Antenna and electronic device

Abstract

This disclosure provides an antenna and an electronic device, belonging to the field of communication technology. The antenna of this disclosure includes a first dielectric substrate and a second dielectric substrate, a phase adjustment structure located between the first dielectric substrate and the second dielectric substrate, a reference electrode layer disposed on the first dielectric substrate, and at least one feed structure; wherein the reference electrode layer has at least one opening, and the phase adjustment structure has a feed terminal; one of the feed structures is electrically connected to one feed terminal of the phase adjustment structure through one of the openings; the opening includes at least one first substructure; at least a portion of the first substructure has a width at its midpoint along its length that is not greater than the width at both ends.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure belongs to the field of communication technology, specifically relating to an antenna and an electronic device. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of modern communication systems, the requirements for the integration and low loss of microwave circuits are becoming increasingly stringent. In microwave circuits, a single transmission line structure cannot meet the needs of microwave device and circuit design. Therefore, a single microwave system needs to include multiple transmission lines and microwave components.

[0003] In the existing technology, taking an antenna based on a liquid crystal phase shifter as an example, it is necessary to apply an electrical signal to the signal transmission line in the antenna through a feeding structure. The feeding structure feeds through a slit to realize the electrical connection between the feeding structure and the signal transmission line, and the design of the slit affects the feeding effect. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art, and to provide an antenna and an electronic device.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide an antenna, comprising a first dielectric substrate and a second dielectric substrate, a phase adjustment structure located between the first dielectric substrate and the second dielectric substrate, a reference electrode layer disposed on the first dielectric substrate, and at least one feeding structure; wherein...

[0006] The reference electrode layer has at least one opening, and the phase adjustment structure has a feed terminal; one of the feed structures is electrically connected to the feed terminal of the phase adjustment structure through one of the openings.

[0007] The opening includes at least one first substructure; at least a portion of the first substructure has a width at its midpoint not greater than the width at both ends in its length direction.

[0008] Wherein, the orthographic projection of the power supply terminal on the first dielectric substrate passes through the middle position of the orthographic projection of the first substructure on the first dielectric substrate.

[0009] The opening includes two first substructures; the two first substructures intersect at their midpoints, and both first substructures are along their length direction, with the width at the midpoint not exceeding the width at either end.

[0010] The opening is an H-shaped opening.

[0011] The H-shaped opening includes three first substructures, and the width of the middle position of each of the three first substructures of the H-shaped opening is no greater than the width of the two ends in its respective length direction.

[0012] The H-shaped opening includes three first substructures, and the width of the middle position of two parallel first substructures in the length direction is not greater than the width of the two ends.

[0013] The H-shaped opening includes three first substructures. The first substructure located between two parallel first substructures has a width in the middle position that is not greater than the width at both ends in the length direction.

[0014] The H-shaped opening includes three first substructures, with the first substructure located between two parallel first substructures having its two ends overlapping the middle positions of the two parallel first substructures respectively.

[0015] The first substructure is a straight-line structure with a first side and a second side extending along its length and arranged opposite to each other; at least one of the first side and the second side is a curve or a broken line.

[0016] The reference electrode layer is located on the side of the first dielectric substrate opposite to the second dielectric substrate; the antenna further includes a third dielectric substrate, which is disposed on the side of the reference electrode layer opposite to the first dielectric substrate; the feeding structure is disposed on the side of the third dielectric substrate opposite to the reference electrode layer.

[0017] The phase adjustment structure includes: a first electrode layer disposed on the side of the first dielectric substrate near the second dielectric substrate, a second electrode layer disposed on the side of the second dielectric substrate near the first dielectric substrate, and an adjustable dielectric layer located between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.

[0018] The phase adjustment structure includes: a second electrode layer disposed on the side of the first dielectric substrate near the second dielectric substrate, a first electrode layer disposed on the side of the second dielectric substrate near the first dielectric substrate, and an adjustable dielectric layer located between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer; the second electrode layer serves as the reference electrode layer.

