The present invention relates to an artificial magnet conductor which reflects an electromagnetic wave in a specific frequency, an antenna reflector which uses the artificial magnet conductor, and a method for calculating a thickness of a dielectric medium of the artificial magnet conductor.
In the related art, it is not considered that an antenna for a broad bandwidth is used in a situation in which directivity is required. However, recently, the situation in which a broadband antenna with directivity is required has increased. In order for the broadband antenna to have an appropriate directivity, a reflection plate which reflects an electromagnetic wave is generally used. The reflection plate is provided in a location which is generally separated from the antenna by λ/4 (λ is a wavelength of an electromagnetic wave which is used) (refer to, for example, Patent Literature 1). That is, when an antenna element and a ground element (ground plate) are combined together to operate, for example, in a case where antenna characteristics such as emission efficiency or gain increase, setting of a gap between the antenna element and the ground plate is very important.
Specifically, if a material of the ground element is assumed to be a complete electric conductor, a condition for obtaining the best antenna characteristics is that a gap between the antenna element and the ground element has a length of a quarter of a wavelength of a wave which is used. In order to satisfy the condition, the antenna has a limitation of minimizing a size thereof.
Accordingly, a low profile antenna which employs a structure of an artificial magnet conductor that is called an electromagnetic band gap (EBG) structure is proposed. That is, the EBG structure is a structure in which unit cell patterns of a square shorter than an emission wavelength of an antenna are arranged in a matrix. The unit cell patterns formed of a metal are formed on a surface of a dielectric substrate which configures the artificial magnet conductor, a ground metal plate is formed on a rear surface of the dielectric substrate, and an artificial magnet conductor which is close to a complete magnetic body and has high surface impedance is formed (refer to, for example, Patent Literature 2).
As described above, a method for designing an artificial magnet conductor which reflects a predetermined frequency by mainly using the artificial magnet conductor for the reflection plate is disclosed (refer to, for example, Non Patent Literature 1 and Non Patent Literature 2).
Non Patent Literature 1 discloses a method for appropriately designing a distance between a frequency selective surface (FSS) and a ground plate, in an artificial magnet conductor in which there is air (∈r=1) between the FSS and the ground plate.
Non Patent Literature 2 describes design of an artificial magnet conductor according to an FSS which uses a dielectric layer.
However, each of Non Patent Literature 1 and Non Patent Literature 2 has a problem in which, although a reflection plate is actually designed by using an artificial magnet conductor using a described physical model, frequency characteristics of a designed reflection plate do not coincide with frequency characteristics of the reflection plate which is actually produced, and thus, accuracy of reflection frequency characteristics decreases. Patent Literature 1 also has the problem in which the frequency characteristics of the designed reflection plate do not coincide with the frequency characteristics of the actually produced reflection plate, and Non Patent Literature 1 and Non Patent Literature 2 have the same problem.
The present invention is made in view of the situations, and provides an artificial magnet conductor with frequency characteristics which are closer to frequency characteristics of a design value and has high accuracy, compared to the related art, an antenna reflector which uses the artificial magnet conductor, and a method for calculating a thickness of a dielectric medium of the artificial magnet conductor.
In order to achieve the problem as mentioned above, an artificial magnet conductor according to an aspect of the present invention includes: a dielectric medium; basic cells, each being formed on a side of a front surface of the dielectric medium, and including a conductive patch pattern and a conductive loop pattern that is formed with a predetermined gap with the conductive patch pattern; a frequency selective surface on which the basic cells are periodically arranged on the front surface of the dielectric medium; and a conductive layer that is formed on a side of a rear surface of the dielectric medium, and a phase change from an incident wave to a reflected wave with respect to the dielectric medium is set as an addition value in which a first phase change in the gap is added to a second phase change between the basic cell of the dielectric medium and the conductive layer, and a thickness of the dielectric medium is set based on the addition value.
In the artificial magnet conductor according to an aspect of the present invention, the dielectric medium may be a dielectric substrate.
In the artificial magnet conductor according to an aspect of the present invention, the thickness of the dielectric medium may be set by a predetermined expression using the addition value.
In the artificial magnet conductor according to an aspect of the present invention, the addition value may be an addition phase change amount in which the second phase change which is a phase rotation amount is added to the first phase change caused by capacitance which is formed by the gap.
In the artificial magnet conductor according to an aspect of the present invention, the predetermined expression may be an expression that subtracts the first phase change from a phase change amount which is obtained based on an S parameter of the frequency selective surface and is required for the dielectric medium, calculates the second phase change which is obtained as the subtraction results, and calculates the thickness of the dielectric medium from the second phase change.
In the artificial magnet conductor according to an aspect of the present invention, the frequency selective surface may be formed such that one of the conductive patch pattern and the conductive loop pattern has inductive reactance, and the other has capacitive reactance, at a predetermined frequency bandwidth.
