antenna

Abstract

This invention discloses an antenna belonging to the field of wireless communication technology. The antenna includes a first substrate, which includes a phase shifter array region and a bonding region. The first substrate includes a first substrate, a first metal layer, and a first conductive layer. The first metal layer includes at least one of copper, a copper-molybdenum stack, a copper-titanium stack, a molybdenum-copper alloy, or a titanium-copper alloy. The first conductive layer includes a high-resistivity conductive material. The first metal layer includes conductive pads and phase shifter units, with the phase shifter units located in the phase shifter array region. The first conductive layer includes multiple bias voltage lines, and the conductive pads are electrically connected to the phase shifter units through at least one bias voltage line. In a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first substrate, at least a portion of the bias voltage line overlaps with the phase shifter units, and at least a portion of the bias voltage line overlaps with the conductive pads. This invention can reduce manufacturing costs, improve process efficiency, and ensure antenna performance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of wireless communication technology, and more specifically, to an antenna. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of mobile communication technology, mobile phones, tablets, and laptops have gradually become indispensable electronic products in our lives. These products are increasingly being upgraded to include antenna systems for communication functionality. 5G is a global focus of industry research and development. 5G antennas, with their high carrier frequency and large bandwidth characteristics, are the primary means to achieve ultra-high data transmission rates. Therefore, the abundant bandwidth resources of the 5G frequency band ensure high-speed transmission. Various antennas have broad application prospects in satellite receiving antennas, vehicle radar, and 5G base station antennas. Compared to other types of antennas, microstrip antennas are widely used due to their advantages such as small size, flexible structure, low profile, ease of integration and processing, and low cost.

[0003] However, current antenna designs are generally complex and costly, which hinders the improvement of manufacturing efficiency. Moreover, existing antenna designs are prone to high-frequency signal leakage, affecting the performance of the antenna.

[0004] Therefore, providing an antenna structure that can reduce manufacturing costs, improve process efficiency, and ensure antenna performance is a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, the present invention provides an antenna to solve the problems of complex antenna structure manufacturing process, high manufacturing cost, and easy high-frequency signal leakage in the prior art, which affect the performance of the antenna.

[0006] This invention discloses an antenna, comprising: a first substrate, the first substrate including a phase shifter array region and a bonding region; the first substrate including a first substrate, a first metal layer and a first conductive layer, the first metal layer including at least one of copper, a copper-molybdenum stack, a copper-titanium stack, a copper-molybdenum alloy or a copper-titanium alloy, the first conductive layer including a high-resistivity conductive material, the first conductive layer being located on the side of the first metal layer away from the first substrate; the first metal layer including a plurality of conductive pads and a plurality of phase shifter units, at least some of the conductive pads being located in the bonding region, and the phase shifter units being located in the phase shifter array region; the first conductive layer including a plurality of bias voltage lines, the conductive pads being electrically connected to the phase shifter units through at least one bias voltage line; in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first substrate, at least a portion of the bias voltage line overlaps with the phase shifter units, and at least a portion of the bias voltage line overlaps with the conductive pads.

[0007] Compared with the prior art, the antenna provided by the present invention achieves at least the following beneficial effects:

[0008] The antenna provided by this invention includes at least a first substrate. The first substrate includes a phase shifter array region and a bonding region. The phase shifter array region is used to set up a microstrip line structure for microwave signal transmission. The bonding region is used to set up multiple conductive pads. The conductive pads are used to subsequently bond a driver chip to the bonding region to provide the driving signal required for antenna operation through the driving circuit when the antenna is working. The first substrate includes a first substrate, a first metal layer, and a first conductive layer. The conductive pads and the phase shifter units are made using the same first metal layer. The material of the first metal layer includes copper, molybdenum and copper stacks, titanium and copper stacks, molybdenum-copper alloys, or titanium-copper alloys. This not only reduces the cost of the materials themselves, but also allows the use of the same mask when fabricating the phase shifter units and conductive pads, which helps to reduce the number of masks used, reduce related process costs, and improve process efficiency. Furthermore, during the process, the first metal layer of copper, molybdenum and copper stacks, titanium and copper stacks, molybdenum-copper alloys, or titanium-copper alloys can be made thicker to meet the coupling effect of high-frequency signals in the microstrip line structure and ensure antenna performance. The first conductive layer includes multiple bias voltage lines. Each phase shifter unit of the microstrip line structure is independently controlled by at least one bias voltage line. Specifically, the bias voltage line transmits the voltage signal provided by the external driving circuit subsequently bonded to the bonding area to each phase shifter unit of the microstrip line structure through the corresponding conductive pad, thereby realizing the wireless communication function of the antenna. In this invention, in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first substrate, at least a portion of the bias voltage line overlaps with the phase shifter unit and at least a portion overlaps with the conductive pad. This allows the two ends of the bias voltage line made of transparent conductive material to overlap with the phase shifter unit and the conductive pad of the microstrip line structure respectively through a ramping process, achieving an electrical connection between the three and enhancing the stability and reliability of their electrical connection. Replacing the bias voltage line with a conductive material that has high resistance characteristics, as is done in existing technologies, allows the high resistance of the conductive material to be utilized. This means that the high-frequency signals that leak during antenna use will be lost during transmission through the bias voltage line, thereby improving the leakage problem of high-frequency signals and reducing the impact of high-frequency signals on external driving circuits such as driver chips. This is beneficial to improving the overall performance of the antenna.

[0009] Of course, any product implementing this invention need not necessarily achieve all of the technical effects described above at the same time.

[0010] Other features and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0011] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with their description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0012] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the planar structure of the antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0013] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the A-A' direction;

[0014] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Another cross-sectional structural diagram along the A-A' direction;

[0015] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of another planar structure of the antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0016] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the B-B' direction;

[0017] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of another planar structure of the antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the C-C' direction;

[0019] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of another planar structure of the antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 9 yes Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the D-D' direction;

[0021] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of another planar structure of the antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 11 yes Figure 10 A partial enlarged view of the first metal layer and the first conductive layer in region J1;

[0023] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of another planar structure of the antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 13 yes Figure 12 A partial enlarged view of the first metal layer and the first conductive layer in region J2;

[0025] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of another planar structure of the antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 15 yes Figure 14 A partial enlarged view of the first metal layer, first insulating layer, and first conductive layer in region J3;

[0027] Figure 16 yes Figure 14 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the E-E' direction;

[0028] Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram of another planar structure of the antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 18 yes Figure 17 A partial enlarged view of the first metal layer, the second insulating layer, and the first conductive layer in region J4;

[0030] Figure 19 yes Figure 17 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the F-F' direction;

[0031] Figure 20 This is a schematic diagram of another planar structure of the antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 21 yes Figure 20 A partial enlarged view of the first metal layer and the first conductive layer in region J5;

[0033] Figure 22 This is a schematic diagram of another planar structure of the antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 23 yes Figure 22 A partial enlarged view of the first metal layer and the first conductive layer in region J6;

[0035] Figure 24 yes Figure 22 Another enlarged view of the first metal layer and the first conductive layer in region J6. Detailed Implementation

[0036] Various exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention.

[0037] The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit the invention or its application or use.

[0038] Techniques, methods, and equipment known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and equipment should be considered part of the specification.

[0039] In all the examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values.

[0040] Various modifications and variations can be made to this invention without departing from its spirit or scope, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, this invention is intended to cover modifications and variations falling within the scope of the corresponding claims (the claimed technical solutions) and their equivalents. It should be noted that the embodiments provided in this invention can be combined with each other without contradiction.

[0041] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be discussed further in subsequent figures.

[0042] Please refer to the reference. Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the planar structure of the antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention (it should be understood that this diagram is for the purpose of clearly illustrating the structure of this embodiment). Figure 1 (Transparency fill was applied) Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A cross-sectional structural diagram along the A-A' direction. An antenna 000 provided in this embodiment includes: a first substrate 10, the first substrate 10 including a phase shifter array region YA and a bonding region BA;

[0043] The first substrate 10 includes a first substrate 101, a first metal layer 102 and a first conductive layer 103. The first metal layer 102 includes at least one of copper, a copper-molybdenum stack, a titanium-copper stack, a molybdenum-copper alloy or a titanium-copper alloy. The first conductive layer 103 includes a high-resistivity conductive material. The first conductive layer 103 is located on the side of the first metal layer 102 away from the first substrate 101.

