Temperature-controlled shape memory alloy flexible microstrip antenna capable of being automatically unfolded and working method

Abstract

The invention provides a temperature-controlled shape memory alloy flexible microstrip antenna capable of automatically unfolding and a working method, and relates to the technical field of communication equipment, and the antenna comprises a plurality of microstrip antenna units, a flexible dielectric substrate, a grounding layer, and a metal via hole structure. Each microstrip antenna unit comprises a radiation patch, and the radiation patch comprises a patch matching layer and a patch radiation layer; the flexible dielectric substrate is arranged between the radiation patches and the grounding layer, the radiation patches of each microstrip antenna unit are arranged on the flexible dielectric substrate at equal intervals, and the grounding layer is located at the bottommost layer and is made of a shape memory alloy material; the metal via hole structure comprises a plurality of metal via holes arranged among the microstrip antenna units, an external coaxial cable penetrates through the metal via holes to connect the flexible dielectric substrate and the grounding layer, and the shape memory alloy material of the grounding layer can be stored at a set first temperature. And the device can be automatically unfolded to recover the original shape at the set second temperature.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of communication devices, and particularly relates to a shape memory alloy flexible microstrip antenna with temperature-controlled automatic deployment and a working method thereof. Background Art

[0002] The statements in this part merely provide background technical information related to the present disclosure and do not necessarily constitute prior art.

[0003] With the rapid development of aerospace technology and unmanned systems, as a key component for tasks such as communication, navigation, telemetry, and electronic countermeasures, the lightweight, miniaturization, and intelligent deployment capabilities of antennas have become important directions for current technological development. When an antenna is deployed into outer space, the sea surface, or other specific environments, the transportation tools relied on (such as drones, launch vehicles, or microsatellites, etc.) usually have limited space, are structurally compact, and have limited payloads, making it difficult to accommodate traditional antennas with large volumes and rigid structures. Therefore, the compressibility, foldability, and efficient deployment capabilities of antennas have become key requirements.

[0004] Flexible antennas show a certain degree of adaptability in space-constrained scenarios due to their ability to bend and curl to a certain extent, and can achieve temporary compression and storage. However, existing antenna deployment methods mostly use electric control to drive specific metal structure units to achieve the deployment and storage of the antenna, or use a combination of torsion springs and ropes to drive, to achieve the temporary compression, storage, and deployment of the antenna. The above methods are mostly passive deployments, lacking precise control over the deployment process and the final geometric shape, and are prone to problems such as deformation hysteresis and radiation performance attenuation after multiple deformations or long-term storage. Especially in applications with high requirements for structural accuracy such as high-frequency communication, phased arrays, or directional transmissions, traditional flexible antennas are difficult to meet the strict requirements for the repeatability and stability of the deployed form, restricting their practical applications in high-reliability deployment scenarios. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, the present disclosure proposes a shape memory alloy flexible microstrip antenna with temperature-controlled automatic deployment and a working method thereof, and designs a shape memory alloy flexible microstrip antenna with temperature-controlled automatic deployment. By using an intelligent material - shape memory alloy that can restore its shape at a specific temperature, the stored strain energy can be released after heating, driving the flexible microstrip antenna to automatically restore its original shape. By combining the shape memory alloy with the flexible microstrip antenna, while achieving compact compression storage, high-precision and high-consistency self-restoring deployment can be achieved through temperature triggering.

[0006] According to some embodiments, the present disclosure adopts the following technical solutions: A shape memory alloy flexible microstrip antenna with temperature-controlled automatic deployment, comprising a plurality of microstrip antenna units, a flexible dielectric substrate, a ground layer, and a metal via structure; Each microstrip antenna unit includes a radiation patch, and the radiation patch includes a patch matching layer and a patch radiation layer; the flexible dielectric substrate is disposed between the radiation patch and the ground layer, and the radiation patches of each microstrip antenna unit are arranged on the flexible dielectric substrate at equal intervals. The ground layer is located at the bottom layer and is made of a shape memory alloy material; the metal via structure includes a plurality of metal vias disposed between the microstrip antenna units, and an external coaxial cable passes through the metal vias to penetrate and connect the flexible dielectric substrate and the ground layer. The shape memory alloy material of the ground layer can be accommodated at a set first temperature and can automatically expand and restore its original shape at a set second temperature.

