Antenna element and display device

Abstract

The present invention provides an antenna element and a display device. The antenna element according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a radiator having a contact portion recessed toward a transmission line, a transmission line provided on a layer different from the radiator and connected to the radiator through the contact portion, and a signal pad connected to an end of the transmission line.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the priority of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0152042 filed on November 13, 2020 with the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to an antenna element and a display device, and in particular to an antenna element including a radiator and a power line, and a display device including the antenna element. Background Art

[0004] Recently, with the development of information society, wireless communication technologies such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc. are implemented in the form of, for example, smart phones by combining with display devices. In this case, an antenna may be coupled to the display device to perform a communication function.

[0005] Recently, as mobile communication technologies become more advanced, antennas for performing communications in an ultra-high frequency band have been applied to various target structures, such as display devices, vehicles, and buildings.

[0006] In particular, as the size of a display device decreases, an antenna may be disposed in a display region of the display device, in which case a conductive pattern included in the antenna may be seen by a user, thereby deteriorating image quality of the display device.

[0007] However, when the material or structure of the conductive pattern is changed to reduce visibility of the conductive pattern included in the antenna, the resistance of the conductive pattern increases, so that the radiation characteristics of the antenna may be reduced.

[0008] For example, Korean Patent Publication No. 2003-0095557 discloses an antenna structure embedded in a portable terminal, but does not fully disclose an antenna design considering the above-mentioned resistance and optical characteristics. Summary of the invention

[0009] It is an object of the present invention to provide an antenna element having improved optical and electrical characteristics.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a display device including an antenna element having improved optical and electrical characteristics.

[0011] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions.

[0012] 1. An antenna element, comprising: a radiator having a contact portion recessed toward a transmission line; a transmission line disposed on a layer different from the radiator and connected to the radiator through the contact portion; and a signal pad connected to an end of the transmission line.

[0013] 2. The antenna element according to 1 above, wherein the contact portion is formed in a first region close to the signal pad in a first region and a second region of the radiator divided into the same length as each other by a straight line bisecting the radiator.

[0014] 3. The antenna element according to 1 above, wherein the radiator is formed to have substantially the same thickness over the entire area thereof.

[0015] 4. The antenna element according to item 1 above, wherein the contact portion is provided as a single member integrally connected to the radiator.

[0016] 5. The antenna element according to 1 above, wherein the radiator and the transmission line each include a mesh pattern.

[0017] 6. The antenna element according to 1 above, further comprising a first dummy pattern formed on the same layer as the transmission line to be adjacent to the transmission line, and a second dummy pattern formed on the same layer as the radiator to be adjacent to the radiator.

[0018] 7. The antenna element according to 1 above, wherein the signal pad comprises a solid metal pattern.

[0019] 8. The antenna element according to 1 above, further comprising a ground pad provided around the signal pad separately from the transmission line and the signal pad.

[0020] 9. The antenna element according to 8 above, wherein the ground pad comprises a solid metal pattern.

[0021] 10. A display device comprising the antenna element according to 1 above.

[0022] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the transmission line and the radiator may be disposed on different layers from each other. The radiator may include a contact portion, and may be connected to the transmission line through the contact portion.

[0023] In this case, by adjusting the position of the contact portion in the radiator electrically connected to the transmission line, the impedance of the antenna element can be easily controlled within a range suitable for a specific frequency (e.g., 3G, 4G, 5G or higher). Therefore, the transmission / reception characteristics of the antenna in the high frequency region can be improved.

[0024] In some embodiments, the radiator and transmission line may include a mesh pattern to improve the optical properties of the antenna element. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood through the following detailed description made in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0026] Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an antenna element according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0027] Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a conductive layer of an antenna according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0028] Figure 3 is a schematic plan view of an antenna element according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0029] Figure 4 is a schematic plan view for describing a display device according to an exemplary embodiment; and

[0030] Figure 5 2 is a schematic plan view showing positions of contact regions formed in antenna elements according to the exemplary embodiment and the comparative example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. When denoting components of the various drawings with reference numerals, it should be noted that the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals although they are shown in different drawings.