In the artificial magnet conductor according to an aspect of the present invention, the thickness of the dielectric medium may be set such that the artificial magnet conductor has frequency characteristics corresponding to a plurality of frequencies, change curves of a dielectric thickness and a phase in each of the plurality of frequencies are obtained, and the phase is within ±45% of the entirety of the plurality of frequencies.
In the artificial magnet conductor according to an aspect of the present invention, the thickness of the dielectric medium that is determined by the predetermined expression may be greater than a distance of the gap when the thickness is calculated.
In the artificial magnet conductor according to an aspect of the present invention, the conductive patch pattern may be formed in a polygon, and the frequency characteristics of the frequency selective surface may be adjusted by further increasing the number of apexes by cutting regions of apex portions of the polygon in a direction perpendicular to a line connecting the apexes to a center of the polygon.
In an antenna reflector according to an aspect of the present invention, the artificial magnet conductor is used as a reflection plate.
In the antenna reflector according to an aspect of the present invention, the artificial magnet conductor may be provided to be detachable.
An aspect of the present invention provides a method for calculating a thickness of a dielectric medium of an artificial magnet conductor including a dielectric medium; basic cells, each being formed on a side of a front surface of the dielectric medium, and including a conductive patch pattern and a conductive loop pattern that is formed with a predetermined gap with the conductive patch pattern; a frequency selective surface on which the basic cells are periodically arranged on the front surface of the dielectric medium; and a conductive layer that is formed on a side of a rear surface of the dielectric medium, the method including: setting a phase change from an incident wave to a reflected wave with respect to the dielectric medium, as an addition value in which a first phase change in the gap is added to a second phase change between the basic cell of the dielectric medium and the conductive layer; and calculating the thickness of the dielectric medium based on the addition value.
As described above, according to the present invention, a phase change from an incident wave to a reflected wave with respect to a dielectric medium is set as an addition value in which a first phase change in the gap is added to a second phase change between basic cell and a ground plate in the dielectric medium, a thickness of the dielectric medium is obtained to be produced by inserting the addition value into a predetermined expression, and thus, it is possible to obtain an accurate thickness of the dielectric medium corresponding to the frequency characteristics, and to configure an artificial magnet conductor having frequency characteristics closer to frequency characteristics of a design value, compared to the related art.
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
In addition, an opening 203 is formed in a central portion of the supporting body 200, and an antenna substrate 300 is disposed on the surface 200A to cover the opening 203. A distance between a surface of the antenna substrate 300 and the surface of the artificial magnet conductor 10 which face each other is set to, for example, 5 mm to 15 mm. The distance between the surfaces of the antenna substrate 300 and the artificial magnet conductor 10 which face each other is set by directivity of the antenna device. Here, in the antenna substrate 300 and the artificial magnet conductor 10, a surface from which an electromagnetic wave is emitted and a surface which emits an electromagnetic wave are disposed in parallel to each other. In addition, a surface, which faces the antenna substrate 300, of the artificial magnet conductor 10 is a surface on which the FSS 11 is formed. In addition, the electromagnetic wave which is emitted from the antenna substrate 300 is reflected by the artificial magnet conductor 10 and is emitted from the antenna device in an R direction.
<Design of Artificial Magnet Conductor>
In the present embodiment, filter characteristics of the FSS 11 on which the basic cells 100 are arranged, that is, each of S parameters S11 (reflection coefficient), S12 (transmission coefficient), S21 (transmission coefficient), and S22 (reflection coefficient), which are used for calculation in designing the artificial magnet conductor 10 hereinafter, are obtained by actual measurement or simulation. Here, the simulation is simulation of electromagnetic field•electromagnetic field analysis which uses a finite difference time domain method (FDTD) or a finite element method. Description is previously made, but in the present embodiment, perfect magnetic conductor (PMC) characteristics appear at a specific frequency, the distance d between the ground plate 13 and the FSS 11 is set, and thereby the artificial magnet conductor 10 is designed.
In the present embodiment, a design method for the artificial magnet conductor 10 with the PMC characteristics at each frequency of specific two frequencies, for example, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz will be hereinafter described.
In addition, in the present embodiment, approximation ray theory in which logic is simple is used as a design method. By using the approximation ray theory, characteristics of an electromagnetic wave can be directly calculated by adding a full electromagnetic field to another electromagnetic wave. In the present embodiment, the approximation ray theory of the related approximation ray theory is extended by a physical model that the inventor designs, and a calculation expression which performs design of an artificial magnet conductor with more accuracy is realized, which will be described below.