[0019] The phase adjustment structure includes two feed terminals, namely a first feed terminal and a second feed terminal; the reference electrode layer has two openings, namely a first opening and a second opening; the feed structure includes two feeding structures, namely a first feed structure and a second feed structure; the first feed structure is connected to the first feed terminal through the first opening, and the second feed structure is connected to the second feed terminal through the second opening;

[0020] The first electrode layer includes a first transmission structure and a second transmission structure, a first transmission line and a second transmission line; the main path of the first transmission structure serves as the first feed terminal, and the two branches of the first transmission structure are respectively connected to the first end of the first transmission line and the first end of the second transmission line; the main path of the second transmission structure serves as the second feed terminal, and the two branches of the second transmission structure are respectively connected to the second end of the first transmission line and the second end of the second transmission line.

[0021] The second electrode layer includes a plurality of patch electrodes, which overlap with the orthographic projections of the first transmission line and the second transmission line onto the first dielectric substrate.

[0022] The first transmission line includes a first trunk line and a plurality of first branches connected to one side of the extension direction of the first trunk line, and the second transmission line includes a second trunk line and a plurality of second branches connected to one side of the extension direction of the second trunk line.

[0023] One of the patch electrodes overlaps with the orthographic projections of one of the first stubs and one of the second stubs on the first dielectric substrate.

[0024] Secondly, embodiments of this disclosure provide an electronic device that includes the antenna described in any one of the above-described embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of an antenna provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0026] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of an antenna provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0027] Figure 3 A top view of an antenna provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0028] Figure 4 Another top view of the antenna provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0029] Figure 5 This is a top view of the phase adjustment structure in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0030] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A cross-sectional view along the A-A' direction.

[0031] Figure 7 This is another top view of the phase adjustment structure in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0032] Figure 8 for Figure 7 A cross-sectional view along the B-B' direction.

[0033] Figure 9-13 A top view of the opening provided for an embodiment of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0034] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0035] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this disclosure shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. The terms “first,” “second,” and similar terms used in this disclosure do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Similarly, the terms “an,” “a,” or “the,” and similar terms do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one. The terms “including,” “comprising,” or “containing,” and similar terms mean that the element or object preceding the word encompasses the elements or objects listed following the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. The terms “connected,” “linked,” or similar terms are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. The terms “upper,” “lower,” “left,” and “right,” etc., are used only to indicate relative positional relationships, and these relative positional relationships may change accordingly when the absolute position of the described objects changes.

[0036] With the development of modern communication systems, the requirements for the integration and low loss of microwave circuits are becoming increasingly stringent. In microwave circuits, a single transmission line structure cannot meet the needs of microwave device and circuit design. Therefore, a single microwave system needs to include multiple transmission lines and microwave components.

[0037] Taking an antenna as an example, it includes a first dielectric substrate and a second dielectric substrate, a phase adjustment structure located between the first and second dielectric substrates, a reference electrode layer disposed on the first dielectric substrate, and at least one feeding structure. The reference electrode layer has at least one opening, and the phase adjustment structure has a feeding terminal; a feeding structure is electrically connected to a feeding terminal of the phase adjustment structure through an opening. Waveguides are commonly used for feeding, with common transmission schemes including metal waveguides, dielectric waveguides, and air waveguides. However, for metal waveguide-type signal transmission devices, their large size and robust structure make integration with other electronic devices difficult. Although methods for dielectric integrated waveguides have been proposed to reduce waveguide size and fabricate thinner dielectric waveguides, the stacked dielectric material in dielectric integrated waveguides leads to significant transmission loss. For air waveguides, an opening is created in the film layer between the feeding structure and the signal transmission line for feeding. When the air waveguide is very thin, severe impedance mismatch occurs, making microwave feeding difficult. Air waveguides typically have an opening, such as a slit, created in a metallic material. An opening is created between the feeding structure and the feeding terminal to facilitate coupling, allowing the electrical signal from the feeding structure to be transmitted to the feeding terminal of the phase adjustment structure, or vice versa. The shape and width of this opening affect the feeding effect; therefore, the opening needs to be designed to improve the feeding effect and reduce signal transmission loss.