[0032] In the description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, known functions and configurations that are considered to be able to unnecessarily obscure the intent of the present invention will not be described in detail. In addition, the words described below are defined in consideration of the functions of the embodiments and may differ depending on the intent of the user or operator or customer. Therefore, these words should be defined based on the content of the entire specification.

[0033] It should be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements or components, these elements or components may not be limited by these terms. In the use herein, the singular forms "the" and "said" should also include plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the terms "including" and "comprising" are used herein to indicate the presence of the listed features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and / or combinations thereof, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and / or combinations thereof.

[0034] In addition, directional terms such as "one side", "the other side", "upper", "lower", etc. are used in relation to the orientation of the disclosed figures. Since elements or components of embodiments of the present invention can be positioned in various orientations, these directional terms are used for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the present invention thereto.

[0035] In addition, the division of the construction units in the present invention is used for convenience of description and is distinguished only by the main functions set for each construction unit. That is, two or more construction units described below can be combined into a single construction unit, or can be formed into more than one construction unit through two or more functional divisions. In addition, in addition to being responsible for the main functions, each construction unit described below can also additionally perform part or all of the functions set for other construction units, and can exclusively adopt part of the main functions set for each construction unit, which can of course also be performed by other construction units.

[0036] The antenna element described in the present invention can be a patch antenna or a microstrip antenna made in the form of a transparent film. For example, the antenna element can be applied to electronic devices for high frequency or ultra-high frequency (e.g., 3G, 4G, 5G or higher) mobile communications, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, near field communication (NFC), global positioning system (GPS), etc., but is not limited thereto. Here, the electronic device may include a mobile phone, a smart phone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable multimedia player (PMP), a navigation device, an MP3 player, a digital camera, a wearable device, etc. The wearable device may include a watch type, a wristband type, a ring type, a belt type, a necklace type, an ankle band type, a thigh band type, a forearm band type wearable device, etc. However, the electronic device is not limited to the above examples, and the wearable device is not limited to the above examples. In addition, the antenna element can be applied to various objects or structures, such as vehicles and buildings.

[0037] In the following drawings, two directions parallel to the upper surface of the dielectric layer and perpendicularly intersecting each other are defined as the x direction and the y direction, and the direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the dielectric layer is defined as the z direction. For example, the x direction may correspond to the width direction of the antenna element, the y direction may correspond to the length direction of the antenna element, and the z direction may correspond to the thickness direction of the antenna element.

[0038] Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an antenna element according to an exemplary embodiment, Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a conductive layer of an antenna according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0039] Reference Figure 1 , the antenna element may include a first antenna conductive layer 120 , a second antenna conductive layer 140 , a lower insulating layer 90 , and an interlayer insulating layer 100 .

[0040] For example, the lower insulating layer 90 may be provided as a substrate layer or a base layer for forming the first antenna conductive layer 120. The interlayer insulating layer 100 may be provided as an intermediate layer for separating the first antenna conductive layer 120 and the second antenna conductive layer 140 from each other.

[0041] The lower insulating layer 90 and / or the interlayer insulating layer 100 may be provided as a dielectric layer of the antenna element. For example, the lower insulating layer 90 and / or the interlayer insulating layer 100 may include polyester resins such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene isophthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, etc.; cellulose resins such as diacetyl cellulose, triacetyl cellulose, etc.; polycarbonate resins; acrylic resins such as polymethyl (meth)acrylate, polyethyl (meth)acrylate, etc.; styrene resins such as polystyrene, acrylonitrile-styrene copolymers, etc.; polyolefin resins such as polyethylene, polypropylene, cyclic polyolefins or polyolefins having a norbornene structure, ethylene-propylene copolymers, etc.; vinyl chloride resins; amide resins such as nylon, aromatic polyamide; imide resins; polyether sulfonic acid resins; sulfonic acid resins; polyether ether ketone resins; polyphenylene sulfide resins; vinyl alcohol resins; vinylidene chloride resins; vinyl butyral resins; allyl resins; polyoxymethylene resins; thermoplastic resins such as epoxy resins, etc. These compounds may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0042] In addition, a transparent film made of a thermosetting resin or an ultraviolet curing resin such as (meth)acrylate, polyurethane, acrylic polyurethane, epoxy resin, silicone resin, etc. may be used as the lower insulating layer 90 and / or the interlayer insulating layer 100. In some embodiments, an adhesive film such as an optically clear adhesive (OCA), an optically clear resin (OCR), etc. may be further included in the lower insulating layer 90 and / or the interlayer insulating layer 100.