In addition, a transmission wave which is |S21| times the incident electromagnetic wave is incident on the dielectric substrate 12. The incident electromagnetic wave is reflected by the interface between the dielectric substrate 12 and the ground plate 13, and is incident on the interface between the FSS 11 and the dielectric substrate 12 again. Here, if the electromagnetic wave passes through the interface between the FSS 11 and the dielectric substrate 12, the electromagnetic wave becomes a reflected wave R1. In the reflected wave R1, a transmission wave which is |S21|·|S12| times the incident electromagnetic wave is emitted into the air. The reflected wave R1 is reflected from the interface between the dielectric substrate 12 and the ground plate 13 once.
Meanwhile, the incident electromagnetic wave is reflected from the interface between the dielectric substrate 12 and the ground plate 13, and is reflected from the interface between the FSS 11 and the dielectric substrate 12. In addition, the electromagnetic wave is reflected from the interface between the dielectric substrate 12 and the ground plate 13 again, and is incident on the interface between the FSS 11 and the dielectric substrate 12. Here, if the electromagnetic wave passes through the interface between the FSS 11 and the dielectric substrate 12, the electromagnetic wave becomes the reflected wave R2. The reflected wave R2 is reflected from the interface between the dielectric substrate 12 and the ground plate 13 twice. In addition, if the electromagnetic wave which is incident on the artificial magnet conductor 10 is reflected from the interface between the dielectric substrate 12 and the ground plate 13 N times, the reflected wave becomes a reflected wave RN.
In a case where the number of reflections from the interface between the dielectric substrate 12 and the ground plate 13 which are described above is N=0, 1, and 2, an electric field E0 of the reflected wave R0, an electric field E1 of the reflected wave R1, and an electric field E2 of the reflected wave R2 are respectively represented by Expression (1), Expression (2), and Expression (3) which are describe below. In the present embodiment, j is an imaginary unit.
[Expression 1]
E
0
=|S
11
|e
jφ
(1)
In Expression (1), a phase φ11 denotes a reflection phase when the electromagnetic wave is reflected to the air, at the interface between the FSS 11 and the dielectric substrate 12. S11 is a reflection coefficient.
[Expression 2]
E
1
=|S
21
∥S
12
|e
j(φ
+φ
+2φ
−π) (2)
In Expression (2), a phase φ21 denotes a transmission phase when the electromagnetic wave passes through the dielectric substrate 12 side from the FSS 11 side, at the interface between the FSS 11 and the dielectric substrate 12. In addition, a phase φ12 denotes a transmission phase when the electromagnetic wave passes through the FSS 11 side from the dielectric substrate 12 side, at the interface between the FSS 11 and the dielectric substrate 12. The phase rotation amount φ∈ is a phase rotation amount between the FSS 11 and the dielectric substrate 12. S21 and S12 are transmission coefficients. In addition, the phase change amount φ∈ is a phase rotation amount which is generated in accordance with a distance between the FSS 11 and the dielectric substrate 12, that is, the thickness d of the dielectric substrate 12.
[Expression 3]
E
2
=|S
21
∥S
12
∥S
22
|e
j(φ
+φ
+φ
+4φ
−2π) (3)
In Expression (3), a phase φ22 denotes a reflection phase when the electromagnetic wave is reflected to the dielectric substrate 12 side, at the interface between the FSS 11 and the dielectric substrate 12. In addition, a phase φ21 denotes a transmission phase when the electromagnetic wave passes through the dielectric substrate 12 side from the FSS 11 side, at the interface between the FSS 11 and the dielectric substrate 12. A phase φ12 denotes a transmission phase when the electromagnetic wave passes through the FSS 11 side from the dielectric substrate 12 side, at the interface between the FSS 11 and the dielectric substrate 12. The phase change amount φ∈ is a phase rotation amount between the FSS 11 and the dielectric substrate 12. S21 and S12 are transmission coefficients. S11 and S22 are reflection coefficients.
In addition, in a case where the number of reflections from the interface between the dielectric substrate 12 and the ground plate 13 is one or more, a combined electric field of the entire reflected waves from the reflected wave R0 to the reflected wave RN is represented as geometric series which are represented by a first term E1 and a geometric ratio r. The geometric ratio r is represented by following Expression (4).
[Expression 4]
r=|S
22
|e
j(φ
+2φ
−π) (4)
By using the geometric ratio r of Expression (4) described above, a combined electric field Etotal of the entire reflected waves from the reflected wave R0 to the reflected wave RN is represented by following Expression (5).
In Expression (5), N becomes ∞ (infinity). Thereby, rN becomes zero, and Expression (5) can be represented by following Expression (6).
Here, a declination angle of the electric field Etotal becomes a reflection phase φFSS of the artificial magnet conductor 10.
If the electromagnetic field Ein is one on the complex plane, when the declination angle of the electric field Etotal is zero, the declination angle of the electromagnetic field coincides with the phase rotation amount φFSS. At this time, the phase rotation amount φshift becomes zero, and the artificial magnet conductor 10 denotes characteristics of a complete magnetic conductor.