[0044] The first metal layer 102 includes a plurality of conductive pads 1021 and a plurality of phase shifter units 1022, with at least a portion of the conductive pads 1021 located in the bonding region BA and the phase shifter units 1022 located in the phase shifter array region YA.

[0045] The first conductive layer 103 includes multiple bias voltage lines 1031, and the conductive pad 1021 is electrically connected to the phase shifter unit 1022 through at least one bias voltage line 1031.

[0046] In the direction Z perpendicular to the plane where the first substrate 101 is located, at least a portion of the bias voltage line 1031 overlaps with the phase shifter unit 1022, and at least a portion of the bias voltage line overlaps with the conductive pad 1021.

[0047] Specifically, the antenna 000 provided in this embodiment includes at least a first substrate 10. Optionally, the antenna 000 in this embodiment can be a microstrip antenna, or it can be a liquid crystal antenna. It is understood that the antenna 000 in this embodiment is illustrated using a microstrip antenna as an example. The first substrate 10 includes a phase shifter array region YA and a bonding region BA, that is, the antenna 000 includes at least a phase shifter array region YA and a bonding region BA. The phase shifter array region YA is used to set the microstrip line structure, and the bonding region BA is used to set multiple conductive pads 1021. The first substrate 10 in this embodiment includes a first substrate 101, a first metal layer 102, and a first conductive layer 103. Exemplarily, the first substrate 101 (not filled in the figure) can be any rigid material among glass and ceramic, or it can also be any flexible material among polyimide and silicon nitride. Since the above materials do not absorb microwave signals, that is, they have low insertion loss in the microwave frequency band, which is beneficial to reduce signal insertion loss and can greatly reduce the loss of microwave signals during transmission.

[0048] In this embodiment, the first metal layer 102 includes multiple conductive pads 1021 and multiple phase shifter units 1022. At least some of the conductive pads 1021 are located in the bonding region BA, and the phase shifter units 1022 are located in the phase shifter array region YA. It is understood that this is done to clearly illustrate the structure of this embodiment. Figure 1 Only four microstrip line phase shifter units 1022 and a portion of conductive pads 1021 are illustrated on the first substrate 101, but the number is not limited to this. In specific implementations, the number of conductive pads 1021 and phase shifter units 1022 can be arrayed according to actual needs. The phase shifter units 1022 are located in the phase shifter array region YA. The phase shifter units 1022 can be microstrip line structures, and the shape of the phase shifter units 1022 can be serpentine (e.g., Figure 1 The phase shifter unit 1022 is a microstrip line structure used for coupling microwave signals. The conductive pad 1021 is located in the bonding area BA. The conductive pad 1021 is used to subsequently bond a driver chip in the bonding area BA, so that the driving signal required for the antenna 000 to operate is provided through the driving circuit when the antenna 000 is working. In this embodiment, the conductive pad 1021 and the phase shifter unit 1022 are made of the same first metal layer 102, which can reduce the number of light masks used and lower manufacturing costs.

[0049] Since the phase shifter unit 1022 is made of metal material, the thickness of the first metal layer 102 is related to the operating frequency of the antenna. When high-frequency signals are transmitted in the metal, the skin effect will occur (the skin effect increases the effective resistance of the conductor. The higher the frequency, the more significant the skin effect. When a high-frequency current passes through the microstrip line structure, it can be considered that the current only flows through a very thin layer on the surface of the microstrip line structure. This is equivalent to the cross-section of the microstrip line structure being reduced and the resistance being increased). The thickness of the first metal layer 102 generally needs to be 3-6 times the skin depth. This means that the thickness of the first metal layer 102 used to make the phase shifter unit 1022 must be very thick to meet the relevant design requirements. Otherwise, it will greatly increase the insertion loss of the electromagnetic signal. Therefore, the material of the first metal layer 102 in this embodiment is set to include at least one of copper, molybdenum and copper stack, titanium and copper stack, molybdenum-copper alloy, or titanium-copper alloy. It can be understood that when the material of the first metal layer 102 is set to include molybdenum and copper stack, the first metal layer 102 can be a stack structure of molybdenum and copper materials; when the material of the first metal layer 102 is set to include titanium and copper stack, the first metal layer 102 can be a stack structure of titanium and copper materials. Since copper material has low resistivity and is inexpensive, using at least one of copper, molybdenum and copper stack, titanium and copper stack, molybdenum-copper alloy, or titanium-copper alloy to fabricate the structure of the first metal layer 102 not only helps to save costs, but also allows the first metal layer 102 made of copper, molybdenum and copper stack, titanium and copper stack, molybdenum-copper alloy, or titanium-copper alloy material to be thicker during the manufacturing process. That is, the thickness of the microstrip line structure phase shifter unit 1022 made of the first metal layer 102 can be thicker to meet the coupling effect of high-frequency signals in the microstrip line structure.

[0050] It is understood that when the first metal layer 102 in this embodiment is made of any of the following materials: copper, molybdenum and copper stack, titanium and copper stack, molybdenum-copper alloy, or titanium-copper alloy, the thickening process of materials such as copper is relatively mature. This embodiment does not specifically limit the thickening process. Optionally, a PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) process can be used to create a copper seed layer, and then the first metal layer can be thickened by electroplating. Alternatively, other processes for thickening copper can be used. This embodiment will not elaborate on these processes; for details, please refer to the relevant technologies for understanding copper thickening processes.

[0051] In this embodiment, the conductive pad 1021 needs to be electrically connected to the phase shifter unit 1022 through at least one bias voltage line so that the bias voltage signal provided by the driver chip subsequently bound to the conductive pad 1021 can be transmitted to the microstrip line structure phase shifter unit 1022 through the bias voltage line to provide a drive signal.

[0052] However, the inventors of this application have discovered that if the bias voltage line is also fabricated using the first metal layer 102 to improve process efficiency, and to ensure the coupling effect of high-frequency signals in the microstrip line structure, it becomes very difficult to manufacture the bias voltage line if the thickness of the first metal layer 102 used to fabricate the phase shifter unit 1022 of the microstrip line structure is increased to 2µm-3µm. This is because increasing the thickness of the first metal layer 102 gradually increases the difficulty of the etching process and the difficulty of controlling the linewidth and spacing accuracy, limiting the minimum linewidth and spacing process capability. According to the inventors' research, if such a thick first metal layer 102 is used to manufacture the bias voltage line, the minimum line spacing will reach 8-10 micrometers. Especially for large-scale antenna arrays, the signal line layout design will be very difficult, easily limiting the minimum linewidth and spacing specifications between signal lines, which is very unfavorable for the design of large-scale arrays, as the wiring space is very limited. Furthermore, using at least one of copper, molybdenum copper alloy, or titanium copper alloy to make the bias voltage line can easily lead to leakage of high-frequency signals through these metal materials, which are carriers of high-frequency signals in the antenna structure. This can affect the external driving circuit of the antenna and thus impact the antenna performance.

[0053] While existing technologies involve thinning the copper layer used to fabricate bias voltage lines after completing the phase shifter unit of the microstrip line structure, followed by etching to form the bias voltage lines, fabricating different thicknesses of the metal layer in different areas is extremely difficult with current processes. Even with specialized techniques, the cost is prohibitively high. Therefore, the more common cost-saving approach in this field is to use the same thickness of metal for the same layer of the metal structure. This not only makes fabrication difficult and makes it impossible to effectively control the wiring accuracy of the signal lines, but also easily leads to high-frequency signal leakage, affecting the antenna's performance.

[0054] To address the aforementioned issues, this embodiment provides a first conductive layer 103 comprising multiple bias voltage lines 1031. The conductive pad 1021 is electrically connected to the phase shifter unit 1022 via at least one bias voltage line 1031. Specifically, the first conductive layer 103, which forms the bias voltage lines 1031, comprises a high-resistance conductive material. Optionally, the material of the first conductive layer 103 can be either indium tin oxide or metallic chromium, such as conductive transparent metal oxide materials with high resistance characteristics like ITO (Indium Tin Oxide), IZO (Indium Zinc Oxide), AZO (Aluminum Zinc Oxide), or IGO (Indium Gallium Oxide), or high-resistance conductive materials like metallic chromium. This embodiment does not limit the specific materials used.