[0043] For example, the lower insulating layer 90 and / or the interlayer insulating layer 100 may include an inorganic insulating material such as glass, silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, or the like.

[0044] For example, the lower insulating layer 90 and / or the interlayer insulating layer 100 may be provided as substantially a single layer. In one embodiment, the lower insulating layer 90 and / or the interlayer insulating layer 100 may also include a multilayer structure of more than two layers.

[0045] The lower insulating layer 90 and / or the interlayer insulating layer 100 may generate capacitance or inductance, thereby adjusting a frequency band in which the antenna element can be driven or sensed.

[0046] In some embodiments, the dielectric constant of the lower insulating layer 90 and / or the interlayer insulating layer 100 may be adjusted to be in the range of about 1.5 to 12, and preferably about 2 to 12. When the dielectric constant exceeds about 12, the driving frequency is excessively reduced, and driving of the antenna at a desired high frequency band may not be achieved.

[0047] In some embodiments, an insulating layer inside the display device on which the antenna element is mounted (eg, an encapsulation layer, a passivation layer, etc. of the display panel) may be provided as the lower insulating layer 90 .

[0048] The first antenna conductive layer 120 may be formed on the lower insulating layer 90. The first antenna conductive layer 120 may include a low resistance metal such as silver (Ag), gold (Au), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), chromium (Cr), titanium (Ti), tungsten (W), niobium (Nb), tantalum (Ta), vanadium (V), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), tin (Sn), molybdenum (Mo), calcium (Ca), or an alloy containing at least one thereof. They may be used alone or in combination of two or more. For example, the first antenna conductive layer 120 may include silver (Ag) or a silver alloy (e.g., a silver-palladium-copper (APC) alloy) to achieve low resistance.

[0049] In one implementation, the first antenna conductive layer 120 may include copper (Cu) or a copper alloy (eg, copper-calcium (CuCa) alloy) in consideration of low resistance and a fine line width pattern.

[0050] In some embodiments, as described below Figure 3 As mentioned above, the first antenna conductive layer 120 may include a transmission line 110 and a signal pad 112 of an antenna element.

[0051] The interlayer insulating layer 100 may be formed on the lower insulating layer 90 to cover the first antenna conductive layer 120 .

[0052] A second antenna conductive layer 140 may be formed on the interlayer insulating layer 100. In some embodiments, as described below with reference to Figure 3 As mentioned above, the second antenna conductive layer 140 may include a radiator 150 .

[0053] In an exemplary embodiment, each of the first antenna conductive layer 120 and / or the second antenna conductive layer 140 may have a single layer structure formed of the above-mentioned metal or alloy.

[0054] According to an exemplary embodiment, each of the first antenna conductive layer 120 and / or the second antenna conductive layer 140 may include a stacked structure of a transparent conductive oxide layer and a metal layer, for example, may have a double-layer structure of a transparent conductive oxide layer-metal layer or a triple-layer structure of a transparent conductive oxide layer-metal layer-transparent conductive oxide layer.

[0055] According to an exemplary embodiment, the first antenna conductive layer 120 and / or the second antenna conductive layer 140 may be subjected to a blackening process. For example, the surface of the first antenna conductive layer 120 and / or the second antenna conductive layer 140 may be thermally oxidized to reduce reflectivity. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the pattern (antenna) from being seen due to light reflection on the surface of the first antenna conductive layer 120 and / or the second antenna conductive layer 140.