In addition, as described above, the phase rotation amount φshift has positive and negative values corresponding to a rotation direction of the reflection phase φFSS, as illustrated in
If Expression (1), Expression (2), Expression (3), and Etotal=0 are inserted into Expression (6), following Expression (7) is obtained.
Accordingly, the phase rotation amount φ∈ incident on the dielectric substrate 12 can be represented by following Expression (8).
In a case of the aforementioned physical model (that is, basic model), the calculated phase rotation amount φ∈ corresponds to the phase rotation amount φshift. The phase change amount φ∈ (that is, the phase rotation amount φshift) required for the dielectric substrate 12 is obtained based on the S parameters (S11, S12, S21, and S22) of the FSS 11 in
In addition, the phase change amount φ∈ of the dielectric substrate 12 can be represented by following Expression (9).
In Expression (9), f denotes a frequency of an incident electromagnetic wave, d denotes a thickness of the dielectric substrate 12, ∈eff denotes an effective relative dielectric constant, and c denotes speed of light.
Here, the effective relative dielectric constant ∈eff can be represented by following Expression (10). In Expression (10), ∈r denotes relative dielectric constant, W denotes a width of a pattern of the patch 101, d denotes a thickness of the dielectric substrate 12, and t denotes a thickness of each of the patch 101 and the loop 102.
In addition, F(W/d) in Expression (10) is represented by following Expression (11).
However, it is confirmed that the phase change amount φ∈ which is obtained by calculation of Expression (6), Expression (9), Expression (10), and Expression (11) which are described above does not coincide with the results of the electromagnetic field simulation obtained by using a finite element method. Hence, actually, it is considered that a phase change more than the phase change amount which is represented by Expression (9) occurs. Accordingly, as described below, study of a physical model of a reflection system of the electromagnetic wave in the artificial magnet conductor 10 has been performed.
Here, the basic cell 100 of the FSS 11 according to the present embodiment is configured with each of the patch 101 and the loop 102, as illustrated in
The wavelength shortening rate η of Expression (12) and Expression (13) is obtained by following Expression (14).
If the width w of the pattern of the patch 101 is 18 mm and the thickness t of the pattern of the patch 101 is 0.035 mm, the effective relative dielectric constant ∈eff which is obtained by Expression (10) and Expression (11) is 4.05. The wavelength shortening rate η is calculated by inserting the effective relative dielectric constant ∈eff into Expression (14). In addition, each of the parallel resonance frequency fP and the parallel resonance frequency fL is obtained by inserting the calculation results into each of Expression (12) and Expression (13). As a result, the parallel resonance frequency fP of 3.68 GHz is obtained from Expression (12), and the parallel resonance frequency fL is obtained from Expression (13). As a result, the parallel resonance frequency fP of 2.07 GHz is obtained from Expression (12).
Here, in a case where a frequency of an incident electromagnetic wave is lower than the parallel resonance frequency fP of the patch 101, the patch 101 has characteristics of capacitive reactance. In the same manner, in a case where the frequency of the incident electromagnetic wave is lower than the parallel resonance frequency fL of the loop 102, the loop 102 has characteristics of capacitive reactance. In addition, in a case where the frequency of the incident electromagnetic wave is higher than the parallel resonance frequency fP of the patch 101 and is equal to or lower than double of the parallel resonance frequency fP, the patch 101 becomes inductive reactance. In the same manner, in a case where the frequency of the incident electromagnetic wave is higher than the parallel resonance frequency fL of the loop 102 and is equal to or lower than double of the parallel resonance frequency fL, the loop 102 becomes inductive reactance.
In addition, in a case where the frequency of the incident electromagnetic wave is equal to or higher than double of the parallel resonance frequency fP of the patch 101 and is equal to or lower than triple of the parallel resonance frequency fP, the patch 101 becomes capacitive reactance. In the same manner, in a case where the frequency of the incident electromagnetic wave is equal to or higher than double of the parallel resonance frequency fL of the loop 102 and is equal to or lower than triple of the parallel resonance frequency fL, the loop 102 becomes capacitive reactance.
That is, a relationship in a case where the patch 101 has the characteristics of capacitive reactance can be represented by the following expression, if the frequency of the incident electromagnetic wave is referred to as f.
f<f
P,2fP<f<3fP
In the same manner, a relationship in a case where the loop 102 has the characteristics of capacitive reactance can be represented by the following expression, if the frequency of the incident electromagnetic wave is referred to as f.
f<f
L,2fL<f<3fL
In addition, a relationship in a case where the patch 101 has the characteristics of inductive reactance can be represented by the following expression, if the frequency of the incident electromagnetic wave is referred to as f.
f
P
<f<2fP
In the same manner, a relationship in a case where the loop 102 has the characteristics of inductive reactance can be represented by the following expression, if the frequency of the incident electromagnetic wave is referred to as f.
f
L
<f<2fL
Here, in a case where the frequency is 2.4 GHz to 2.5 GHz, the parallel resonance frequency fP is 2.07 GHz, and the parallel resonance frequency fP is 3.68 GHz. Accordingly, the patch 101 has the characteristics of capacitive reactance, and the loop 102 has the characteristics of inductive reactance.