[0055] In this embodiment, the phase shifter unit 1022, conductive pad 1021, and bias voltage line 1031 of the microstrip line structure in the first substrate 10 are made of different conductive materials. The bias voltage line 1031 is replaced with a conductive material with high resistance characteristics instead of the metal material used in the prior art. Since the high-resistance conductive material itself has high resistance characteristics, the high-frequency signal leaked during the use of the antenna will be lost during the transmission of the bias voltage line 1031, thereby improving the problem of high-frequency signal leakage, reducing the impact of high-frequency signal on external driving circuits such as driving chips, and improving the overall performance of the antenna 000.

[0056] Furthermore, if the material of the first conductive layer 103 is a transparent conductive metal oxide material such as indium tin oxide, the strong processing capability of transparent conductive materials can be utilized (the patterning process of transparent conductive materials is a relatively mature process in the current array process, and the relevant yield and process parameters are already very mature, with the minimum line spacing controllable to 3-5 micrometers). This makes the wiring of the large-scale array in the antenna 000 structure easier. Compared with using a thick copper metal layer to make the minimum line spacing of the bias voltage line 1031, which is 8-10 micrometers, the spacing between the bias voltage lines 1031 can be greatly reduced, thereby effectively reducing the wiring difficulty of the bias voltage line 1031. The accuracy of the line width and line spacing of the bias voltage line 1031 is also easier to control. While ensuring the manufacturing accuracy, the wiring design difficulty can be effectively reduced, improving the designability of the array structure in the antenna 000 and improving the process efficiency.

[0057] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first conductive layer 103 is located on the side of the first metal layer 102 away from the first substrate 101. In the direction Z perpendicular to the plane where the first substrate 101 is located, at least a portion of the bias voltage line 1031 overlaps with the phase shifter unit 1022 and at least a portion of the bias voltage line overlaps with the conductive pad 1021. This facilitates the first conductive layer 103 to at least partially cover the first metal layer 102, thereby protecting materials such as copper and preventing partial corrosion of the first metal layer 102 by water and oxygen, which would affect product yield. The first conductive layer 103 of the first substrate 10 includes multiple bias voltage lines 1031. The conductive pad 1021 is electrically connected to the phase shifter unit 1022 through at least one bias voltage line 1031. Each microstrip line structure phase shifter unit 1022 is independently controlled through at least one bias voltage line 1031. That is, the bias voltage line 1031 is used to transmit the voltage signal provided by the external driving circuit subsequently bonded to the bonding area BA to each microstrip line structure phase shifter unit 1022 through the corresponding conductive pad 1021, thereby realizing the wireless communication function of the antenna 000. In this embodiment, a bias voltage line 1031 is also provided in the direction Z perpendicular to the plane where the first substrate 101 is located. At least a portion of the bias voltage line overlaps with the phase shifter unit 1022 and at least a portion of the bias voltage line overlaps with the conductive pad 1021. This allows the two ends of the bias voltage line 1031 made of transparent conductive material to have overlapping areas with the phase shifter unit 1022 and the conductive pad 1021 of the microstrip line structure, respectively, through a ramping process. This achieves an electrical connection effect among the three and helps to enhance the stability and reliability of the electrical connection among the three.

[0058] The antenna structure provided in this embodiment uses the same first metal layer 102 to fabricate the phase shifter unit 1022 and the conductive pad 1021. The materials used to fabricate the first metal layer 102 include copper, molybdenum and copper stacks, titanium and copper stacks, molybdenum-copper alloys, or titanium-copper alloys. This not only reduces the cost of the materials themselves, but also allows the use of the same mask when fabricating the phase shifter unit 1022 and the conductive pad 1021, which helps reduce the number of illumination masks used, lowers related process costs, and improves process efficiency. Furthermore, the first metal layer 102 made of copper, molybdenum and copper stacks, titanium and copper stacks, molybdenum-copper alloys, or titanium-copper alloys can be made thicker during the manufacturing process to meet the coupling effect of high-frequency signals in the microstrip line structure and ensure antenna performance. By replacing the metal material in the bias voltage line 1031 with a conductive material with high resistance, the high resistance of the conductive material itself can be utilized to cause the high-frequency signal that leaks during antenna use to be lost during transmission through the bias voltage line 1031. This can improve the problem of high-frequency signal leakage, reduce the impact of high-frequency signals on external driving circuits such as driving chips, and help improve the overall performance of the antenna 000.

[0059] It should be noted that this embodiment is only an illustrative description of the structure of antenna 000. In specific implementations, the structure of antenna 000 includes, but is not limited to, this, and may include other structures. For example, if antenna 000 is a liquid crystal antenna, the structure of liquid crystal antennas in related technologies can be referred to for understanding. This embodiment will not elaborate on this. This embodiment is only an example illustrating the possible structures of the first metal layer 102 and the first conductive layer 103, including but not limited to the above structures and working principles. In specific implementations, the antenna can be configured according to its required functions. This embodiment will not elaborate on this.

[0060] Optional, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, the thickness D1 of the first metal layer 102 is 0.5um-5um in the direction Z perpendicular to the plane where the first substrate 101 is located.

[0061] This embodiment explains the use of a metal material to fabricate a phase shifter unit 1022 with a microstrip line structure. The thickness D1 of the first metal layer 102 in the direction Z perpendicular to the plane of the first substrate 101 can be relatively thick, such as between 0.5µm and 5µm. Optionally, the thickness D1 of the first metal layer 102 in the direction Z perpendicular to the plane of the first substrate 101 can be 2µm to 3µm. Since the thickness of the microstrip line structure is related to the antenna's operating frequency, a skin effect occurs when high-frequency signals are transmitted through the metal microstrip line structure. (The skin effect increases the effective resistance of the conductor; the higher the frequency, the more pronounced the skin effect. When a high-frequency current passes through the microstrip line structure, it can be considered that the current only flows through a very thin layer on the surface of the microstrip line structure, which is equivalent to a reduction in the cross-section of the microstrip line structure and an increase in resistance.) Therefore, in actual fabrication, the phase shifter unit 1022 of the microstrip line structure needs to be relatively thick to meet the requirements for high-frequency signal transmission within the microstrip line structure. In this embodiment, the thickness D1 of the first metal layer 102 is set to 0.5um-5um, which can reach 3-6 times the skin depth (skin depth refers to the thickness where most of the charge is located when the charge propagates in the conductor). This can greatly reduce the insertion loss of electromagnetic signals and improve the performance of the antenna 000.

[0062] Optional, such as Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Another cross-sectional structural diagram along the A-A' direction. In this embodiment, the edges of the conductive pads 1021 and phase shifter units 1022 of the first metal layer 102 include a slope angle α (tape angle) of the inclined surface. Generally, when the patterned conductive pads 1021 and phase shifter units 1022 are formed by etching process, the slope angle α of the patterned structure can generally be formed in the process, and the slope angle α can be designed to be about 60°. At both ends of the bias voltage line 1031 made of transparent conductive material, there is an overlapping area with the phase shifter unit 1022 and conductive pads 1021 of the microstrip line structure through the ramping process. This ensures the stability of electrical connection and avoids the problem of wire breakage when the bias voltage line 1031 ramps up, which is beneficial to improving the process yield.

[0063] In some alternative embodiments, please refer to the references. Figure 4 and Figure 5 , Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of another planar structure of the antenna provided in this embodiment of the invention (it should be understood that this diagram is for the purpose of clearly illustrating the structure of this embodiment). Figure 4 (Transparency fill was applied) Figure 5 yes Figure 4A cross-sectional view of the B-B' direction is shown in this embodiment. The antenna 000 also includes a second substrate 20. The first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20 are disposed opposite to each other, and a liquid crystal layer 30 is included between the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20.

[0064] The second substrate 20 includes a second substrate 201 (not filled in the figure) and a second metal layer 202. The second metal layer 202 is located on the side of the second substrate 201 facing the first substrate 10, and the second metal layer 202 includes a ground structure 2021.