[0056] The surface portion of the metal layer of the first antenna conductive layer 120 and / or the second antenna conductive layer 140 may be blackened to form a blackened layer in which a portion of the metal layer is made of metal oxide or metal sulfide. In addition, a blackened layer such as a coating of a black material or a plating layer of a metal such as nickel or chromium may also be formed on the metal layer.

[0057] The blackening layer is intended to improve transparency and visibility of the metal layer by reducing reflectivity of the metal layer, and may include, for example, at least one of silicon oxide, metal oxide, copper, molybdenum, carbon, tin, chromium, nickel, and cobalt.

[0058] The composition and thickness of the blackening layer can be adjusted in various ways depending on the desired degree of blackening.

[0059] According to an exemplary embodiment, Figure 2 As shown, the first antenna conductive layer 120 and / or the second antenna conductive layer 140 may include a first transparent conductive oxide layer 143, a metal layer 145, and a second transparent conductive oxide layer 147 sequentially stacked on top of each other. In this case, the light transmittance of the first antenna conductive layer 120 and / or the second antenna conductive layer 140 may be improved, thereby preventing the pattern (antenna) from being seen and reducing image quality degradation in the visible area VA.

[0060] In addition, the metal layer 145 can reduce resistance to increase signal transmission speed, while improving the flexibility of the first antenna conductive layer 120 and the second antenna conductive layer 140. In addition, since the metal layer 145 is sandwiched between the transparent conductive oxide layers 143 and 147, the corrosion resistance and transparency of the first antenna conductive layer 120 and the second antenna conductive layer 140 can be improved.

[0061] For example, the transparent conductive oxide layer of the first antenna conductive layer 120 and / or the second antenna conductive layer 140 may include a transparent conductive oxide such as indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO), zinc oxide (ZnOx), indium zinc tin oxide (IZTO), tin oxide (SnOx), cadmium tin oxide (CTO), etc.

[0062] In some embodiments, the first antenna conductive layer 120 may include a transmission line 110 having a contact area 122, and the second antenna conductive layer 140 may include a radiator 150 electrically connected to the contact area 122 of the transmission line 110. On the other hand, the second antenna conductive layer 140 may include a transmission line 110 having a contact area 122, and the first antenna conductive layer 120 may include a radiator 150 electrically connected to the contact area 122 of the transmission line 110.

[0063] For example, the radiator 150 may be formed on the interlayer insulating layer 100 so as to be disposed at an upper layer level of the transmission line 110 .

[0064] According to an exemplary embodiment, the radiator 150 may include a contact portion 130 connected to the contact region 122 of the transmission line 110. For example, the contact portion 130 may be a portion of the radiator 150 that is recessed toward the contact region 122 of the transmission line 110.

[0065] For example, a tapered contact hole for partially exposing the upper surface of the first antenna conductive layer 120 may be formed in the interlayer insulating layer 100, and a conductive layer forming paste for forming the second antenna conductive layer 140 may be applied to the upper surface of the interlayer insulating layer 100 and then dried to form a conductive layer. A portion of the conductive layer may be formed to cover the wall surface of the contact hole and the partially exposed upper surface of the first antenna conductive layer 120, thereby having substantially the same thickness as the other portion. Therefore, a contact portion 130 recessed toward the contact region 122 of the transmission line 110 may be formed in the conductive layer. In this case, the conductive layer may be formed to have substantially the same thickness over its entire area.

[0066] For example, the contact portion 130 may be provided as a single member substantially integrally connected to the second antenna conductive layer 140. For example, the contact portion 130 may be provided as a single member substantially integrally connected to the radiator 150.

[0067] When the contact portion 130 and the second antenna conductive layer 140 are provided as a single component by being connected substantially integrally, the electrical signal loss that may occur at the joint portion between the contact portion 130 and the second antenna conductive layer 140 is reduced, thereby further improving the transmission / reception efficiency of the antenna element.