[0007] Further, the patch matching layer and the patch radiation layer are metal films for electromagnetic wave radiation, and the flexible dielectric substrate is made of a flexible dielectric material to achieve mechanical support and act as a dielectric layer to regulate the electrical performance of the antenna.

[0008] Further, the ground layer is made of a nickel-titanium-based shape memory alloy material, and copper, chromium, iron, manganese or other elements can be mixed in the nickel-titanium-based shape memory alloy to regulate its phase transition temperature and mechanical properties.

[0009] Further, when the antenna is in the accommodated and compressed state, the first temperature is the ambient temperature lower than the austenite phase transition start temperature of the shape memory alloy of the ground layer, and at this time the ground layer is in the martensite phase.

[0010] Further, during the antenna deployment process, the second temperature is when the antenna temperature rises above the austenite phase transition end temperature. At this time, the shape memory alloy of the ground layer changes from the martensite phase to the austenite phase, releasing the stored strain energy and driving the antenna to automatically restore to its original flat and deployed shape.

[0011] Further, the shape memory alloy material of the ground layer is an integral flat structure or a hollow structure with a polygon or horseshoe-shaped grid to improve its flexibility and automatic deployment performance; the flexible dielectric materials used for the flexible dielectric substrate include, but are not limited to, polyimide, polyethylene terephthalate, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), polydimethylsiloxane, and polyurethane flexible polymer materials.

[0012] Further, the thickness of the flexible dielectric substrate is 1 mm - 3 mm, and the thickness of the shape memory alloy material of the ground layer is 0.1 mm - 2 mm.

[0013] Further, the flexible microstrip antenna is in the form of an antenna array. The multiple microstrip antenna units, flexible dielectric substrate, ground layer, and metal via structure form the antenna array. The antenna array adopts a centralized feeding method, and radio frequency signals are injected through multiple metal vias arranged between the microstrip antenna units. The metal vias penetrate the flexible dielectric substrate layer and the ground layer and are connected to an external coaxial cable. The inner conductor at one end of the coaxial cable is welded to the radiation patch, and the outer conductor is connected to the ground layer. The other end is connected to an external functional module through a connector.

[0014] Further, after the energy of the radio frequency signal is injected through the metal vias, multiple microstrip antenna unit radiation patches are sequentially excited through the spatial coupling between the radiation patches of the microstrip antenna units or a pre - arranged microstrip feeder network, realizing the synchronous operation of the overall antenna array.

[0015] According to some embodiments, the present disclosure adopts the following technical solutions: A working method of a temperature - controlled automatically deployable shape - memory alloy flexible microstrip antenna includes: The antenna array form of the flexible microstrip antenna has good compressibility and foldability. When the ground layer is in the martensite phase, it can be bent and curled significantly. In the storage and compression state, the antenna array is in a low - temperature environment. At this time, the antenna temperature is lower than the austenite phase transformation start temperature, and the shape - memory alloy material of the ground layer is in the martensite phase. When the temperature - controlled high - temperature thermal excitation raises the temperature of the ground layer above the austenite phase transformation end temperature, the shape - memory alloy of the ground layer releases strain energy, driving the flexible microstrip antenna array to automatically deploy and return to the original preset flat state, accurately reconstructing the relative positions between the radiation patches and ensuring the stability and consistency of the array performance.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present disclosure are as follows: For the temperature - controlled automatically deployable shape - memory alloy flexible microstrip antenna of the present disclosure, the ground layer is located at the bottom layer and is composed of a shape - memory alloy material with a shape - memory effect. As an intelligent material that can achieve shape recovery at a specific temperature, this material has strong plasticity at low temperatures and is easy to compress and store. After heating, it can release the stored strain energy and drive the structure to automatically return to its original state. The present disclosure combines the shape - memory alloy with the flexible microstrip antenna to realize a self - deploying antenna system with a compact structure, controllable deformation, precise deployment, and stable performance, meeting the application requirements for high reliability and high - repeatability deployment in complex environments.