Meanwhile, in a case where the frequency is 5 GHz to 6 GHz, the parallel resonance frequency fP is 2.07 GHz, and the parallel resonance frequency fP is 3.68 GHz. Accordingly, the patch 101 has the characteristics of inductive reactance, and the loop 102 has the characteristics of capacitive reactance.
In addition, it is known that an evanescent wave is generated on the FSS 11 with finite impedance, in a structure of a sheet shape configured by each of the FSS 11 and the ground plate 13 which have finite impedance, and the dielectric substrate 12 (for example, refer to Hiroyuki SHINODA: “Speed of Light Network Which is Formed on Surface of Material”, Measurement and Control, VOL. 46, NO. 2, 2007).
The evanescent wave is generated in any one pattern of the patch 101 and the loop 102 which have characteristics of inductive reactance by the incident electromagnetic wave and is changed with respect to the other pattern having characteristics of capacitive reactance.
That is, the evanescent wave generated by the pattern of the inductive reactance is transferred from the pattern of inductive reactance to the pattern of capacitive reactance through a gap between the patterns of the patch 101 and the loop 102. In addition, the evanescent wave is incident on the dielectric substrate 12 from the pattern of the capacitive reactance. As a result, modification is not made in the basic model, but made in a physical model of a reflection system of the electromagnetic wave of the artificial magnet conductor 10, by taking into account a phase change in the gap between the patterns of the patch 101 and the loop 102.
In addition, the evanescent wave generated in the pattern of the inductive reactance is transferred to the pattern of the capacitive reactance, and thereafter, the evanescent wave is incident on the dielectric substrate 12. Here, capacitance of a gap between (that is, between the patch 101 and the loop 102) the patterns is referred to as Cg. In addition, a phase change in the gap having the capacitance Cg is referred to as a phase change φg (first phase change). It is considered that the phase change φg of the aforementioned evanescent wave becomes an error of the basic model. That is, it is considered that a phase change larger than the phase change amount which is represented by Expression (9) corresponds to the phase change φg.
The capacitance Cg which is generated in the gap between the pattern of the patch 101 and the pattern of the loop 102 can be represented by two-dimensional electrostatic filed distribution as described below. That is, in the physical model modified in accordance with the present embodiment, distribution ψ of an electric flux between the pattern of the patch 101 and the pattern of the loop 102, that is, in the gap can be represented by following Expression (15).
In Expression (15), a is the addition distance, g is a distance of the gap between each pattern of the patch 101 and the loop 102, and V is a potential difference between the loop 102 and the patch 101. In addition, ∈r is a relative dielectric constant of a dielectric substrate, and ∈0 is a relative dielectric constant of air.
In addition, in a case where a uniform electric flux is distributed on one side (length WP+2WL+2g) of the pattern of the loop 102, the capacitance Cg of a gap between the pattern of the patch 101 and the pattern of the loop 102 is represented by following Expression (16) from C=Q/V.
In each of Expression (17) and Expression (18), Z0 is characteristic impedance, and ω is an angular frequency of an electromagnetic wave which is propagated. Cg is capacitance of the gap between the patterns of the patch 101 and the loop 102. In each of Expression (17) and Expression (18), it is assumed that Z0=50 Ω
In a case where the phase change φg in the gap between the patterns of the patch 101 and the loop 102 is considered, the phase rotation amount φshift is obtained by following Expression (19).
In Expression (19), ∈eff denotes an effective relative dielectric constant, and f denotes a frequency of an electromagnetic wave. c denotes speed of light. Z0 is characteristic impedance, and ω is an angular frequency of an electromagnetic wave which is propagated. Cg is capacitance of the gap between the patterns of the patch 101 and the loop 102.
In addition, if Expression (6) is rewritten by using Expression (19), the electric field Etotal of a reflected wave is represented by following Expression (20).
In Expression (20), a reflection phase φAMC of the entire artificial magnet conductor 10 can be obtained by performing calculation, using following Expression (21).
As can be seen from
However, it can be seen that the results obtained by Expression (21) of the modified model according to the present embodiment exactly coincides with the results of the electric field simulation, compared with the basic model.
In Expression (21) described above, a design expression of the thickness d of the dielectric substrate 12 can be obtained by setting Etotal=0 as a condition that a reflection phase is set to “0”. Here, if the phase change amount φ∈ which is calculated by Expression (8) is set to the phase rotation amount φshift, following Expression (22) is obtained.