[0068] In some embodiments, a passivation layer 160 for covering the second antenna conductive layer 140 may be formed on the interlayer insulating layer 100. The passivation layer 160 may include, for example, an inorganic insulating material such as silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, silicon nitride, glass, etc., an organic insulating material such as acrylic resin or siloxane resin, or an organic / inorganic composite insulating film.

[0069] Figure 3 1 is a schematic plan view of an antenna element according to an exemplary embodiment. For convenience of description, the interlayer insulating layer 100 and the contact portion 130 are not shown in FIG. Figure 3 Shown in.

[0070] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 3 As described above, the second antenna conductive layer 140 may include the radiator 150, and the first antenna conductive layer 120 may include the transmission line 110. In this case, the transmission line 110 may include the contact region 122, and the radiator 150 may be connected to the contact region 122 of the transmission line 110. For example, the radiator 150 may include the contact portion 130, which is a portion of the radiator 150 that is recessed toward the contact region 122 of the transmission line 110, and the radiator 150 may be connected to the contact region 122 of the transmission line 110 through the contact portion 130.

[0071] The contact area 122 is Figure 3 It is shown as a circle in the figure, but considering the etching process, the shape of the contact area 122 can be appropriately changed, such as a rectangle, a hexagon, an octagon, etc.

[0072] The transmission line 110 may be disposed on a different layer from the radiator 150 and may extend in the longitudinal direction (e.g., y direction) of the antenna element. The radiator 150 may be divided into a first region A and a second region B having the same length by a straight line CL bisecting the radiator 150. The contact portion 130 of the radiator 150 may be formed in the first region A close to the signal pad 112 of the first region A and the second region B.

[0073] The radiator 150 may be electrically connected to the contact region 122 of the transmission line 110 through the contact portion 130 formed in the first region A among the divided first region A and second region B of the radiator 150. According to an exemplary embodiment, by adjusting the position where the contact portion 130 is formed, the impedance of the antenna element may be easily controlled within a range suitable for a specific frequency.

[0074] For example, the impedance of the antenna element can be more easily controlled within a range of 45Ω to 55Ω suitable for high frequencies (eg, 28 GHz). Therefore, the transmission / reception efficiency of the antenna element can be further improved.

[0075] According to an exemplary embodiment, the contact part 130 may be formed to be spaced apart from each side of the radiator 150 , but is not limited thereto.

[0076] According to an exemplary embodiment, the radiator 150 and the transmission line 110 may include mesh patterns, respectively. For example, the mesh pattern may include electrode lines intersecting each other therein. In this case, the reflectivity of the radiator 150 and the transmission line 110 may be reduced by the mesh pattern. Therefore, the optical characteristics of the antenna element may be improved.

[0077] like Figure 3 As shown, the upper surface of the lower insulating layer 90 or the antenna element may be divided into a visible area VA and a bonding area BA. For example, the visible area VA may be included in a display area of ​​a display device on which the antenna element is mounted.

[0078] The coupling or connection of the antenna element and the antenna driving integrated circuit (IC) chip may be performed in the bonding area BA. For example, the bonding area BA may be included in a peripheral area or a bezel area of ​​the display device.

[0079] according to Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, the radiator 150 and the transmission line 110 may be disposed in the visible area VA. Thus, the radiator 150 and the transmission line 110 may be formed to include a mesh pattern, thereby improving light transmittance in the visible area VA.

[0080] For example, the first antenna conductive layer 120 including the transmission line 110 may further include a first dummy pattern (not shown), and the second antenna conductive layer 140 including the radiator 150 may further include a second dummy pattern (not shown).

[0081] For example, the first dummy pattern may be formed on the same layer as the transmission line 110 to be adjacent to the transmission line 110, and the second dummy pattern may be formed on the same layer as the radiator 150 to be adjacent to the radiator 150. In this case, through the first dummy pattern and the second dummy pattern, it is possible to prevent the pattern (antenna) from being seen and reduce the degradation of image quality in the visible area VA.

[0082] The signal pad 112 may be connected to an end portion of the transmission line 110. The signal pad 112 may be disposed in the bonding area BA so as to be provided as a connection pad for the above-mentioned antenna driving IC chip.