[0017] The temperature-controlled self-unfolding shape memory alloy flexible microstrip antenna of the present disclosure, when the antenna is in the stored and compressed state, the ambient temperature is lower than the austenite phase transformation start temperature of the shape memory alloy of the ground plane, and the ground plane is in the martensite phase. During the antenna unfolding process, when the antenna temperature rises above the austenite phase transformation end temperature, the shape memory alloy of the ground plane transforms from the martensite phase to the austenite phase, releasing the stored strain energy and driving the antenna to automatically recover to its original unfolded shape. By being irradiated by the sun or other heat sources to increase its temperature, the shape memory alloy undergoes a phase transformation, solving the problem that traditional rigid antennas are difficult to fold and store in space-limited transportation tools (such as drones, launch vehicles, microsatellites, etc.), and traditional flexible antennas have problems such as uncontrollable unfolding processes and poor structural repeat accuracy, meeting the application requirements of high-reliability automatic deployment and communication performance stability. The temperature-controlled self-unfolding shape memory alloy flexible microstrip antenna of the present disclosure can achieve high-precision and highly consistent self-recovery unfolding through temperature triggering while realizing compact compressed storage.

[0018] The temperature-controlled self-unfolding shape memory alloy flexible microstrip antenna of the present disclosure can be folded and stored, occupying a small space and meeting the layout requirements of space-limited transportation tools; it is thermally driven to unfold automatically without mechanical structures, simplifying the system complexity and improving the deployment reliability; the unfolded form is stable and the unfolding repeat accuracy is high, ensuring the consistency and predictability of communication performance; the structure is lightweight and the phase transformation temperature is adjustable, adapting to different aerospace or special communication application scenarios. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The schematic diagrams in the specification forming a part of the present disclosure are used to provide a further understanding of the present disclosure. The illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure and their descriptions are used to explain the present disclosure and do not constitute an improper limitation to the present disclosure.

[0020] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram when the microstrip antenna array of the present disclosure is in the unfolded working state; Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram when the microstrip antenna array of the present disclosure is in the stored state; Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the process state when the microstrip antenna array of the present disclosure is unfolding or being stored; Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the cyclic process when the microstrip antenna array of the present disclosure goes from the unfolded state to the stored state and then returns to the unfolded state.

[0021] Figure 5 It is a schematic structural diagram when the multi-band microstrip antenna combination of the present disclosure is in the unfolded working state; Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the process state when the multi-band microstrip antenna combination of the present disclosure is unfolding or being stored; Figure 7Schematic diagram of the structure of the multi-band microstrip antenna combination of the present disclosure in the stored state; Figure 8 Voltage standing wave ratio curve calculated when the microstrip antenna array of the present disclosure is in the deployed working state; Figure 9 Pattern calculated when the microstrip antenna array of the present disclosure is in the deployed working state; Figure 10 Pattern calculated when the multi-band microstrip antenna combination of the present disclosure is in the deployed working state.

[0022] Among them, 1. Microstrip antenna unit; 2. Radiation patch; 3. Ground layer; 4. Flexible dielectric substrate; 5. Metal via structure. Detailed implementation manners

[0023] The present disclosure will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0024] It should be noted that the following detailed descriptions are all illustrative and are intended to provide further descriptions of the present disclosure. Unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present disclosure belongs.

[0025] It should be noted that the terms used herein are only for describing specific implementation manners and are not intended to limit the exemplary implementation manners according to the present disclosure. As used herein, unless otherwise clearly specified in the context, the singular form is also intended to include the plural form. In addition, it should be understood that when the terms "include" and / or "comprise" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0026] Term explanation Shape memory: Refers to the property that certain materials can "remember" their original shape under specific external stimuli (such as temperature, light, electricity, chemistry, etc.) and can restore their initial shape after deformation through triggering conditions. This term widely exists in academic research and industrial applications, especially shape memory alloys (SMA) and shape memory polymers (SMP) are the most typical.

[0027] Embodiment 1 In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a temperature-controlled automatically deployable shape memory alloy flexible microstrip antenna is provided in the form of an array, such as Figure 1As shown, it includes multiple microstrip antenna units 1, a flexible dielectric substrate 4, a ground layer 3, and a metal via structure 5; each microstrip antenna unit 1 includes a radiation patch 2, and the radiation patch 2 includes a patch matching layer and a patch radiation layer; the flexible dielectric substrate 4 is disposed between the radiation patch 2 and the ground layer 3, and the radiation patches 2 of each microstrip antenna unit 1 are arranged on the flexible dielectric substrate 4 at equal intervals. The interval between the radiation patches in the antenna array is set to 116 mm. At this interval, grating lobes will not be generated. If the interval is too large, grating lobes are likely to be generated. If the interval is too small, the overlapping of the feeder lines will occur during storage, which is not conducive to the realization of the deployment and storage states.