In addition, following Expression (23) which obtains the thickness of the dielectric substrate 12 is obtained by inserting Expression (22) described above into Expression (19). In addition, in Expression (23), an absolute value is taken such that the required phase rotation amount φshift necessarily has a negative value, and a negative sign is attached thereto.
In a case where the artificial magnet conductor 10 having characteristics of a complete magnetic conductor only at a single frequency is produced, the thickness d of the dielectric substrate 12 corresponding to the frequency of the electromagnetic wave which is reflected may be calculated by using Expression (23). Here, the thickness d of the dielectric substrate 12 is determined based on an addition phase change amount which is obtained by adding the phase change amount φ∈ caused by the FSS 11 (frequency selective surface) to a phase change caused by the capacitance which is formed by the gap between the pattern of the patch 101 and the pattern of the loop 102 which are formed on the FSS 11, using Expression (23). That is, the phase change amount φ∈ (thickness phase change) which is determined only by the thickness of the dielectric substrate that is obtained by subtracting the phase change φg caused by Cg from the phase rotation amount φshift required for the dielectric substrate 12 based on the S parameters of the FSS 11, and the thickness d of the dielectric substrate 12 is calculated from the phase change amount φ∈, using Expression (23).
It is hard to determine the thickness d of the dielectric substrate 12 in
Here, as illustrated in
Hence, when the thickness d of the dielectric substrate 12 is calculated by Expression (23), the thickness d of the dielectric substrate 12 is greater than the distance of the corresponding gap on the curve, in a range in which the thickness d of the dielectric substrate 12 is 0.5 mm to 2.3 mm. In addition, reflection phase φshift of the electromagnetic wave at frequencies of each of 2.45 GHz and 5.44 GHz is within ±45°, and the characteristics of the artificial magnet conductor 10 can approach the characteristics of a complete magnetic conductor, in a relationship between the thickness d of the dielectric substrate 12 and the distance of the gap.
Meanwhile, in a case where the artificial magnet conductor 10 having characteristics of a complete magnetic conductor only at a single frequency is produced, the thickness in which reflection phase φshift becomes 0° is set, and thereby, the complete magnetic conductor can be obtained. For example, in a case where the artificial magnet conductor becomes the complete magnetic conductor at a frequency of 2.45 GHz in a frequency of an incident electromagnetic wave, the thickness d of the dielectric substrate 12 becomes 1.5 mm, and thereby the artificial magnet conductor 10 of a complete magnetic conductor whose reflection phase is 0° at 2.45 GHz can be produced. In addition, in a case where the artificial magnet conductor becomes the complete magnetic conductor at a frequency of 5.44 GHz in a frequency of an incident electromagnetic wave, the thickness d of the dielectric substrate 12 becomes 2.3 mm, and thereby the artificial magnet conductor 10 of a complete magnetic conductor whose reflection phase is 0° at 5.44 GHz can be produced.
Accordingly, for example, a set value of the thickness d of the dielectric substrate 12 is set to 1.6 mm close to an average value of the dielectric substrate 12 in which a phase becomes 0° at frequencies of each of 2.45 GHz and 5.44 GHz. Thereby, in the present embodiment, in a case of being used as a reflection plate for an antenna, the thickness d of the dielectric substrate in which the reflection phase is within ±45° at two frequencies can be simply set, and a reflection pale which satisfies both to the two frequencies can be produced, based on Expression (23).
As described above, according to the present embodiment, as the thickness d of the dielectric substrate 12 is set by using a physical model in which the phase change φg occurring when an incident electromagnetic wave is propagated from an inductive pattern to a capacitive pattern as an evanescent wave is added to the phase rotation amount φ∈ of the dielectric substrate 12, and by using an expression which calculates the thickness of the dielectric substrate 12, the produced artificial magnet conductor 10 can have characteristics closer to a design value, and the artificial magnet conductor 10 which copes with a specific frequency bandwidth with high accuracy can be provided.
<Fine Adjustment of Frequency>
Next, description will be made with respect to adjustment of frequency characteristics which is made by changing a pattern shape, in a case where pattern shapes of the patch 101 and the loop 102 which configure the FSS 11 are configured by a polygon having apexes a triangle or more. The frequency characteristics denotes a frequency in which the reflection coefficient S11 of the S parameter has a minimum value.
The adjustment of frequency characteristics is made by cutting (chamfering) a region of apexes by using a line perpendicular to lines connecting the apexes to the center of the polygon, in a pattern shape of the patch 101 which is configured by a polygon.