[0083] For example, the signal pad 112 and the antenna driving IC chip may be connected to each other through a circuit relay structure such as a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) or an anisotropic conductive film (ACF).

[0084] The antenna driver integrated circuit (IC) chip may also be disposed on a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) or another circuit board connected to the flexible printed circuit board. For example, the flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) may further include a circuit or contact for electrically connecting the antenna driver integrated circuit (IC) chip and a power line. By arranging the flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) and the antenna driver integrated circuit (IC) chip adjacent to each other, signal loss may be suppressed by shortening the path for sending and receiving signals.

[0085] The signal pad 112 may be formed as a solid pattern to reduce power supply resistance. In one embodiment, the signal pad 112 may be provided as a single member substantially integrally connected to an end of the transmission line 110 .

[0086] In some embodiments, the first antenna conductive layer 120 may further include a ground pad 114 disposed around the signal pad 112. Figure 3 As shown, a pair of ground pads 114 may face each other with the signal pad 112 interposed therebetween while being electrically and physically separated from the transmission line 110 and / or the signal pad 112 .

[0087] In some embodiments, the ground pad 114 may include a solid pattern structure or a mesh pattern. For example, the ground pad 114 may be disposed in the bonding area BA together with the signal pad 112 .

[0088] The transmission line 110 may be formed to include only a metal layer (eg, a metal mesh layer or a solid metal pattern layer) to reduce power supply resistance. The signal pad 112 and the ground pad 114 may also include only a metal layer.

[0089] The length or area of ​​the transmission line 110 and the signal pad 112 may be adjusted according to the length or area of ​​the visible area VA and the bonding area BA.

[0090] Figure 4 is a schematic plan view for describing a display device according to an exemplary embodiment. For example, Figure 4 An external shape of a window including a display device is shown.

[0091] Reference Figure 4 The display device 200 may include a display area 210 and a peripheral area 220. The peripheral area 220 may be disposed on both sides and / or both ends of the display area 210. The peripheral area 220 may correspond to a light shielding portion or a frame portion of the image display device.

[0092] The antenna element may be arranged to span the display area 210 and the peripheral area 220 of the display device 200. For example, Figure 3The visible area VA of the antenna element shown may be included in the display area 210 , and the bonding area BA of the antenna element may be included in the peripheral area 220 .

[0093] In this case, the radiator 150 may be disposed in the display area 210. As described above, the radiator 150 may be prevented from being seen by the user by using a mesh pattern. In addition, by increasing the transparency of the radiator 150 by means of a transparent conductive oxide layer, the image quality in the display area 210 may be prevented from being deteriorated.

[0094] For example, the transmission line 110 may also include a mesh pattern, and the signal pad 112 may be connected with the antenna driving IC chip in the peripheral area 220. The signal pad 112 may include a solid metal pattern to reduce bonding resistance and power supply resistance.

[0095] Through the combination of the above-described structure and material of the antenna element, driving of the antenna can be achieved together with improved electrical and optical characteristics in the display device 200 .

[0096] In addition, as mobile communication technology has become more advanced in recent years, antennas for performing communications in an ultra-high frequency band have been applied to various target structures such as display devices, vehicles, and buildings.

[0097] Hereinafter, experimental examples including specific embodiments and comparative examples will be described to more specifically understand the present invention. However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that these examples are provided for illustrative purposes and do not limit the subject matter disclosed in the appended claims to be protected. Therefore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various replacements and modifications can be made for the embodiments within the scope and spirit of the present invention and are appropriately included in the scope defined by the appended claims.

[0098] Example 1

[0099] A lower insulating layer is prepared. After a transmission line is formed on the lower insulating layer, an interlayer insulating layer for covering the transmission line is formed thereon. A contact hole is formed in the interlayer insulating layer to expose a contact region of the transmission line. Then, a radiator having substantially the same thickness including a contact portion is formed while covering the wall surface of the contact hole and the contact region with a conductive material.

