The present invention relates generally to electronically scanned array (ESA) antennas. More particularly, the invention relates to a notch antenna element having a low profile stripline feed.
ESA antennas are used for a wide range of applications including cellular telephone networks, telemetry systems and automotive, shipboard and airborne radar systems. ESA antennas capable of efficiently radiating over wide bandwidths enable systems having flexibility for multiple mode operation. The growing interest in ultra-wideband (UWB) communications has lead to implementations in which a single ESA antenna is used to accommodate all frequencies of interest. ESA antennas often include an array of notch antenna elements. Each element includes an electrically conductive body having a slot. Generally, the slot includes a feed end which is positioned near a stripline feed and a radiating end which couples the RF signal in the stripline into the air or other medium. The stripline is typically embedded below the surface of a dielectric substrate and extends below the feed end of the slot to enable efficient coupling of an RF signal to be transmitted from the element. The notch antenna element can also be used to couple electromagnetic energy incident at the wide end of the slot into the stripline as a received RF signal. Various parameters affect the frequency content of the RF signal propagating from the element including, for example, the geometries of the base of the notch antenna element and the aperture in a conductive coating on the adjacent surface of the dielectric substrate, and material properties of the dielectric substrate.
Array antennas constructed of slot antennas and TEM horns generally use vertical feeds that are easily accommodated by a brick architecture as is known in the art. A description of brick architectures and tile architectures is provided in section II of the publication of Robert J. Mailloux, Proceedings of the IEEE, Vol. 80, No. 1, January 1992. Typically, array antennas constructed according to the brick architecture are deeper and heavier than array antennas employing the tile architecture where the distribution of RF signals is accomplished in one or more layers that are parallel to the antenna aperture plane. Conventional notch antennas require a feed that extends away from the antenna element so that layered connections are not practical.
In one aspect, the invention features a notch antenna. The notch antenna includes a planar dielectric substrate, a notch antenna element, a stripline and a conductive via. The planar dielectric substrate has an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface. The upper surface has a first conductive layer disposed thereon with a first opening therein. The lower surface has a second conductive layer disposed thereon with a second opening therein. The notch antenna element is disposed on the first conductive layer at the first opening. The stripline is embedded in the planar dielectric substrate and has a length that extends under the notch antenna element. The stripline is adapted to couple an RF signal between the stripline and the notch antenna element. The conductive via is electrically coupled to the stripline and extends from the stripline to the opening in the second conductive layer. The RF signal is accessible at the lower surface of the planar dielectric substrate.
In another aspect, the invention features an antenna array that includes a planar dielectric substrate, an array of notch antenna elements, a plurality of striplines and a plurality of conductive vias. The planar dielectric substrate has an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface. The upper surface has a conductive layer disposed thereon with a plurality of first openings therein. The lower surface has a conductive layer disposed thereon with a plurality of second openings therein. Each notch antenna element is disposed on the conductive layer of the upper surface at a respective one of the first openings. The striplines are embedded in the planar dielectric substrate. Each stripline has a length that extends under a respective one of the notch antenna elements and is adapted to couple an RF signal between the stripline and the respective notch antenna element. Each conductive via is electrically coupled to a respective one of the striplines and extends from the respective stripline to a respective one of the second openings in the conductive layer on the lower surface. The RF signals are accessible at the lower surface of the planar dielectric substrate.
The above and further advantages of this invention may be better understood by referring to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals indicate like structural elements and features in the various figures. For clarity, not every element may be labeled in every figure. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention.
The invention relates to a notch antenna having a low profile stripline feed. Notch antenna elements fabricated from solid conductor materials and mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB) according to the invention provide superior heat dissipation when compared to conventional ESA antennas having vertical feeds. Thermally conductive vias (i.e., “thermal vias) extending between the metallized surfaces of the PCB conduct heat generated by components surface mounted to the opposite side of the PCB from the notch antenna elements. Excess heat is removed by airflow passing over the antenna elements. Moreover, system components and electrical routing can be fabricated in a single PCB structure. In contrast, conventional ESA antennas require mechanical connectors to couple the RF signals to or from each antenna element to other structures where the RF signals are distributed or processed. Consequently, the total volume and weight of the ESA antenna of the invention is substantially less than for a conventional ESA antenna. In some embodiments, the notch antenna elements are fabricated from lightweight nonconductive materials such as plastic and are coated with a conductive layer, making the ESA antenna advantageous for applications in which reduced weight is important.
In other embodiments, the notch antenna element 10 has different notch geometries. For example, the element 10 can have a flared notch, a tapered notch or a linearly varying notch width as is known in the art. The particular notch configuration employed may be determined according to performance requirements and manufacturing considerations.
The notch antenna element 10 is mounted to a printed circuit board (PCB) 20 as shown in the cross-sectional view of
An electrically conductive RF signal via 30 conducts an RF signal to be coupled to the notch antenna element 10. The RF via 30 passes vertically through an opening 32 in the lower conductive layer 26 and extends through most of the thickness t of the dielectric substrate 22. A stripline 32 extends horizontally from the top of the RF via 30 and is separated from the upper conductive layer 24 by a non-zero distance (e.g., 0.005 in.). The stripline 32 has a length that is perpendicular to the slot 18 at the base 14 of the notch antenna element 10 and is electrically coupled to the upper conductive layer 24 at one end through a short vertical conductive segment 34. The upper conductive layer 24 includes an opening 38 beneath the slot 18. A thin conductive layer 36 (e.g., 0.0007 in. thick copper) is embedded in the dielectric substrate 22 and separated from the lower conductive layer 26 by a non-zero distance (e.g., 0.005 in.).
Referring also to
The dimensions of the base cavity 16 and the opening 38 in the upper conductive layer 24, and the material properties of the dielectric substrate 22 affect the RF performance of the notch antenna element 10 thus their dimensions are chosen to satisfy operating requirements.
In some embodiments, the RF via 54 extends through the PCB 46 to a transmission line in the lower conductive layer 26. For example, larger components may be surface mounted to the bottom of the PCB 46 and electrically coupled to other layers 50 or directly to the antenna element by RF vias 54. Surface mounted components can generate significant heat therefore in some embodiments thermal vias are provided between the upper and lower conductive layers 24 and 26. Thermal vias pass through the PCB 46 at locations that do not interfere with notch antenna elements, striplines and embedded and mounted components. Consequently, the thermal vias can have lateral dimensions (e.g., diameters) substantially greater than the dimensions of the RF vias 54. The dimensions of the thermal vias may be selected according to the desired thermal transfer capability to maintain required operational temperatures of the mounted components.
While the invention has been shown and described with reference to specific embodiments, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
This application claims the benefit of the earlier filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/940,739, filed May 30, 2007, titled “Ultra-Wideband Step Notch Array Using Stripline Feed,” the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
This invention was made with U.S. Government support under Contract No. FA8721-05-C-0002, awarded by the United States Air Force. The government may have certain rights in the invention.
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