That is, the pattern shape of the patch 101 is changed to a polygonal shape with many apexes. In changing the pattern of the patch 101, adjustment of decreasing a frequency of the reflection coefficient S11 of filter characteristics of the FSS 11 is made by increasing apexes of the pattern of the patch 101. At this time, a gap of a distance between a side of the inner circumference of the loop 102 surrounding the patch 101 and a side of the outer circumference of the patch 101 is the same at any location. Accordingly, the loop 102 is chamfered such that sides of the inner circumference thereof corresponds to sides of the outer circumference of the patch 101.
In
There are a triangle, a pentagon, a hexagon, an octagon, a decagon, or the like as a polygon which is used frequently and differently. However, it is considered that, as the number of chamfering is reduced, the patch becomes a shape close to a ring depending on a size of the patch, and a decrease of the frequency is saturated in a polygon having a certain number of apexes.
As described above, according to the present embodiment, chamfering of the patch 101 is performed form the basic cell 100, and chamfering of a shape of the inner circumference of the loop 102 is performed so as to correspond to the outer circumference of the chamfered patch 101, and thereby the phase characteristics of the reflection coefficient S11 can be corrected (adjusted) toward a low frequency side without changing an area of the basic cell 100.
<Antenna Reflector which Uses Artificial Magnet Conductor>
As described in
The antenna reflector is mainly configured by the supporting body 200. The reflection plate of the artificial magnet conductor 10 is provided such that the reflection plate of the artificial magnet conductor 10 can be detached from the supporting body 200. That is, in the present embodiment, ends of the sides, which face each other, of the artificial magnet conductor 10 are inserted into the slits 202, and thereby, the artificial magnet conductor is provided so as to face the antenna substrate 300.
According to the present embodiment, the ends of the sides, which face each other, of the artificial magnet conductor 10 are inserted and fixed, and thus, the artificial magnet conductor 10 is configured to be detachable, and can be attached or detached depending on whether or not the antenna have directivity.
In addition, the artificial magnet conductor of the related art is not able to obtain frequency characteristics with higher accuracy than the design value, and thus, the frequency characteristics greatly deviates due to an error of disposition when being attachable or detachable.
However, according to the present embodiment, the artificial magnet conductor 10 having frequency characteristics with high accuracy corresponding to the design value is used as a reflection plate, and thus, it is possible to obtain frequency characteristics with higher accuracy than the artificial magnet conductor of the related approximation ray theory, although being attachable or detachable.
In addition, according to the present embodiment, the artificial magnet conductor is used for the reflection plate, and thus, the antenna reflector to which the reflection plate is attachable or detachable can be minimized, and the antenna device itself can be minimized.
A solid line denotes an emission pattern in a case where the artificial magnet conductor 10 according to the present embodiment is used as the reflection plate (HP: horizontal polarization, that is, a case of horizontal polarization). It can be seen that strength of a main lobe is greater than those of a back lobe and a side lobe, the reflector efficiently reflects the electromagnetic wave of 2.45 GHz, and the antenna device has directivity. A dashed line denotes the emission pattern in a case where the artificial magnet conductor 10 according to the present embodiment is used as the reflection plate (VP: vertical polarization, that is, a case of vertical polarization). The strength increases overall, compared to a case of a solid line, but it can be seen that the strength of the main lobe is greater than those of the back lobe and the side lobe, the reflector efficiently reflects the electromagnetic wave of 2.45 GHz, and the antenna device has directivity, in the same manner as in a case of the solid line.
Meanwhile, an alternate long and short dash line denotes an emission pattern in a case of deviating the reflection plate (a case of HP). It can be seen that each of the main lobe, the back lobe, and the side lobe has the same strength, the reflector reflects the electromagnetic wave of 2.45 GHz in all directions, and the antenna device does not have directivity. An alternate long and two short dashes line denotes an emission pattern in a case of deviating the reflection plate (a case of VP). It can be seen that each of the main lobe, the back lobe, and the side lobe has the same strength, the reflector reflects the electromagnetic wave of 2.45 GHz in all directions, and the antenna device does not have directivity, in the same manner as the alternate long and short dash line.
A solid line denotes the emission pattern in a case where the artificial magnet conductor 10 according to the present embodiment is used as a reflection plate (a case of horizontal polarization). A dashed line denotes the emission pattern in a case where the artificial magnet conductor 10 according to the present embodiment is used as the reflection plate (a case of vertical polarization). It can be seen from the solid line and the dashed line that strength of a main lobe is greater than that of a back lobe, the reflector efficiently reflects the electromagnetic wave of 2.45 GHz, and the antenna device has directivity.
Meanwhile, an alternate long and short dash line denotes an emission pattern in a case where the complete electric conductor according to the present embodiment is used as the reflector (a case of HP). An alternate long and two short dashes line denotes an emission pattern in a case where the complete electric conductor is used as the reflector (a case of VP). It can be seen from the alternate long and short dash line and the alternate long and two short dashes line that strength of a main lobe is greater than that of a back lobe, but a ratio between the main lobe and the side lobe is less than a ratio in a case when the artificial magnet conductor 10 according to the present embodiment is used as the reflection plate.