[0100] In this case, refer to Figure 5 , the contact is formed at Figure 5 Then, a passivation layer is formed on the radiator to manufacture the antenna element.

[0101] Example 2 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2

[0102] In addition to the following reference Figure 5The antenna element was manufactured according to the same procedure as described in Example 1, except that the position of the region where the contact portion was formed in the radiator was adjusted as shown in Table 1.

[0103] Comparative Example 3

[0104] A lower insulating layer is prepared. A transmission line and a radiator are formed in the same layer on the lower insulating layer. An antenna element is manufactured by forming an upper insulating layer on the transmission line and the radiator.

[0105] Experimental example

[0106] (1) Impedance measurement

[0107] The impedances of all antenna elements according to the embodiment and the comparative example were measured using a vector network analyzer (VNA, Anritsu Corporation), and the results are shown in Table 1 below.

[0108] (2) Measurement of reflection coefficient (S11)

[0109] The reflection coefficients ( S11 ) of the antenna elements according to the embodiment and the comparative example were measured using a vector network analyzer (VNA, Anritsu Corporation), and the results are shown in Table 1 below.

[0110] (3) Measurement of achieved gain

[0111] The achieved gains of the antenna elements according to the embodiment and the comparative example were measured using a vector network analyzer (VNA, Anritsu Corporation) and a radiation chamber (CNG Corporation), and the results are shown in Table 1 below.

[0112] Table 1

[0113] Contact formation position Impedance(Ω) S11(dB) Gain achieved Example 1 b 52.9 -15.62 3.846 Example 2 a 55.0 -12.31 3.366 Comparative Example 1 c 60.1 -2.89 1.77 Comparative Example 2 d 82.5 -1.59 0.109 Comparative Example 3 - 35.8 -8.8 2.393

[0114] Referring to Table 1 above, the antenna element according to the embodiment in which the contact portion is formed in the first region A may have an impedance value (eg, 50Ω) suitable for high frequencies (eg, 28 GHz). Therefore, the transmission / reception efficiency of the antenna element is improved.

[0115] However, according to the antenna elements of Comparative Examples 1 and 2 in which at least a portion of the contact portion deviates from the first area A and Comparative Example 3 in which the transmission line and the radiator are formed on the same layer, the impedance value exceeds the appropriate impedance value range, thereby reducing the transmission / reception efficiency of the antenna element.

Claims

1. An antenna element, It is characterized in that It includes: a radiator having a contact portion recessed toward the transmission line; The transmission line is provided on a layer different from the radiator and connected to the radiator through the contact portion; an interlayer insulating layer formed between the radiator and the transmission line and including a contact hole; and a signal pad connected with the end of the transmission line, wherein the transmission line extends in the longitudinal direction of the antenna element, The contact hole comprises a tapered contact hole, the tapered contact hole is formed to partially expose the surface of the transmission line in the interlayer insulating layer, and The contact portion is formed on a wall surface of the tapered contact hole and a partially exposed surface of the transmission line.

2. The antenna element according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The contact portion is formed in the first region close to the signal pad, of a first region and a second region of the radiator divided into the same lengths by a straight line bisecting the radiator.

3. The antenna element according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The radiator is formed to have substantially the same thickness over the entire area thereof.

4. The antenna element according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The contact portion is provided as a single member integrally connected to the radiator.

5. The antenna element according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The radiator and the transmission line include mesh patterns, respectively.

6. The antenna element according to claim 1, It is characterized in that It also includes a first dummy pattern formed on the same layer as the transmission line to be adjacent to the transmission line, and a second dummy pattern formed on the same layer as the radiator to be adjacent to the radiator.

7. The antenna element according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The signal pad includes a solid metal pattern.

8. The antenna element according to claim 1, It is characterized in that It also includes a ground pad disposed around the signal pad separately from the transmission line and the signal pad.

9. The antenna element according to claim 8, It is characterized in that The ground pad includes a solid metal pattern.

10. A display device, It is characterized in that It comprises an antenna element according to claim 1 .

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