[0028] The ground layer 3 is located at the bottom layer and is made of a shape memory alloy material with shape memory effect; the metal via structure 5 is multiple metal vias arranged between the microstrip antenna units, and the external coaxial cable passes through the metal vias to penetrate and connect the flexible dielectric substrate and the ground layer. Among them, the inner conductor of the coaxial cable is welded to the radiation patch 2, and the outer conductor is connected to the ground layer 3. The shape memory alloy material of the ground layer can be stored at a set first temperature and can automatically expand and restore its original shape at a set second temperature. This antenna is suitable for scenarios with high requirements for space utilization and automatic deployment, such as unmanned aerial vehicles and aerospace aircraft, etc. It can be folded and stored in a limited space and can actively and automatically expand and restore its working state according to the increase in temperature during use.

[0029] As an embodiment, the radiation patch 2 includes a patch matching layer and a patch radiation layer. Among them, the patch matching layer is located above the patch radiation layer, and the patch matching layer and the patch radiation layer are metal thin films prepared by electron beam evaporation, magnetron sputtering or electroplating methods for electromagnetic wave radiation.

[0030] The flexible dielectric substrate 4 is disposed between the radiation patch 2 and the ground layer 3 and is made of a flexible dielectric material to achieve mechanical support and act as a dielectric layer to regulate the electrical performance of the antenna. The flexible dielectric materials used include but are not limited to flexible polymer materials such as polyimide (PI), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and polyurethane (PU).

[0031] As an embodiment, the thickness of the flexible dielectric substrate 4 is 1 mm - 3 mm.

[0032] As an embodiment, the grounding layer 3 is located at the bottom layer and is made of a shape memory alloy material with shape memory effect. Specifically, the grounding layer 3 is made of a nickel-titanium-based shape memory alloy material. The nickel-titanium-based shape memory alloy is a binary intermetallic compound composed of nickel (Ni) and titanium (Ti), and can further be mixed with copper, chromium, iron, manganese or other elements. The alloying element addition method of the nickel-titanium-based shape memory alloy includes both the original composition design of the material and the element introduction in subsequent processing, specifically depending on application requirements and preparation processes, to regulate its phase transition temperature and mechanical properties.

[0033] Exemplarily, the process of adding other elements to the alloy of the nickel-titanium-based shape memory alloy includes: The martensite / austenite phase transition temperature of the NiTi shape memory alloy is extremely sensitive to the alloy composition. By adding a third element to the NiTi matrix, the lattice size, electron concentration and local stress field can be changed, thereby changing the thermodynamic stability between the martensite phase and the austenite phase. For example, alloying elements replacing the Ni site or the Ti site will adjust the energy difference between the B2 (austenite) phase and the B19 / B19′ (martensite) phases, causing the phase transition temperature to increase or decrease.

[0034] As an embodiment, the metal via structure 5 includes a plurality of metal vias provided between the microstrip antenna elements. The external coaxial cable passes through the flexible dielectric substrate and is connected to the grounding layer through the metal vias. The inner conductor of the coaxial cable is welded to the radiation patch 2, and the outer conductor is connected to the grounding layer 3. The metal via structure 5 is used to realize coaxial feed. The metal via penetrates the dielectric substrate layer and the grounding layer and is connected to the external 50Ω coaxial cable: the inner conductor is welded to the radiation patch layer, the outer conductor is connected to the grounding layer, and the other end is connected to the test system or communication module through an SMA connector. Since the feed point does not directly belong to any patch unit, its position can be optimized according to wiring symmetry, electromagnetic field distribution or structural feasibility to ensure energy transmission efficiency and field pattern uniformity.

[0035] As an embodiment, shape memory alloy is a kind of metal material with unique thermoelastic phase transition characteristics, which can "remember" and restore its original shape when the external temperature or stress changes. Its core mechanism stems from the reversible transformation between the austenite and martensite phases inside the material, and the resulting shape memory effect and superelastic characteristics. Shape memory alloys are usually composed of two or more metal elements, and are mainly divided into the following three major systems: nickel-titanium-based alloys (Ni-Ti SMA), copper-based alloys (Cu SMA), and iron-based alloys (Fe SMA). The nickel-titanium-based alloy is adopted in this disclosure. The nickel-titanium-based shape memory alloy is a binary intermetallic compound composed of nickel (Ni) and titanium (Ti), and its core characteristics stem from unique atomic ratio and crystal structure changes.