Hence, in a case where the artificial magnet conductor 10 according to the present embodiment is used, it is possible to increase emission directivity of the electromagnetic wave of 2.45 GHz, compared to a case where the complete electric conductor of the related approximation ray theory is used. In addition, in a case where the complete electric conductor of the related art is used as the reflection plate, a separated distance between the antenna substrate and the reflection plate needs to be 30 mm or more, and in a case where the artificial magnet conductor 10 according to the present embodiment is used, the separated distance is approximately 15 mm. Accordingly, it is possible to minimize the antenna device more than that of the related art.
In the present invention, when the thickness d of the dielectric substrate 12 is obtained, a phase change from the incident wave toward the reflected wave with respect to the dielectric substrate 12 is obtained as an addition value which is obtained by adding the phase change φg (first phase change) in the gap of the distance g to the phase change amount φ∈ (second phase change) between the basic cell 100 and the ground plate 13 (conductive film) in the dielectric substrate 12. In addition, the thickness d of the dielectric substrate 12 is calculated by a predetermined expression (for example, expression (23)), based on the obtained addition value.
That is,
In
Meanwhile, in a case where the electromagnetic wave (incident wave) which is incident on the artificial magnet conductor 10 is 5.44 GHz, the patch 101 has inductive reactance, and 102 has capacitive reactance. Accordingly, the evanescent wave is generated by the patch 101, and is transferred to the loop 102 through the capacitance Cg between the patch 101 and the loop 102.
Even in a case where the incident wave is either 2.45 GHz or 5.44 GHz, the evanescent wave which is generated by the pattern of inductive reactance is transferred to the capacitive reactance through the capacitance Cg, and thereby the phase change φg (first phase change) which occurs is the same as each other.
In addition, the phase change φg (first phase change) occurs depending on a distance in which the evanescent wave is transferred between the pattern 102 and the pattern 102, in the FSS (Frequency Selective Surface) 11. Thereafter, the evanescent wave is incident on the dielectric substrate 12 from the pattern 101, and is reflected by an interface between the dielectric substrate 12 and the ground plate 13 (conductive film), and the phase rotation amount φ∈ (second phase change) depending on the thickness d of the dielectric substrate 12 occurs. That is, the phase rotation amount φ∈ (second phase change) is a phase change which occurs between the basic cell 100 and the ground plate 13 (conductive film). Hence, the phase change from the incident wave toward the reflected wave is a numeric value which is obtained by adding the phase change φg (first phase change) to the phase rotation amount φ∈ (second phase change). Hence, in the present invention, the phase rotation amount φ∈ (second phase change) which is a phase change amount based on the thickness d of the dielectric substrate 12 is obtained by subtracting the phase change φg (first phase change) from the phase change from the incident wave toward the reflected wave with respect to the dielectric substrate 12 that is obtained as the addition value, and the thickness d of the dielectric substrate 12 is calculated by a predetermined expression (for example, expression (23)).
In the example of
The dielectric substrate 12 may be a medium which configures a conductor, and may use a conductive medium, such as an ABS resin, aluminum oxide (commonly known as alumina), or ceramics.
Processing of designing the artificial magnet conductor may be performed by recording a program for executing expression processing of designing the artificial magnet conductor according to the present invention in a computer readable recording medium, reading the program recorded in the recording medium into a computer system, and executing the program. Here, it is assumed that the “computer system” includes hardware such as OS or a peripheral device. In addition, it is assumed that the “computer system” includes a WWW system which includes home page providing environment (or display environment). In addition, the “computer readable recording medium” is a recording medium, for example, a portable medium, such as a flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk, a ROM, or a CD-ROM, a hard disk which is embedded in the computer system, or the like. Furthermore, it is assumed that the “computer readable recording medium” includes an apparatus which retains a program for a predetermined time, such as a server in a case where a program is transmitted through a network such as Internet or a communication line such as a telephone line, or a volatile memory (RAM) embedded in a computer system which is a client.
In addition, the program may be transferred from a computer system including a storage device or the like to which the program is stored to another computer system through a transfer medium or by a carrier wave in the transfer medium. Here, the “transfer medium” which transfers the program indicates a medium having a function of transferring information, such as, a network such as Internet, or a communication line such as a telephone line. In addition, the program may be means for performing a part of the aforementioned function. Furthermore, the program may be means for performing the aforementioned function by combining the function with a program stored in the computer system, that is, a differential file (differential program).
The present application is based upon the Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-115956; filed on Jun. 4, 2014; the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2014-115956 | Jun 2014 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/JP2015/066252 | 6/4/2015 | WO | 00 |