The present invention relates to an antenna arrangement comprising a substrate integrated waveguide, SIW, with at least one radiating arrangement. The SIW comprises a dielectric material, a first metal layer, a second metal layer and an electric wall element arrangement. The dielectric materiel 4 has a layer thickness and is positioned between the first metal layer and the second metal layer. The electric wall element arrangement comprises a first electric wall element and a second electric wall element, the first electric wall element and the second electric wall element at least partly running mutually parallel, separated by a SIW width, in a SIW longitudinal extension and electrically connecting the first metal layer with the second metal layer. Microwave signals are arranged to propagate along the SIW longitudinal extension in a confinement limited by at least the first metal layer, the second metal layer, the first electric wall element and the second wall element. For each radiating arrangement, the antenna arrangement comprises at least one coupling aperture in the first metal layer, and for each coupling aperture there is a third wall element running between the first electric wall element and the second wall element across the SIW longitudinal extension.
The present invention relates to a method for assembling an antenna arrangement the method comprising the steps:
forming a substrate integrated waveguide, SIW, with at least one radiating arrangement, the SIW having a dielectric material, a first metal layer, a second metal layer and an electric wall element arrangement. The dielectric materiel has a layer thickness and is positioned between the first metal layer and the second metal layer, the electric wall element arrangement comprising a first electric wall element and a second electric wall element, the first electric wall element and the second electric wall element at least partly running mutually parallel, separated by a SIW width, in a SIW longitudinal extension and electrically connecting the first metal layer with the second metal layer. Microwave signals are arranged to propagate along the SIW longitudinal extension in a confinement limited by at least the first metal layer, the second metal layer, the first electric wall element and the second wall element; for each radiating arrangement, forming at least one coupling aperture in the first metal layer; and
for each coupling aperture, forming a third wall element running between the first electric wall element and the second wall element, across the SIW longitudinal extension.
In many fields of communication, a suitable antenna is desired. Flat, robust and lightweight antennas are desired for many applications, especially in the millimeter wave range with frequencies around 30-300 GHz, in particular 60 GHz and 70/80 GHz. Such an antenna should further be inexpensive to manufacture and still have good electric properties with respect to bandwidth, loss and matching.
Such an antenna should preferably have tightly integrated RF-circuits and duplex filters, beyond connecting parts with waveguide interface.
One way to accomplish such antennas is by using a so-called substrate integrated waveguide, SIW, as a base, which has many advantages. SIW antennas with multilayer boards having a SIW distribution network, hierarchal arrangement to allow equal length of propagation to all elements, and additional circuit board layers that contain radiating structures, are previously known. However, such structures suffer from tolerance problems and high manufacturing costs. Other previously known antennas based on SIW technology also suffer from narrow-banded functionality.
There is thus a desire to provide an antenna arrangement based on SIW technology, with improvements with regards to the mentioned issues.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an antenna arrangement based on SIW technology, which has improved qualities with respect to previously known arrangements.
Said object is obtained by means of an antenna arrangement comprising a substrate integrated waveguide, SIW, with at least one radiating arrangement. The SIW comprises a dielectric material, a first metal layer, a second metal layer and an electric wall element arrangement. The dielectric materiel 4 has a layer thickness and is positioned between the first metal layer and the second metal layer. The electric wall element arrangement comprises a first electric wall element and a second electric wall element, the first electric wall element and the second electric wall element at least partly running mutually parallel, separated by a SIW width, in a SIW longitudinal extension and electrically connecting the first metal layer with the second metal layer. Microwave signals are arranged to propagate along the SIW longitudinal extension in a confinement limited by at least the first metal layer, the second metal layer, the first electric wall element and the second wall element. For each radiating arrangement, the antenna arrangement comprises at least one coupling aperture in the first metal layer, and for each coupling aperture there is a third wall element running between the first electric wall element and the second wall element across the SIW longitudinal extension.
Furthermore, for each radiating arrangement, the antenna arrangement further comprises an at least partly electrically conducting antenna component, the antenna component comprising at least four radiating elements and being surface-mounted on the first metal layer, enclosing at least one coupling aperture. For each radiating arrangement, electromagnetic signals are arranged to be transmitted between said coupling aperture and said radiating elements.