[0036] As an embodiment, in the stored state of a temperature-controlled automatically deployable shape memory alloy flexible microstrip antenna, when the antenna is at a set first temperature, the set first temperature is a low-temperature environment, specifically referring to the current temperature of the antenna being lower than the start temperature As of the austenite phase transformation. At this time, the shape memory alloy material of the ground plane is in the martensite phase, with excellent flexibility and compressibility, and can be folded or curled for storage without damaging the structure.

[0037] Furthermore, in the deployed state, the shape memory alloy material of the ground plane reaches a set second temperature. The second temperature is when the antenna temperature rises above the end temperature (Af) of the austenite phase transformation. It can be heated to above the end temperature (Af) of the austenite phase transformation by sunlight or other heat sources. The shape memory alloy in the ground plane transforms from the martensite phase to the austenite phase, releasing the stored strain energy, thereby driving the antenna to automatically return to its original flat shape. This deployment process does not require external mechanical devices, is convenient to operate, and has high reliability.

[0038] As an embodiment, the shape memory alloy material of the ground plane located at the bottom layer has a thickness of 0.1 mm - 2 mm. Additionally, the shape memory alloy material of the ground plane located at the bottom layer can be a whole flat structure or a hollow structure with a polygon or horseshoe-shaped grid to enhance its flexibility and automatic deployment performance.

[0039] As an embodiment, the temperature-controlled automatically deployable shape memory alloy flexible microstrip antenna of the present disclosure can be in the form of a single antenna unit, an antenna array, or a multi-band antenna combination.

[0040] As an embodiment, the single antenna unit of the temperature-controlled automatically deployable shape memory alloy flexible microstrip antenna of the present disclosure can be in the form of a rectangle, a rounded rectangle, a circular structure, or other shape structures.

[0041] Embodiment 2 A temperature-controlled automatically deployable shape memory alloy flexible microstrip antenna of the present disclosure is in the form of a microstrip antenna array. As Figure 1 shown, it is a microstrip antenna array structure that constructs multiple radiation patches based on a single microstrip antenna unit to achieve higher radiation gain and direction control capabilities. Each radiation patch is arranged on the same flexible dielectric substrate at equal intervals to form a linear array or a planar array structure. The structural parameters can be flexibly designed according to the expected operating frequency, beam width, and pattern requirements.

[0042] The voltage standing wave ratio curve calculated when the microstrip antenna array is in the deployed working state is as Figure 8 shown. The pattern calculated when the microstrip antenna array is in the deployed working state is as Figure 9 shown.

[0043] As an embodiment, the antenna array adopts a centralized feeding method, and the radio frequency signal is injected through a single metal via hole arranged in the middle of the array structure or other specific positions. The metal via hole penetrates through the dielectric substrate layer and the ground layer and is connected to an external 50Ω coaxial cable: the inner conductor is welded to the radiation patch layer, the outer conductor is connected to the ground layer, and the other end is connected to a test system or a communication module through an SMA connector. Since the feeding point does not directly belong to any patch unit, its position can be optimized according to wiring symmetry, electromagnetic field distribution, or structural feasibility to ensure energy transmission efficiency and field pattern uniformity.

[0044] After the radio frequency energy is injected from the metal via hole, multiple radiation patch units are sequentially excited through spatial coupling between the radiation patches or a pre-arranged microstrip feeding network to achieve synchronous operation of the entire array. This feeding structure relies only on a single via hole, which not only simplifies the process structure, avoids the mechanical weak areas introduced by multiple vias, but also maintains the integrity of the shape memory alloy ground layer, contributing to the stable deployment of the system during multiple deformations and thermal cycles.

[0045] As an embodiment, the temperature control working method of the microstrip antenna array of the present disclosure includes: As Figure 4 shown, the array has good compressibility and foldability in the stowed state, and the ground layer is in the martensite phase, allowing for large-scale bending and curling deformations, as Figure 2 shown. During the deployment process, through temperature control high-temperature thermal excitation (such as sunlight illumination, surface heating, etc.), the temperature of the ground layer is raised above the austenite phase transformation end temperature (Af), and the shape memory alloy releases strain energy, driving the antenna array to automatically deploy and return to the original preset flat state, and the relative positions between the patches are accurately reconstructed, thereby ensuring the stability and consistency of the array performance, as Figure 3 shown. The cycle process of the microstrip antenna array from deployment to stowage and then back to the deployment state is as Figure 4 shown.