[0065] This embodiment explains that antenna 000 can be a liquid crystal antenna, a novel array antenna based on a liquid crystal phase shifter, widely used in satellite receiving antennas, vehicle radar, base station antennas, and other fields. Antenna 000 also includes a second substrate 20 opposite to the first substrate 10. A liquid crystal layer 30 is included between the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20. The second substrate 20 includes a second substrate 201 and a second metal layer 202. The second substrate 201 and the first substrate 101 can be made of the same material, and the second metal layer 202 and the first metal layer 102 can be made of the same material. The second metal layer 202 is located on the side of the second substrate 201 facing the first substrate 10, and includes a grounding structure 2021. The phase shifter unit 1022 can be a microstrip line phase shifter structure. The phase shifter is the core component of the liquid crystal antenna. An electric field is formed between the microstrip line phase shifter unit 1022 and the grounding structure 2021 to control the deflection of the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer 30, thereby controlling the equivalent dielectric constant of the liquid crystal and adjusting the phase of the electromagnetic wave. Liquid crystal antennas have broad application prospects in satellite receiving antennas, vehicle radar, 5G base station antennas and other fields.

[0066] Optional, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the orthographic projection of the second substrate 201 onto the first substrate 101 does not overlap with the bonding region BA, meaning that the area of ​​the second substrate 201 can be smaller than the area of ​​the first substrate 101, so that at least a portion of the conductive pads 1021 of the bonding region BA are exposed, facilitating the subsequent bonding of structures such as driver chips in the bonding region BA.

[0067] Optional, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, in the antenna 000 of this embodiment, the grounding structure 2021 of the second metal layer 202 includes a plurality of first radiating holes 2021K1 and a plurality of second radiating holes 2021K2. The side of the second substrate 201 away from the liquid crystal layer 30 also includes a third metal layer 203. The third metal layer 203 includes a plurality of radiating patches 2031 and a power divider network structure 2032. The orthographic projection of the radiating patches 2031 onto the plane of the second substrate 201 overlaps with the orthographic projection of the first radiating holes 2021K1 onto the plane of the second substrate 201. The power divider network structure 2032 includes a plurality of output terminals 20321. The orthographic projection of the output terminals 20321 onto the plane of the second substrate 201 overlaps with the orthographic projection of the second radiating holes 2021K2 onto the plane of the second substrate 201. Further optionally, the orthographic projection of the second radiating holes 2021K2 onto the plane of the first substrate 101 at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the phase shifter unit 1022 onto the plane of the first substrate 101.

[0068] This embodiment explains that the antenna 000 also includes a third metal layer 203. The third metal layer 203 can be used to set multiple power divider network structures 2032 and block-shaped radiating patches 2031. The orthographic projection of the radiating patch 2031 onto the plane of the second substrate 201 overlaps with the orthographic projection of the first radiating aperture 2021K1 of the grounding structure 2021 onto the plane of the second substrate 201. The power divider network structure 2032 may include multiple branch structures and an output terminal. Microwave signals are generally fed into the power divider network structure 2032 through a signal feed rod (not shown in the figure) and transmitted to its output terminal 20321 through each branch structure of the power divider network structure 2032. The output terminal 20321 corresponds to the multiple second radiating apertures 2021K2 included in the grounding structure 2021. Therefore, the microwave signal is coupled to each phase shifter unit 1022 through the liquid crystal layer 30 through the second radiating apertures 2021K2. The radiating patch 2031 is used to couple the phase-shifted microwave signal to the radiating patch 2031 through the first radiating hole 2021K1 of the grounding structure 2021 after the phase shift is completed, and radiate the microwave signal of the antenna 000 through the radiating patch 2031. In this embodiment, the antenna 000 employs a circuit structure such as a driver chip subsequently bonded to the bonding region BA. A bias voltage signal is applied to the phase shifter unit 1022 of the microstrip line structure through the bias voltage line 1031, forming a deflection electric field between the first metal layer 102 and the second metal layer 202 of the antenna. This causes the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer 30 between the two metal layers to deflect. Since the degree of deflection of the liquid crystal molecules varies with the applied voltage, the dielectric constant of the liquid crystal layer 30 between the first metal layer 102 and the second metal layer 202 can be controllably adjusted. The wavelength of the high-frequency electric field conducted in the phase shifter unit 1022 of the microstrip line structure is related to the dielectric constant of the liquid crystal. This allows the phase of the output to be adjusted by adjusting the degree of deflection of the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer 30 when the phase of the RF signal at the entrance of the phase shifter unit 1022 of the microstrip line structure is constant. By adjusting the phase difference between phase shifter units 1022 with different microstrip line structures within the phase shifter array region YA, the direction of the radiated beam can be adjusted. After the microwave signal is phase-shifted, the phase-shifted microwave signal is coupled to the radiating patch 2031 through the first radiating aperture 2021K1 of the grounding structure 2021, and the microwave signal of the antenna 000 is radiated out through the radiating patch 2031. The microstrip line structure phase shifter unit 1022, the first radiating aperture 2021K1 and the second radiating aperture 2021K2 of the grounding structure 2021 above the phase shifter unit 1022, the radiating patch 2031 of the third metal layer 203, and the power divider network structure 2032 cooperate to form a radiating unit. The array of radiating units composed of multiple phase shifter units 1022, radiating apertures 2021K1 and radiating patches 2031 forms the array structure of the entire antenna.

[0069] Optionally, the phase shifter unit 1022 in this embodiment can be a serpentine or spiral microstrip line structure. A serpentine or spiral phase shifter unit 1022 can increase the facing area between the phase shifter unit 1022 and the grounding structure 2021, ensuring that as many liquid crystal molecules as possible in the liquid crystal layer 30 are in the electric field formed by the phase shifter unit 1022 and the grounding structure 2021, thereby improving the flipping efficiency of the liquid crystal molecules. This embodiment does not limit the shape and distribution of the phase shifter unit 1022, as long as it can achieve microwave signal transmission.

[0070] It is understood that this embodiment is merely an illustrative description of the structure that may be included when the antenna 000 is a liquid crystal antenna, but it is not limited to this. Other structures may also be included, such as the alignment layer between the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20 (not shown in the figure), the frame adhesive 40 between the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20, etc. For details, please refer to the structure of liquid crystal antennas in related technologies. This embodiment will not elaborate on these details here. This embodiment is only an example illustrating the possible structures that the first metal layer 102, the first conductive layer 103, the second metal layer 202, and the third metal layer 203 can be configured, including but not limited to the above structures and working principles. In specific implementation, the configuration can be set according to the required functions of the liquid crystal antenna. This embodiment will not elaborate on these details here.

[0071] Optional, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20 are fixed by a frame adhesive 40, which is disposed between the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20 and surrounds the liquid crystal layer 30. The orthographic projection of the conductive pad 1021 on the first substrate 101 does not overlap with the orthographic projection of the frame adhesive 40 on the first substrate 101. Along the direction X from the bonding region BA to the phase shifter array region YA, the conductive pad 1021 is located on the side of the frame adhesive 40 away from the liquid crystal layer 30. This embodiment explains that a frame adhesive 40 is disposed between the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20 so that the frame adhesive 40 surrounds the liquid crystal layer 30, forming a sealed liquid crystal cell structure antenna 000, preventing the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer 30 from leaking out. In this embodiment, the orthographic projection of the conductive pad 1021 on the first substrate 101 does not overlap with the orthographic projection of the frame adhesive 40 on the first substrate 101, thereby avoiding the pressure of the frame adhesive 40 from affecting the conductive pad 1021 in the bonding region BA, which is beneficial to ensuring the conductivity yield of the conductive pad 1021.

[0072] In some alternative embodiments, please refer to the references. Figure 6 and Figure 7 , Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of another planar structure of the antenna provided in this embodiment of the invention (it should be understood that this diagram is for the purpose of clearly illustrating the structure of this embodiment). Figure 6(Transparency fill was applied) Figure 7 yes Figure 6 A cross-sectional view along the C-C' direction is shown in this embodiment. The first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20 are fixed by a frame adhesive 40. The frame adhesive 40 is disposed between the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20 and surrounds the liquid crystal layer 30.