Said object is also obtained by means of a method for assembling an antenna arrangement the method comprising the steps:
forming a substrate integrated waveguide, SIW, with at least one radiating arrangement, the SIW having a dielectric material, a first metal layer, a second metal layer and an electric wall element arrangement. The dielectric materiel has a layer thickness and is positioned between the first metal layer and the second metal layer, the electric wall element arrangement comprising a first electric wall element and a second electric wall element, the first electric wall element and the second electric wall element at least partly running mutually parallel, separated by a SIW width, in a SIW longitudinal extension and electrically connecting the first metal layer with the second metal layer. Microwave signals are arranged to propagate along the SIW longitudinal extension in a confinement limited by at least the first metal layer, the second metal layer, the first electric wall element and the second wall element;
for each radiating arrangement, forming at least one coupling aperture in the first metal layer, and
for each coupling aperture, forming a third wall element running between the first electric wall element and the second wall element, across the SIW longitudinal extension.
For each radiating arrangement, the method further comprises the step of surface-mounting an at least partly electrically conducting antenna component with at least four radiating elements on at least one coupling aperture.
According to an example, each antenna component comprises a multiple of four radiating elements.
According to another example, the antenna arrangement comprises a SIW distribution network and at least one SIW port. The distribution network is arranged to transfer signals between each SIW port and a plurality of coupling apertures.
According to another example, the antenna arrangement comprises a SIW duplex filter or, alternatively, a surface-mounted duplex filter connected to said port.
According to another example, said SIW port may be in the form of a waveguide interface formed in one of the metal layers.
According to another example, each antenna component comprises a cavity defined by at least partly electrically conducting walls. The radiating elements are in the form of slots in one of said walls.
Alternatively, each antenna component comprises a dielectric material layer, the radiating elements being the form of electrically conducting patches formed on the dielectric material layer.
Other examples are disclosed in the dependent claims.
A number of advantages are obtained by means of the present invention. For example:
The present invention will now be described more in detail with reference to the appended drawings, where:
With reference to
More in detail, the SIW 2 comprises a dielectric material 4, a first metal layer 5 and a second metal layer 6, where the dielectric materiel 4 has a layer thickness td and is positioned between the first metal layer 5 and the second metal layer 6. The SIW also comprises an electric wall element arrangement 7a, 7b, 7c in the form of vias 21 that run through the dielectric material 4 and electrically connect the metal layers 5, 6. The electric wall element arrangement comprises a first electric wall element 7a and a second electric wall element 7b, where the first electric wall element 7a and the second electric wall element 7b run mutually parallel, separated by a SIW width ws in a SIW longitudinal extension es.
Microwave signals 29 are arranged to propagate along the SIW longitudinal extension es in a confinement limited by at least the first metal layer 5, the second metal layer 6, the first electric wall element 7a and the second wall element 7b.
As a part of an antenna arrangement 1 with at least one radiating arrangement 3, which antenna arrangement 1 will be described more in detail later, for each radiating arrangement, the SIW 2 comprises a coupling aperture 8 in the first metal layer 5, and a third wall element 7c also being in the form of vias 21 that run through the dielectric material 4 and electrically connect the metal layers 5, 6. The third wall element 7c is running between the first electric wall element 7a and the second wall element 7b, across the SIW longitudinal extension es. Microwave signals 29 propagating in the SIW 2 are thus directed to run via the coupling aperture 8.
According to the present invention, with reference to
More in detail,
As schematically shown in
The use of solder 30 and solder masks 31, 32 is commonly known, and how they are applied here is not described in detail. However, an example of such a process may be:
Good manufacturing yield may be acquired, since self-alignment is used for surface-mount (SMT) assembly. By providing antenna components in the form of self-aligned components like this, one eliminates the need to add more layers in the board, with stringent requirements on alignment between layers.
In
As shown in the section views in
In the following, antenna arrangements with a plurality of antenna components 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d; 9′ being parts of corresponding radiating arrangements 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d; 3′ will be described.
With reference to
This means that electromagnetic signals are distributed in phase between the SIW port 12 and the coupling apertures 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d in all groups 34, 35, 36, 37 in the antenna arrangement 1′.
It is possible to deliberately set different amplitudes and different phases to different apertures, by adjusting the power-split ratios and adding filters in the SIW distribution network, in order to fine tune the radiation pattern. Is also possible to remove some of the antenna components provided one makes a corresponding compensation in the power-split ratios. This way it is possible to get a circular or rectangular antenna instead of a quadratic.
The coupling apertures can also be oriented in other ways such that no offsets are needed, the coupling apertures can for example extend longitudinally along their branches 39, 40.
In
A first type of radiating arrangements 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d in a first type of antenna arrangement 1′a is of the type previously shown, where antenna components 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d of the type shown before is positioned over each coupling aperture 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d in the first type of antenna arrangement 1′a, one antenna component for each coupling aperture 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d. This is shown for the first group 34 according to
The second type of radiating arrangements 3′ in a second type of antenna arrangement 1′b uses extended antenna components 9′, each antenna component comprising a multiple of the four radiating elements 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d of the previously described antenna components; here each antenna component 9′ comprises sixteen radiating elements 43 (only one antenna component indicated in
As indicated above, other antenna components are conceivable; for example one large antenna component could be used for all coupling apertures. Which size that is used is for example determined by which manufacturing method that is chosen, and which frequency band that the antenna arrangement is intended for. The higher the frequency band is, the more the sense it makes to split in many sub-components in order to meet alignment requirements in the assembly.