[0046] Embodiment 3 A temperature-controlled automatically deployable shape memory alloy flexible microstrip antenna of the present disclosure is in the form of a multi-band microstrip antenna combination. The multi-band microstrip antenna combination is composed of four antenna arrays with different frequency bands. Each frequency band corresponds to a specifically designed microstrip antenna array, that is, the frequency bands of the radiation patches formed by each microstrip antenna array are different, and they work in the L1 frequency band, L2 frequency band, S1 frequency band, and S2 frequency band respectively. Multiple microstrip antenna arrays with different frequency bands are placed on a flexible dielectric substrate with a relatively large size to achieve multi-band coverage ability.

[0047] As an embodiment, each radiation patch of the multi-band microstrip antenna combination adopts a composite pattern design, which can achieve a larger bandwidth with the smallest possible size of the microstrip antenna unit. Electromagnetic isolation can be achieved between each microstrip antenna unit through high-barrier strips or gaps, reducing intermodulation interference. The microstrip antenna arrays of different frequency bands in the multi-band microstrip antenna combination can be arranged on the same flexible dielectric substrate in a non-uniform spacing or equal-spacing manner to form a multi-band microstrip antenna combination structure, and the structural parameters can be flexibly designed according to the expected operating frequency, beam width, and pattern requirements. The voltage standing wave ratio curve calculated when the multi-band microstrip antenna combination is in the deployed working state is as shown in Figure 10 shown.

[0048] In the multi-band microstrip antenna combination structure, only the frequency bands of the radiation patches of different microstrip antenna units are changed, and other structures are the same as those of the microstrip antenna array structure. Similarly, the ground layer is made of a shape memory alloy material and has an automatic deployment function; its structure can be an integral flat plate or a hollow grid structure can be selected to enhance the deployability. The dielectric layer uses a polyimide flexible film to achieve good dielectric properties and mechanical stability.

[0049] As an embodiment, the working method of the multi-band microstrip antenna combination of the present disclosure includes: Working principle: In the transportation or storage state, the multi-band microstrip antenna combination is in a folded or curled state, and the shape memory alloy material of the ground layer is in the martensite phase at the set first temperature, as shown in Figure 7 shown. During working deployment, under the action of temperature control at a high temperature or an external heat source (such as sunlight), when the shape memory alloy material of the ground layer is at the set second temperature, that is, the temperature of the shape memory alloy material of the ground layer rises above the austenite phase transformation temperature, the shape is restored and deployed, and it actively drives the entire antenna structure to automatically unfold to the working state, as shown in Figure 5 and Figure 6 shown.

[0050] The present disclosure is described with reference to the flowcharts and / or block diagrams of methods, devices (systems), and computer program products according to the embodiments of the present disclosure. It should be understood that each process and / or block in the flowchart and / or block diagram, and the combination of processes and / or blocks in the flowchart and / or block diagram can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to the processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, an embedded processor, or other programmable data processing devices to generate a machine, so that the instructions executed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing devices generate means for implementing the functions specified in Figure 1 one process or multiple processes and / or blocks Figure 1 one block or multiple blocks.

[0051] These computer program instructions can also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, so that a series of operation steps are performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby the instructions executed on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for realizing the functions specified in one process or a plurality of processes and / or one block or a plurality of blocks. Figure 1 One process or a plurality of processes and / or Figure 1 steps for realizing the functions specified in one block or a plurality of blocks.

[0052] Although the specific embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, they are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art should understand that, based on the technical solutions of the present disclosure, various modifications or variations that can be made by those skilled in the art without creative efforts are still within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A shape memory alloy flexible microstrip antenna with automatic temperature control and deployment, characterized in that It includes multiple microstrip antenna units, a flexible dielectric substrate, a ground layer, and a metal via structure; Each microstrip antenna unit includes a radiation patch, and the radiation patch includes a patch matching layer and a patch radiation layer; the flexible dielectric substrate is disposed between the radiation patch and the ground layer, and the radiation patches of each microstrip antenna unit are arranged on the flexible dielectric substrate at equal intervals. The ground layer is located at the bottom layer and is made of a shape memory alloy material; the metal via structure includes a plurality of metal vias disposed between the microstrip antenna units, and an external coaxial cable passes through the metal vias to penetrate and connect the flexible dielectric substrate and the ground layer. Among them, the inner conductor of the coaxial cable is welded to the radiation patch, and the outer conductor is connected to the ground layer; The shape memory alloy material of the ground layer can be stored at a set first temperature and can automatically expand and restore its original shape at a set second temperature.

