a particular antenna design, and since for each patch the impedance may be calculated as a function of the geometry and orientation thereof (for those patches with privileged development direction) with respect to the wave propagation direction, it is possible to determine the orientation of each patch in the final antenna. Such orientation will therefore depend on the desired antenna design and may be calculated on the basis of prior knowledge and the present technical teaching.
  • the monopulse antenna according to the invention may consist of a single-layer printed circuit with a circular shape.
  • the lower surface thereof is entirely metallized with the function of a ground plane, while on the upper surface thereof (also called “radiating surface", opposite to the lower surface, in particular parallel thereto) a large number of patches with the function of radiators is printed, as mentioned above.
  • the power supply may be obtained by means of four pins connected to as many connectors, corresponding to the inputs of the four quadrants of the monopulse.
  • the dimensions and the pitch of the elliptical patches are of the order of a tenth of a wavelength as specified above in detail.
  • the shape and orientation of the ellipse determine the impedance of the patch and therefore the radiation amplitude and phase of each of the patches.
  • the combination of the contributions of the numerous patches, also taking into account the pitch thereof, provides the radiation pattern of each of the quadrants.
  • a prototype of the antenna was designed in millimeter band with a diameter of 150 mm.
  • An experimental implementation of the antenna according to the invention consists of a layer of Rogers ® R03006 with a thickness of 0.635 mm, with four SRI 25-130-1000-94 connectors, and on which 14,604 elliptical patches, placed at a 1.1 mm pitch, are printed.
  • the axial ratio of the ellipse of the patches may be between 1.5 and 2.0.
  • the connectors are placed at a distance of 26.4 mm from the center of the array.
  • the distance of the input points from the center of the array must be suitably chosen to minimize the mutual coupling between the channels.
  • the performance of the specific manufactured antenna may be summarized as follows:
  • Figs. 3 to 7 the Simulated Patterns of the MMW band antenna are shown.
  • Fig. 7 shows the delta-delta pattern which features side lobes at -15 dB, gain of 21.5 dBi at -6.5 dB from the sum, null depth of over -33 dB, and cross-polarization levels below -33 dB.
  • Figs. 8 and 9 show comparisons of the sum beam antenna pattern on the simulated and experimental azimuth and elevation plane.
  • the measured beam width is between 4.0 and 4.1°, perfectly in line with the theoretical data.
  • the measured gain is also congruent with the theoretical one of 27.9 dB.
  • Fig. 10 shows the return-loss measured at two antenna ports compared with the calculated one.
  • the figure shows an experimental trend which follows the theoretical one very well, also with regard to the two resonances presented by the antenna.
  • Fig. 11 shows the mutual coupling measured between the antenna ports.
  • the measured values are always below -30 dB, which guarantees a good decoupling between all the antenna ports.
  • Modulated metasurface antennas have already been presented in the literature, although, as mentioned above, they are single-beam antennas. Only a recent publication [5] presents the possibility of creating multi-beam antennas and analyzes issues and possible solutions, highlighting the possibility of manufacturing a multi-beam antenna, but only circularly polarized and in a theoretical manner.
  • the solution of the present invention provides an antenna with a performance very similar to that of an antenna with conventional technology.
  • the fact of using a single substrate as in all the known cases mentioned above may entail a serious crosstalk issue between the different channels used, which would introduce an important disturbance, while the solution of the present invention does not involve such an issue by virtue of the specific features thereof.
  • the very constitution of the antenna allows to maintain an excellent performance in terms of isolation between channels.

Landscapes

  • Variable-Direction Aerials And Aerial Arrays (AREA)

Claims (14)