In the following, different types of SIW ports and the use of filters will be discussed. As shown in
In
It is to be noted that which kind of duplexer 24 the SIW waveguide port 49 is connected to depends on which kind of waveguide interface that the SIW waveguide port 49 constitutes. If the waveguide port 49 is intended to be connected to a surface-mounted duplex filter, the SIW waveguide port 49 comprises a suitable transition from a SIW to a surface-mounted waveguide. If the SIW waveguide port 49 is in the form of a standard waveguide port, it may be connected to any type of duplex filter with a standard waveguide interface. Such waveguide interfaces are commonly known, and the waveguides are here normally air-filled.
The SIW waveguide port 49 is shown to be accessed from the second metal layer 6, the duplex filters connected to the SIW waveguide port 49 being positioned facing the second metal layer 6, on the opposite side of the antenna components. However, the SIW waveguide port 49 may alternatively face the other direction, such that is comprises an opening the first metal layer 5. In that case, the SIW waveguide port 49 and the duplex filters have to be mounted away from the antenna components, for example at an approximate position corresponding to the ports 14a and 14b in
In the present invention, an ordinary circuit board is combined with a SIW distribution network with uncomplicated antenna components 9, 9′, 50 that are put on top of the circuit board. Preferably, but not necessarily, components are mounted in an SMT production line as mentioned previously. In order to assure good alignment accuracy between the board and the antenna components 9, 9′, 50, a complete antenna arrangement, that constitutes an array antenna, is built by putting several components, side by side, on one and the same board.
An advantage of the present invention is that multiple dielectric layers are not needed in the board. It is of course possible to add dielectric layers, either on the backside or on the top-side. Furthermore, integration of duplex filters and RF-circuits can conveniently be made directly in the antenna. Filters can be made in SIW technology or as surface-mounted components for better performance. By making a 4-port SIW filter, like in
With reference to
The method further comprises the steps:
26: for each radiating arrangement (3), forming at least one coupling aperture 8 in the first metal layer 5, and
27: for each coupling aperture 8, forming a third wall element 7c running between the first electric wall element 7a and the second wall element 7b, across the SIW longitudinal extension es.
For each radiating arrangement (3), the method further comprises the step: 28: surface-mounting an at least partly electrically conducting antenna component 9 with at least four radiating elements 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d on at least one coupling aperture 8.
The present invention is not limited to the examples described above, but may vary freely within the scope of the appended claims. For example, many other types of antenna components and manufacturing methods are conceivable. For example:
Each antenna components can have waveguides in different orientations, as well as radiating elements such as slots in various directions, and coupling apertures can be oriented in any direction and have any suitable shape. The antenna components 9 may thus be made in a metal or be formed in a plastic material and covered inside and/or outside by an electrically conducting coating. The antenna components may also be in the form of patches or other radiating elements such as dipoles or loops formed on a dielectric material. The antenna components are at least partly electrically conducting.
As mentioned above, transmitter arrangements 45 and receiver arrangements 46 may be connected to SIW ports, these and other RF circuits can be integrated on the same board as the antenna arrangement.
Each antenna components can have waveguides in different directions, as well as slots in various directions as mentioned previously.
The electric wall element arrangement has been shown comprising a plurality of via connections. Other alternatives are possible, such as plated trenches or plated slots, which may be in the form of extended vias, running through the dielectric material 4, electrically connecting the first metal layer 5 to the second metal layer 6.
The first electric wall element 7a and the second electric wall element 7b at least partly run mutually parallel, there may be bends or width changes for example in the form of irises or similar, the SIW width ws being changed between different values.
Each SIW port 49 may be in the form of a waveguide interface formed in any one of the metal layers 5, 6.
Each SIW port 12, 13a, 13b, 49 is connected to a transmitter arrangement 15 and/or a receiver arrangement 16, either directly or via a duplex filter 14a, 14b; 24, 47a, 47b.
There can be any suitable number of coupling apertures, and they may be arranged in many configurations, for example forming a circular antenna.
Some branches 38, 39, 40 in the SIW distribution network 11, 44, 48 may comprise additional vias positioned in the signal propagation path, and can be placed for matching purposes, for example for increasing the bandwidth.
Each antenna component is a component that is pre-fabricated independently of the SIW.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2013/056173 | 3/24/2013 | WO | 00 |