2. The temperature-controlled automatically deployable shape memory alloy flexible microstrip antenna according to claim 1, wherein The patch matching layer and the patch radiation layer are metal films for electromagnetic wave radiation. The flexible dielectric substrate is made of a flexible dielectric material to achieve mechanical support and act as a dielectric layer to regulate the electrical performance of the antenna.

3. The temperature-controlled automatically deployable shape memory alloy flexible microstrip antenna according to claim 1, wherein The ground layer is made of a nickel-titanium-based shape memory alloy material, and copper, chromium, iron, manganese, or other elements can be further mixed in the nickel-titanium-based shape memory alloy to regulate its phase transition temperature and mechanical properties.

4. The temperature-controlled automatically deployable shape memory alloy flexible microstrip antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the antenna is in the stored and compressed state, the first temperature is the ambient temperature lower than the start temperature of the austenite phase transition of the shape memory alloy of the ground layer, and at this time the ground layer is in the martensite phase.

5. The temperature-controlled automatically deployable shape memory alloy flexible microstrip antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, During the antenna deployment process, the second temperature is when the antenna temperature rises above the end temperature of the austenite phase transition. At this time, the shape memory alloy of the ground layer changes from the martensite phase to the austenite phase, releasing the stored strain energy and driving the antenna to automatically restore to its original deployed shape.

6. The temperature-controlled automatically deployed shape memory alloy flexible microstrip antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, The shape memory alloy material of the ground layer is an integral flat structure or a hollow structure with a polygonal or horseshoe-shaped grid to improve its flexibility and automatic deployment performance; the flexible dielectric materials used for the flexible dielectric substrate include, but are not limited to, polyimide, polyethylene terephthalate, polylactic acid-glycolic acid copolymer, polydimethylsiloxane, and polyurethane flexible polymer materials.

7. The temperature-controlled automatically deployable shape memory alloy flexible microstrip antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thickness of the flexible dielectric substrate is 1 mm - 3 mm, and the thickness of the shape memory alloy material of the ground layer is 0.1 mm - 2 mm.

8. The temperature-controlled automatically deployable shape memory alloy flexible microstrip antenna according to claim 1, wherein, The flexible microstrip antenna can be set in the form of an antenna array. The multiple microstrip antenna units, the flexible dielectric substrate, the ground layer, and the metal via structure form an antenna array. The antenna array adopts a centralized feeding method, and radio frequency signals are injected through a plurality of metal vias disposed between the microstrip antenna units. The metal vias penetrate the flexible dielectric substrate layer and the ground layer and are connected to an external coaxial cable. One end of the coaxial cable has its inner conductor welded to the radiation patch and the outer conductor connected to the ground layer, and the other end is connected to an external functional module through a connector.

9. The temperature-controlled automatically deployed shape memory alloy flexible microstrip antenna according to claim 8, characterized in that, After the energy of the radio frequency signal is injected through the metal vias, it sequentially excites the radiation patches of multiple microstrip antenna units through spatial coupling between the radiation patches of the microstrip antenna units or a pre-laid microstrip feeder network to achieve the synchronous operation of the overall antenna array.

10. Method for operating a shape memory alloy flexible microstrip antenna with automatic temperature control expansion, characterized in that, It includes: The antenna array form of the flexible microstrip antenna has good compressibility and foldability. When the grounding layer is in the martensite phase, it can be bent and curled significantly. In the collected and compressed state, the antenna array is in a low-temperature environment. At this time, the antenna temperature is lower than the starting temperature of the austenite phase transformation, and the shape memory alloy material of the grounding layer is in the martensite phase. When the temperature-controlled high-temperature thermal excitation raises the temperature of the grounding layer above the ending temperature of the austenite phase transformation, the shape memory alloy of the grounding layer releases strain energy, driving the flexible microstrip antenna array to automatically unfold and return to the original preset flat state, accurately reconstructing the relative positions between the radiation patches to ensure the stability and consistency of the array performance.

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