  1. Antenne multifaisceau, fonctionnant sur une seule bande de fréquences, ayant une entrée de signal radiofréquence et une surface d'antenne rayonnante avec une longueur d'onde centrale prédéfinie, l'antenne multifaisceau comprenant :
    - au moins une couche de matériau diélectrique, avec une surface supérieure et une surface inférieure opposées l'une à l'autre, ladite surface supérieure constituant la surface d'antenne rayonnante ;
    - une couche métallique sur la surface inférieure ;
    - ladite surface supérieure a une pluralité de pastilles métalliques, dans laquelle chaque pastille s'étend sur une première longueur respective le long d'une première direction respective et sur une seconde longueur respective le long d'une seconde direction respective ;
    - les pastilles de ladite pluralité de pastilles métalliques sont agencées sur ladite surface supérieure de sorte que :
    ▪ la distance entre les centres de pastilles consécutives dans n'importe quelle direction est comprise entre 0,05 fois et 0,3 fois la longueur d'onde centrale prédéfinie ;
    ▪ aucune des pastilles métalliques n'est connectée électriquement à l'une quelconque des autres pastilles ; et
    - les pastilles appartenant à un sous-ensemble non nul de ladite pluralité de pastilles métalliques sont telles que ladite première longueur respective est différente de ladite seconde longueur respective ;
    - l'antenne étant une antenne polarisée linéairement ;
    - l'antenne étant une antenne à ondes de fuite ;
    - l'au moins une couche de matériau diélectrique étant fonctionnellement divisée en au moins quatre quadrants ;
    - pour chacun desdits au moins quatre quadrants, un système d'entrée de signal radiofréquence respectif étant fourni ;
    - la pluralité de pastilles métalliques étant placée autour des systèmes d'entrée respectifs ;
    - ladite première longueur respective et ladite seconde longueur respective étant comprises entre 0,05 fois et 0,3 fois la longueur d'onde centrale prédéfinie ;
    - ledit système d'entrée respectif étant placé à une distance non nulle prédéfinie par rapport aux pastilles métalliques ; et
    - ledit système d'entrée respectif étant configuré pour lancer une onde de surface du type radial dans la couche de matériau diélectrique.
  2. Antenne selon la revendication 1, dans laquelle ladite distance entre des centres de pastilles consécutives et ladite première longueur respective et ladite seconde longueur respective ont des valeurs comprises entre 0,05 fois et 0,2 fois la longueur d'onde centrale prédéfinie.
  3. Antenne selon la revendication 2, dans laquelle ladite distance entre des centres de pastilles consécutives et ladite première longueur respective et ladite seconde longueur respective ont des valeurs comprises entre 0,1 fois et 0,2 fois la longueur d'onde centrale prédéfinie.
  4. Antenne selon une ou plusieurs des revendications 1 à 3, l'antenne étant de forme circulaire.
  5. Antenne selon une ou plusieurs des revendications 1 à 4, les pastilles de ladite pluralité de pastilles étant imprimées sur ladite surface supérieure.
  6. Antenne selon une ou plusieurs des revendications 1 à 5, dans laquelle ledit système d'entrée de signal radiofréquence respectif comprend un connecteur électrique en contact avec ledit matériau diélectrique.
  7. Antenne selon une ou plusieurs des revendications 1 à 5, dans laquelle ledit système d'entrée de signal radiofréquence respectif comprend un guide d'ondes positionné sous ladite couche métallique et couplé à la couche de matériau diélectrique par une fente traversant une paroi du guide d'ondes lui-même et la couche métallique.
  8. Antenne selon une ou plusieurs des revendications 1 à 7, dans laquelle toutes les pastilles de ladite pluralité de pastilles métalliques sont telles que ladite première longueur respective est différente de ladite seconde longueur respective.
  9. Antenne selon une ou plusieurs des revendications 1 à 8, dans laquelle ledit sous-ensemble non nul de ladite pluralité de pastilles métalliques est constitué de pastilles ayant une forme sensiblement elliptique.
  10. Antenne selon la revendication 9, dans laquelle ladite forme elliptique a un rapport axial compris entre 1,5 et 2,0.
  11. Antenne selon une ou plusieurs des revendications 1 à 10, du type à mono-impulsion.
  12. Antenne selon une ou plusieurs des revendications 1 à 11, dans laquelle un centre est défini sur l'antenne et les systèmes d'entrée de signal radiofréquence respectifs sont placés à une distance sensiblement égale dudit centre.
  13. Antenne selon une ou plusieurs des revendications 1 à 12, dans laquelle la distance entre ledit système d'entrée respectif et les pastilles métalliques est supérieure ou égale à 0,1 fois la longueur d'onde centrale prédéfinie.
  14. Antenne selon une ou plusieurs des revendications 1 à 13, dans laquelle les pastilles ne sont pas perforées.
EP21158613.6A 2020-04-22 2021-02-23 Antenne multifaisceau à polarisation linéaire basée sur des métamatériaux Active EP3902060B1 (fr)

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EP3902060C0 EP3902060C0 (fr) 2023-08-09
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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN114465013B (zh) * 2022-02-21 2023-06-30 西安电子科技大学 基于各向异性全息超表面的球面共形双圆极化双波束天线

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US4376938A (en) 1980-04-17 1983-03-15 Raytheon Company Wire grid microstrip antenna
US5831581A (en) 1996-08-23 1998-11-03 Lockheed Martin Vought Systems Corporation Dual frequency band planar array antenna
CN109742556B (zh) 2019-01-23 2020-12-25 东南大学 一种宽带圆极化毫米波多馈源多波束透镜天线

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ES2963130T3 (es) 2024-03-25
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