[0073] The conductive pad 1021 at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the frame adhesive 40 on the first substrate 101.

[0074] This embodiment explains that a frame adhesive 40 is disposed between the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20, so that the frame adhesive 40 surrounds the liquid crystal layer 30 to form a sealed liquid crystal cell structure antenna 000, preventing the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer 30 from leaking out. In this embodiment, the conductive pads 1021 are configured such that the orthographic projection of the first substrate 101 and the orthographic projection of the frame adhesive 40 on the first substrate 101 at least partially overlap, that is, at least part of the conductive pads 201 move closer to the phase shifter array region YA and extend to the periphery of the bonding region BA. By extending the length of the conductive pads 1021 in the direction X from the bonding region BA to the phase shifter array region YA, the contact area between the bias voltage line 1031 of the first conductive layer 103 and the conductive pads 1021 of the first metal layer 102 can be increased, reducing the impact of unreliable bonding areas on the overall electrical connection performance and improving the reliability of the overall electrical connection between the bias voltage line 1031 and the conductive pads 1021. Furthermore, because the conductive pad 1021 in the bonding area BA is made of relatively soft metal, the bonding process using ACF (Anisotropic Conductive Film) in the subsequent bonding process with the driver chip or flexible circuit board requires careful consideration. Conductive Film (ACF) adhesive can easily cause cracks in the first conductive layer 103 on the surface (which may affect the ramp-up area between the bias voltage line 1031 and the conductive pad 1021). Therefore, by extending the length of the conductive pad 1021 in the direction X from the bonding area BA to the phase shifter array area YA, at least a portion of the extended conductive pad 1021 can be protected from the pressure from subsequent bonding of the driver chip or flexible circuit board. Even if some sections of the bias voltage line 1031 within the bonding area BA cracks due to the pressure of the ACF adhesive during bonding, at least the extended section of the conductive pad 1021 outside the bonding area BA can still be well bonded and electrically connected to the bias voltage line 1031. This helps reduce the impact of bonding pressure on the cracking of the transparent conductive material, thereby reducing the impact on the electrical connection between at least some sections of the bias voltage line and the conductive pad 1021. This further improves the reliability of the electrical connection when the bias voltage line 1031 ramps up at one end of the conductive pad 1021.

[0075] In some alternative embodiments, please refer to the references. Figure 8 and Figure 9 , Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of another planar structure of the antenna provided in this embodiment of the invention (it should be understood that this diagram is for the purpose of clearly illustrating the structure of this embodiment). Figure 8 (Transparency fill was applied) Figure 9 yes Figure 8 A cross-sectional view along the D-D' direction is shown in this embodiment. The conductive pad 1021 at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the liquid crystal layer 30 on the first substrate 101.

[0076] In this embodiment, the conductive pad 1021 is configured such that its orthographic projection on the first substrate 101 at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the liquid crystal layer 30 on the first substrate 101. That is, at least part of the conductive pad 201 moves closer to the phase shifter array region YA and extends further to the region where the liquid crystal layer 30 is located outside the bonding region BA. By further extending the length of the conductive pad 1021 in the direction X from the bonding region BA to the phase shifter array region YA, the contact area between the bias voltage line 1031 of the first conductive layer 103 and the conductive pad 1021 of the first metal layer 102 can be increased, reducing the impact of unreliable bonding areas on the overall electrical connection performance and improving the reliability of the overall electrical connection between the bias voltage line 1031 and the conductive pad 1021. Furthermore, by further extending the length of the conductive pad 1021 in the direction X from the bonding area BA to the phase shifter array area YA, the conductive pad 1021 extends to the area where the liquid crystal layer 30 is located. This allows at least a larger portion of the extended conductive pad 1021 to be protected from the pressure caused by subsequent bonding of the driver chip or flexible circuit board. Even if some sections of the bias voltage line 1031 within the bonding area BA cracks due to the pressure of the ACF adhesive during bonding, the conductive pad 1021 and the bias voltage line 1031 in the extended section outside the bonding area BA and the extended section in the area where the liquid crystal layer 30 is located can still be better connected to the conductive pad 1021. This helps to more effectively reduce the impact of bonding pressure on the cracking of the transparent conductive material, thereby reducing the impact on the electrical connection between at least some sections of the bias voltage line and the conductive pad 1021. This also helps to improve the reliability of the electrical connection when the bias voltage line 1031 is ramped at one end of the conductive pad 1021.

[0077] In some alternative embodiments, please refer to the references. Figure 10 and Figure 11 , Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of another planar structure of the antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 11 yes Figure 10 A partially enlarged view of the first metal layer and the first conductive layer in region J1 (it should be understood that this is for the purpose of clearly illustrating the structure of this embodiment). Figure 10 and Figure 11(Transparency fill has been applied). In this embodiment, the same bias voltage line 1031 includes a first sub-segment 1031A and a second sub-segment 1031B, which are located at the two ends of the bias voltage line 1031, respectively. It can be understood that in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the first substrate 101, the first sub-segment 1031A overlaps with the conductive pad 1021, and the second sub-segment 1031B partially overlaps with the phase shifter unit 1022.

[0078] In a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first substrate 101, the first sub-segment 1031A covers the conductive pad 1021;

[0079] The first sub-segment 1031A has a projected area on the first substrate 101 that is larger than the projected area of ​​the conductive pad 1021 on the first substrate 101.

[0080] This embodiment explains that the same bias voltage line 1031 includes a first sub-segment 1031A and a second sub-segment 1031B. The first sub-segment 1031A can be understood as the part overlapping with the conductive pad 1021, and the second sub-segment 1031B can be understood as the part overlapping with the phase shifter unit 1022. That is, the first sub-segment 1031A and the second sub-segment 1031B are located at the two ends of the same bias voltage line 1031, so as to realize the electrical connection between the conductive pad 1021 and the phase shifter unit 1022 of the microstrip line structure through at least one bias voltage line 1031. In this embodiment, the first segment 1031A is positioned in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first substrate 101, covering the conductive pad 1021. By setting the projected area of ​​the first segment 1031A on the first substrate 101 to be larger than the projected area of ​​the conductive pad 1021 on the first substrate 101, the first segment 1031A of the first conductive layer 103 covers a portion of the conductive pad 1021 of the first metal layer 102. This increases the area for the first segment 1031A and the conductive pad 1021 to make an uphill electrical connection, which is beneficial for more effectively enhancing the reliability of the electrical connection.

[0081] Optional, please refer to the following: Figure 10 and Figure 11 In this embodiment, the minimum distance D2 from the edge of the first segment 1031A of the bias voltage line 1031 to the edge of the conductive pad 1021 is 2-20um.

[0082] This embodiment explains that when the projected area of ​​the first sub-segment 1031A on the first substrate 101 is larger than the projected area of ​​the conductive pad 1021 on the first substrate 101, so that the first sub-segment 1031A covers the conductive pad 1021, the minimum distance D2 between the edge of the first sub-segment 1031A of the bias voltage line 1031 and the edge of the conductive pad 1021 can be set to 2-20μm. The minimum distance D2 between the edge of the first sub-segment 1031A and the edge of the conductive pad 1021 can be understood as the distance between the edge 1031AY of the first sub-segment 1031A and the edge 1021Y of the nearest conductive pad 1021 among the overlapping conductive pads 1021 and the first sub-segment 1031A. When bonding the driver chip or flexible circuit board in the bonding area BA, it is necessary to ensure that the distance between two adjacent conductive pads 1021 is greater than 40um along the arrangement direction Y of the multiple conductive pads 1021, so as to avoid short circuit problems caused by the distance between adjacent conductive pads 1021 being too close. Therefore, when the projected area of ​​the first segment 1031A on the first substrate 101 is larger than the projected area of ​​the conductive pad 1021 on the first substrate 101, the first segment 1031A covers the conductive pad 1021, protecting the entire conductive pad 1021 and preventing damage to the copper conductive pad 1021 caused by water and oxygen corrosion. At the same time, the minimum distance D2 between the edge of the first segment 1031A of the bias voltage line 1031 and the edge of the conductive pad 1021 can be set to 2-20um, that is, the edge of the first segment 1031A extends beyond the edge of the nearest conductive pad 1021 by 2-20um. This ensures that the shortest distance between the conductive areas of the conductive pad 1021 covered by the first segment 1031A, that is, between two adjacent conductive pads 1021, is greater than 40um. This can prevent signal interference caused by the distance between the first segments 1031A corresponding to two adjacent conductive pads 1021 being too close, and can also avoid the risk of short circuit.

[0083] It is understandable that, in order to further increase the area of ​​the first segment 1031A when it is electrically connected to the conductive pad 1021, the first segment 1031A may also extend beyond both ends of the conductive pad 1021 in the direction X from the bonding region BA to the phase shifter array region YA, such as... Figure 11 As shown, the first segment 1031A extends beyond the edge of the conductive pad 1021 on all sides, which helps to further enhance the reliability of the electrical connection.

[0084] In some alternative embodiments, please refer to the references. Figure 12 and Figure 13 , Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of another planar structure of the antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 13 yes Figure 12 A partially enlarged view of the first metal layer and the first conductive layer in region J2 (it should be understood that this is for the purpose of clearly illustrating the structure of this embodiment). Figure 12 and Figure 13 (Transparency filling has been performed). In this embodiment, the phase shifter unit 1022 includes a first end 1022A; in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first substrate 101, a second sub-segment 1031B covers the first end 1022A, and the projected area of ​​the second sub-segment 1031B on the first substrate 101 is greater than the projected area of ​​the first end 1022A on the first substrate 101.

[0085] This embodiment explains that the same bias voltage line 1031 includes a first sub-segment 1031A and a second sub-segment 1031B. The first sub-segment 1031A can be understood as the part overlapping with the conductive pad 1021, and the second sub-segment 1031B can be understood as the part overlapping with the phase shifter unit 1022. That is, the first sub-segment 1031A and the second sub-segment 1031B are located at the two ends of the same bias voltage line 1031, so as to realize the electrical connection between the conductive pad 1021 and the phase shifter unit 1022 of the microstrip line structure through at least one bias voltage line 1031. In this embodiment, the phase shifter unit 1022 includes a first end portion 1022A, which is the end region where the phase shifter unit 1022 overlaps with the second sub-segment 1031B. It is positioned in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first substrate 101. The second sub-segment 1031B covers the first end portion 1022A. By setting the projected area of ​​the second sub-segment 1031B on the first substrate 101 to be larger than the projected area of ​​the first end portion 1022A of the microstrip line phase shifter unit 1022 on the first substrate 101, the second sub-segment 1031B of the first conductive layer 103 covers the first end portion 1022A of the phase shifter unit 1022 of the first metal layer 102. This increases the area for the second sub-segment 1031B to make an uphill electrical connection with the microstrip line phase shifter unit 1022, which is beneficial for more effectively enhancing the reliability of the electrical connection.

[0086] It is understandable that in this embodiment, the extent to which the edge of the second segment 1031B extends beyond the edge of the first end 1022A that overlaps with it can refer to the arrangement of the first segment 1031A and the conductive pad 1021 in the above embodiment, which also has the effect of enhancing the reliability of electrical connection as described in the above embodiment. This embodiment will not be elaborated here.

[0087] In some alternative embodiments, please refer to the references. Figure 14 , Figure 15 and Figure 16 , Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of another planar structure of the antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 15 yes Figure 14A partial enlarged view of the first metal layer, first insulating layer, and first conductive layer in region J3. Figure 16 yes Figure 14 A cross-sectional structural diagram along the E-E' direction (it should be understood that this diagram is for the purpose of clearly illustrating the structure of this embodiment). Figure 14 and Figure 15 Transparency fill was applied. Figure 14 (The first insulating layer is not shown in the figure). In this embodiment, a first insulating layer 104 is included between the first metal layer 102 and the first conductive layer 103. The first insulating layer 104 includes a plurality of first through holes 104K1 and a plurality of second through holes 104K2.

[0088] The first via 104K1 is projected onto the first substrate 101, and the conductive pad 1021 is located within the projection range of the first substrate 101. The bias voltage line 1031 is electrically connected to the conductive pad 1021 through the first via 104K1.

[0089] The second via 104K2 is projected onto the first substrate 101 within the projection range of the phase shifter unit 1022 onto the first substrate 101. The bias voltage line 1031 is electrically connected to the phase shifter unit 1022 through the second via 104K2.

[0090] Optionally, the material of the first insulating layer 104 includes silicon nitride.

[0091] This embodiment explains that the bias voltage line 1031 between the first metal layer 102 and the transparent metal layer 103 used to fabricate the conductive pads 1021 and the phase shifter unit 1022 with a microstrip line structure does not necessarily need to be in direct contact. For example, a first insulating layer 104 may be included between the first metal layer 102 and the first conductive layer 103. Optionally, the material of the first insulating layer 104 may be silicon nitride. After the first metal layer 102 is fabricated, various patterned structures of the first metal layer 102, such as the conductive pads 1021 and the phase shifter unit 1022 with a microstrip line structure, are formed through an etching process. A first insulating layer 104 is then fabricated for coverage. The first insulating layer 104 flattens the area above the various patterned structures of the first metal layer 102, eliminating some of the spikes and undulations generated during the etching process of the patterned structures of the first metal layer 102. In other words, the first metal layer 102 is used for flattening. As a result, when the bias voltage line 1031 of the subsequently fabricated first conductive layer 103 is electrically connected to the conductive pad 1021 and the phase shifter unit 1022 of the microstrip line structure through the ramp, the smoothness of the ramp can be improved, thereby avoiding the problem of line breakage during ramp. Furthermore, this embodiment also includes a first insulating layer 104 comprising multiple first through holes 104K1 and multiple second through holes 104K2. Both the first through holes 104K1 and the second through holes 104K2 penetrate the thickness of the first insulating layer 104. The orthographic projection of the first through hole 104K1 onto the first substrate 101 is located within the orthographic projection range of the conductive pad 1021 onto the first substrate 101. The bias voltage line 1031 is electrically connected to the conductive pad 1021 through the first through hole 104K1. After one end of the bias voltage line 1031 climbs up to the top of the first insulating layer 104 and overlaps with the conductive pad 1021, the material of the bias voltage line 1031 can make contact and electrical connection with the conductive pad 1021 at the first through hole 104K1 through the first through hole 104K1, thereby achieving the effect of electrical connection between one end of the bias voltage line 1031 and the conductive pad 1021. Similarly, the orthographic projection of the second via 104K2 onto the first substrate 101 is located within the orthographic projection range of the phase shifter unit 1022 onto the first substrate 101. The bias voltage line 1031 is electrically connected to the phase shifter unit 1022 through the second via 104K2. After the other end of the bias voltage line 1031 climbs up to the top of the first insulating layer 104 and overlaps with a portion of the phase shifter unit 1022, the material of the bias voltage line 1031 can make contact and electrical connection with the phase shifter unit 1022 at the second via 104K2 through the second via 104K2. This achieves the electrical connection effect between the other end of the bias voltage line 1031 and the phase shifter unit 1022 of the microstrip line structure, thereby improving the smoothness of the bias voltage line 1031 when climbing up, avoiding wire breakage, and effectively ensuring the reliability of the electrical connection between the bias voltage line 1031 and the conductive pad 1021 and the phase shifter unit 1022 respectively.

[0092] It is understood that the material used to make the first insulating layer 104 in this embodiment includes, but is not limited to, silicon nitride. The material of the first insulating layer 104 may also include a composite material of organic material and silicon nitride; or, the material of the first insulating layer 104 may include an organic planarization material of organic material and silicon oxide, or may be other stacked materials with planarization function composed of multiple materials. This embodiment does not limit this, and the specific implementation can be selected and set according to actual needs.

[0093] It should be noted that this embodiment does not specifically limit the number and shape of the first through hole 104K1 and the second through hole 104K2 opened in the first insulating layer 104. The figure uses a circular shape for the first through hole 104K1 and the second through hole 104K2 as an example for illustration. In specific implementation, other shapes are also possible. It is only necessary to satisfy that there are multiple first through holes 104K1 in the area where the bias voltage line 1031 overlaps with the conductive pad 1021, and multiple second through holes 104K2 in the area where the bias voltage line 1031 overlaps with the phase shifter unit 1022, so as to achieve a stable electrical connection effect.

[0094] In some alternative embodiments, please refer to the references. Figure 17 , Figure 18 and Figure 19 , Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram of another planar structure of the antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 18 yes Figure 17 A partial enlarged view of the first metal layer, second insulating layer, and first conductive layer in region J4. Figure 19 yes Figure 17 A cross-sectional structural diagram along the F-F' direction (it should be understood that this diagram is for the purpose of clearly illustrating the structure of this embodiment). Figure 17 and Figure 18 (Transparency filling has been performed). In this embodiment, the side of the first conductive layer 103 away from the first substrate 101 includes a second insulating layer 105. The second insulating layer 105 includes a plurality of cutout portions 105K. In the direction Z perpendicular to the plane where the first substrate 101 is located, the cutout portions 105K penetrate the second insulating layer 105.

[0095] This embodiment explains that the side of the first conductive layer 103 away from the first substrate 101 may include a second insulating layer 105. Optionally, the material of the second insulating layer 105 may include silicon nitride. The second insulating layer 105 serves to protect the first conductive layer 103 and the first metal layer 102. In this embodiment, the second insulating layer 105 includes multiple cutouts 105K. In the direction Z perpendicular to the plane of the first substrate 101, the cutouts 105K penetrate the second insulating layer 105, exposing a portion of the first conductive layer 103 below the second insulating layer 105. This facilitates the subsequent bonding and electrical connection of the first conductive layer 103 at the cutout location (such as the conductive pad 1021 of the bonding area BA) with the driver chip or flexible circuit board. In this embodiment, the first conductive layer 103 and the first metal layer 102 are in direct contact and electrical connection, which is beneficial to enhancing the electrical connection effect between the bias voltage line 1031 and the conductive pad 1021, and between the bias voltage line 1031 and the phase shifter unit 1922.

[0096] It is understood that the material used to make the second insulating layer 105 in this embodiment includes, but is not limited to, silicon nitride. The material of the second insulating layer 105 may also include a composite material of organic material and silicon nitride; or, the material of the second insulating layer 105 may include organic material of a composite material of organic material and silicon oxide, or may be other laminated materials with protective functions composed of multiple materials. This embodiment does not limit this, and the specific implementation can be selected and set according to actual needs.

[0097] Optional, such as Figures 17-19 As shown, the orthographic projection of the cutout portion 105K onto the first substrate 101 is located within the orthographic projection range of the conductive pad 1021 onto the first substrate 101. The second insulating layer 105 exposes part of the bias voltage line 1031 through the cutout portion 105K. That is, when the bias voltage line 1031 of the first conductive layer 103 covers the conductive pad 1021 that overlaps with it, the orthographic projection of the cutout portion 105K onto the first substrate 101 can be set to be located within the orthographic projection range of the conductive pad 1021 onto the first substrate 101, so that the cutout portion 105K of the second insulating layer 105 exposes part of the bias voltage line 1031 above the conductive pad 1021. This facilitates the subsequent bonding of a driver chip or flexible circuit board at the cutout portion 105K position, so that the subsequently bonded driver chip or flexible circuit board can achieve better electrical connection with the conductive pad 1021.

[0098] It is understood that the shape and size of the cutout portion 105K are not limited in this embodiment. The figure is illustrated by taking the cutout portion 105K and the conductive pad 1021 as having the same elongated shape. The size of the cutout portion 105K can be set according to the size of the conductive pad 1021. For example, the cutout portion 105K can be set to be smaller than the conductive pad 1021 to expose part of the bias voltage line 1031 of the first conductive layer 103 at the position of the conductive pad 1021, which is convenient for subsequent bonding. This embodiment does not limit this.

[0099] In some alternative embodiments, please refer to the references. Figure 20 and Figure 21 , Figure 20 This is a schematic diagram of another planar structure of the antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 21 yes Figure 20 A partially enlarged view of the first metal layer and the first conductive layer in region J5 (it should be understood that this is for the purpose of clearly illustrating the structure of this embodiment). Figure 20 and Figure 21 (Transparency fill has been applied). In this embodiment, at least a portion of the conductive pad 1021 includes a first part 1021A and a second part 1021B, which are arranged along the direction X from the bonding area BA to the phase shifter array area YA.

[0100] Along the first direction Y, the outer diameter W2 of the second part 1021B is greater than the outer diameter W1 of the first part 1021A; wherein the first direction Y is perpendicular to the direction X from the binding region BA to the phase shifter array region YA.

[0101] This embodiment explains that among the multiple conductive pads 1021 of the bonding region BA, at least a portion of the conductive pads 1021 (such as the portion of conductive pads 1021 electrically connected to the bias voltage line 1031) includes a first part 1021A and a second part 1021B. The first part 1021A and the second part 1021B can be understood as different segments of the same conductive pad 1021 arranged along the direction X from the bonding region BA to the phase shifter array region YA. A first direction Y (the first direction Y is perpendicular to the direction X from the bonding region BA to the phase shifter array region YA, i.e., the first...) is provided. The direction Y can be understood as the arrangement direction of multiple conductive pads 1021. The outer diameter W2 of the second part 1021B is larger than the outer diameter W1 of the first part 1021A. By widening and thickening the conductive pads 1021 in sections, the portion of the bias voltage line 1031 that overlaps with it is also thickened and widened and made irregularly shaped, thereby covering the conductive pads 1021 at the position of the thicker and wider second part 1021B. By increasing the contact area between the bias voltage line 1031 and the conductive pad 1021, it is beneficial to further enhance the electrical connection reliability between the bias voltage line 1031 and the conductive pad 1021.

[0102] Optional, such as Figure 20 and Figure 21 As shown, the two second parts 1021B of two adjacent conductive pads 1021 are staggered, that is, along the first direction Y, the two second parts 1021B of two adjacent conductive pads 1021 are not at the same height as indicated by the dashed line M in the figure. This helps to avoid the thickened and widened second parts 1021B from being too close to affect the insulation effect between adjacent conductive pads 1021 and avoid mutual interference between adjacent conductive pads 1021.

[0103] Optional, such as Figure 20 and Figure 21 As shown, along the direction X from the bonding area BA to the phase shifter array area YA, the second part 1021B is located at the end of the conductive pad 1021. Alternatively, as... Figure 22 and Figure 23 As shown, Figure 22 This is a schematic diagram of another planar structure of the antenna provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 23 yes Figure 22 A partially enlarged view of the first metal layer and the first conductive layer in region J6 (it should be understood that this is for the purpose of clearly illustrating the structure of this embodiment). Figure 22 and Figure 23 (With transparency fill) Along the direction X from the bonding area BA to the phase shifter array area YA, the second part 1021B is located in the middle of the conductive pad 1021. This embodiment explains that the widened and thickened second part 1021 can be set at the end of the conductive pad 1021 in the area of ​​a conductive pad 1021, such as... Figure 21 The conductive pad 1021 shown is located near one end of the bias voltage line 1031 to enhance the electrical connection between the conductive pad 1021 and the bias voltage line 1031 by increasing the contact area. Or as... Figure 23 As shown, when one end of the bias voltage line 1031 completely covers the entire conductive pad 1021, the second part 1021B can be set to be located in the middle part of the conductive pad 1021. Similarly, the electrical connection effect between the conductive pad 1021 and the bias voltage line 1031 can be enhanced by increasing the contact area. This embodiment does not make specific limitations on this.

[0104] Optional, such as Figure 22 and Figure 23 , Figure 24 As shown, Figure 24 yes Figure 22 Another partially enlarged view of the first metal layer and the first conductive layer in region J6 (it should be understood that this is for the purpose of clearly illustrating the structure of this embodiment). Figure 24(With transparency fill) The shape of the second part 1021 (projected onto the first substrate 101) includes at least one of the following: a strip shape, a circle, and an ellipse. The shape of the second part 1021B in this embodiment can be flexibly selected according to design requirements. It is only necessary to ensure that no short-circuit interference occurs between adjacent conductive pads 1021 after the second part 1021 is set. The figure in this embodiment is only an example of the shape of the second part 1021's projection onto the first substrate 101. In specific implementations, other shapes can also be selected, as long as they can enhance the electrical connection reliability between the bias voltage line 1031 and the conductive pad 1021.

[0105] As can be seen from the above embodiments, the antenna provided by the present invention achieves at least the following beneficial effects:

[0106] The antenna provided by this invention includes at least a first substrate. The first substrate includes a phase shifter array region and a bonding region. The phase shifter array region is used to set up a microstrip line structure for microwave signal transmission. The bonding region is used to set up multiple conductive pads. The conductive pads are used to subsequently bond a driver chip to the bonding region to provide the driving signal required for antenna operation through the driving circuit when the antenna is working. The first substrate includes a first substrate, a first metal layer, and a first conductive layer. The conductive pads and the phase shifter units are made using the same first metal layer. The material of the first metal layer includes copper, molybdenum and copper stacks, titanium and copper stacks, molybdenum-copper alloys, or titanium-copper alloys. This not only reduces the cost of the materials themselves, but also allows the use of the same mask when fabricating the phase shifter units and conductive pads, which helps to reduce the number of masks used, reduce related process costs, and improve process efficiency. Furthermore, during the process, the first metal layer of copper, molybdenum and copper stacks, titanium and copper stacks, molybdenum-copper alloys, or titanium-copper alloys can be made thicker to meet the coupling effect of high-frequency signals in the microstrip line structure and ensure antenna performance. The first conductive layer includes multiple bias voltage lines. Each phase shifter unit of the microstrip line structure is independently controlled by at least one bias voltage line. Specifically, the bias voltage line transmits the voltage signal provided by the external driving circuit subsequently bonded to the bonding area to each phase shifter unit of the microstrip line structure through the corresponding conductive pad, thereby realizing the wireless communication function of the antenna. In this invention, in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first substrate, at least a portion of the bias voltage line overlaps with the phase shifter unit and at least a portion overlaps with the conductive pad. This allows the two ends of the bias voltage line made of transparent conductive material to overlap with the phase shifter unit and the conductive pad of the microstrip line structure respectively through a ramping process, achieving an electrical connection between the three and enhancing the stability and reliability of their electrical connection. Replacing the bias voltage line with a conductive material that has high resistance characteristics, as is done in existing technologies, allows the high resistance of the conductive material to be utilized. This means that the high-frequency signals that leak during antenna use will be lost during transmission through the bias voltage line, thereby improving the leakage problem of high-frequency signals and reducing the impact of high-frequency signals on external driving circuits such as driver chips. This is beneficial to improving the overall performance of the antenna.

[0107] While specific embodiments of the invention have been described in detail by way of examples, those skilled in the art should understand that the examples are for illustrative purposes only and not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can be made to the above embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An antenna, characterized in that, include: A first substrate, the first substrate including a phase shifter array region and a bonding region; The first substrate includes a first substrate, a first metal layer and a first conductive layer. The first metal layer includes at least one of copper, a copper-molybdenum stack, a titanium-copper stack, a molybdenum-copper alloy or a titanium-copper alloy. The first conductive layer includes a high-resistivity conductive material. The first conductive layer is located on the side of the first metal layer away from the first substrate. The first metal layer includes a plurality of conductive pads and a plurality of phase shifter units, at least a portion of the conductive pads being located in the bonding region, and the phase shifter units being located in the phase shifter array region; The first conductive layer includes multiple bias voltage lines, and the conductive pad is electrically connected to the phase shifter unit through at least one of the bias voltage lines; In a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first substrate, at least a portion of the bias voltage line overlaps with the phase shifter unit, and at least a portion of the bias voltage line overlaps with the conductive pad. The edges of the conductive pad and the phase shifter unit include the slope angle of the inclined plane. At least a portion of the conductive pads includes a first portion and a second portion, the first portion and the second portion being arranged along the direction from the bonding region to the phase shifter array region; along a first direction, the outer diameter of the second portion is larger than the outer diameter of the first portion; wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the direction from the bonding region to the phase shifter array region; The two second portions of two adjacent conductive pads are staggered.

2. The antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, The antenna further includes a second substrate, the first substrate and the second substrate are disposed opposite to each other, and a liquid crystal layer is included between the first substrate and the second substrate; The second substrate includes a second substrate and a second metal layer, the second metal layer being located on the side of the second substrate facing the first substrate, and the second metal layer including a grounding structure.

3. The antenna according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first substrate and the second substrate are fixed together by a frame adhesive, which is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate and surrounds the liquid crystal layer. The orthographic projection of the conductive pad on the first substrate does not overlap with the orthographic projection of the sealant on the first substrate; Along the direction from the bonding area to the phase shifter array area, the conductive pad is located on the side of the frame adhesive away from the liquid crystal layer.

4. The antenna according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first substrate and the second substrate are fixed together by a frame adhesive, which is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate and surrounds the liquid crystal layer. The orthographic projection of the conductive pad onto the first substrate at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the sealant onto the first substrate.

5. The antenna according to claim 2, characterized in that, The orthographic projection of the conductive pad on the first substrate at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the liquid crystal layer on the first substrate.

6. The antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, The same bias voltage line includes a first sub-segment and a second sub-segment, the first sub-segment and the second sub-segment being located at opposite ends of the bias voltage line; In a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first substrate, the first segment covers the conductive pad; The projected area of ​​the first segment on the first substrate is greater than the projected area of ​​the conductive pad on the first substrate.

7. The antenna according to claim 6, characterized in that, The minimum distance between the edge of the first sub-segment and the edge of the conductive pad is 2-20 μm.

8. The antenna according to claim 6, characterized in that, The phase shifter unit includes a first end; in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first substrate, a second sub-segment covers the first end, and the projected area of ​​the second sub-segment on the first substrate is greater than the projected area of ​​the first end on the first substrate.

9. The antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, A first insulating layer is included between the first metal layer and the first conductive layer, and the first insulating layer includes a plurality of first through holes and a plurality of second through holes; The orthographic projection of the first via onto the first substrate is located within the orthographic projection range of the conductive pad onto the first substrate, and the bias voltage line is electrically connected to the conductive pad through the first via. The orthographic projection of the second via onto the first substrate is located within the orthographic projection range of the phase shifter unit onto the first substrate, and the bias voltage line is electrically connected to the phase shifter unit through the second via.

10. The antenna according to claim 9, characterized in that, The material of the first insulating layer includes silicon nitride.

11. The antenna according to claim 9, characterized in that, The material of the first insulating layer includes a composite material of organic material and silicon nitride; or, the material of the first insulating layer includes a composite material of organic material and silicon oxide.

12. The antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, The side of the first conductive layer away from the first substrate includes a second insulating layer, which includes a plurality of cutouts that penetrate the second insulating layer in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first substrate.

13. The antenna according to claim 12, characterized in that, The orthographic projection of the cutout portion onto the first substrate is located within the orthographic projection range of the conductive pad onto the first substrate, and the second insulating layer exposes a portion of the bias voltage line through the cutout portion.

14. The antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, Along the direction from the bonding area to the phase shifter array area, the second part is located at the end of the conductive pad.

15. The antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, Along the direction from the bonding area to the phase shifter array area, the second part is located at the middle of the conductive pad.

16. The antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, The shape of the second part projected onto the first substrate includes at least one of a strip shape, a circle, and an ellipse.

17. The antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material of the first conductive layer includes either indium tin oxide or metallic chromium.

18. The antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thickness of the first metal layer is 0.5µm-5µm in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the first substrate.

19. The antenna according to claim 2, characterized in that, The grounding structure of the second metal layer includes a plurality of first radiating holes and a plurality of second radiating holes. The side of the second substrate away from the liquid crystal layer also includes a third metal layer. The third metal layer includes a plurality of radiating patches and a power divider network structure. The orthographic projection of the radiating patches onto the plane of the second substrate overlaps with the orthographic projection of the first radiating holes onto the plane of the second substrate. The power divider network structure includes a plurality of output terminals. The orthographic projection of the output terminals onto the plane of the second substrate overlaps with the orthographic projection of the second radiating holes onto the plane of the second substrate.

Images