[0038] In view of this, this disclosure provides an antenna including a first dielectric substrate and a second dielectric substrate, a phase adjustment structure located between the first dielectric substrate and the second dielectric substrate, a reference electrode layer disposed on the first dielectric substrate, and at least one feed structure. The reference electrode layer has at least one opening, and the phase adjustment structure has a feed terminal; a feed structure is electrically connected to a feed terminal of the phase adjustment structure through an opening. The opening includes at least one first substructure, and at least a portion of the first substructure has a width at its midpoint not greater than the width at both ends in its length direction.

[0039] The antennas and electronic devices in this disclosure will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0040] This disclosure provides an antenna, Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of an antenna provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of an antenna provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 3 A top view of an antenna provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 4 Another top view of the antenna provided in this embodiment of the disclosure, as shown below. Figure 1-4As shown, it includes a first dielectric substrate 1 and a second dielectric substrate 2, a phase adjustment structure located between the first dielectric substrate 1 and the second dielectric substrate 2, a reference electrode layer 4 disposed on the first dielectric substrate 1, and at least one feeding structure 7; wherein, the reference electrode layer 4 has at least one opening 10, and the phase adjustment structure has a feeding end 501; a feeding structure 7 is electrically connected to a feeding end 501 of the phase adjustment structure through an opening 10; the opening 10 includes at least one first substructure 101; at least a portion of the first substructure 101 has a width at its middle position in its length direction that is not greater than the width at both ends.

[0041] Continue to refer to Figure 1 The reference electrode layer 4 is located on the side of the first dielectric substrate 1 opposite to the second dielectric substrate 2. The antenna also includes a third dielectric substrate 3, which is disposed on the side of the reference electrode layer 4 opposite to the first dielectric substrate 1. The feed structure 7 is disposed on the side of the third dielectric substrate 3 opposite to the reference electrode layer 4. By adding an extra substrate, the electrode layer or the feed structure 7 can be fabricated on one surface of each dielectric substrate, eliminating the need for double-sided processing and thus greatly reducing the complexity of the manufacturing process. During fabrication, the thickness of the first dielectric substrate 1 is greater than the thickness of the reference electrode layer 4.

[0042] Furthermore, the phase adjustment structure includes: a first electrode layer 5 disposed on the side of the first dielectric substrate 1 near the second dielectric substrate 2, a second electrode layer 6 disposed on the side of the second dielectric substrate 2 near the first dielectric substrate 1, and an adjustable dielectric layer 8 located between the first electrode layer 5 and the second electrode layer 6. The adjustable dielectric layer 8 may be a liquid crystal layer, which deflects under a certain voltage to achieve signal phase shifting.

[0043] The antenna in this embodiment can be a liquid crystal phase shifter-based antenna. Its opening 10 is used to couple the signal from the feed structure 7 to the feed terminal 501 of the phase adjustment unit. The opening 10 includes at least one first substructure 101, and at least one first substructure 101 has a width at its middle position that is smaller than the width at both ends in its length direction. The opening 10 can be formed by one first substructure 101 or by multiple first substructures 101, depending on the actual application scenario.

[0044] In some examples, continue to refer to Figure 4The phase adjustment structure includes two feed terminals 501, namely a first feed terminal and a second feed terminal. The reference electrode layer 4 has two openings 10, namely a first opening 11 and a second opening 12. The feed structure 7 includes two feeding structures, namely a first feed structure 701 and a second feed structure 702. The first feed structure 701 is connected to the first feed terminal through the first opening 11, and the second feed structure 702 is connected to the first feed terminal through the second opening 12. The first feed structure 701 can be used to input a signal into the first feed terminal of the phase adjustment structure for phase shifting. The second feed structure 702 is used to receive the phase-shifted output signal transmitted from the first feed terminal and transmit the output signal to the corresponding position.

[0045] Figure 5 This is a top view of the phase adjustment structure in an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 6 for Figure 5 A cross-sectional view along the A-A' direction, as shown Figure 5 , 6 As shown, the first electrode layer 5 includes a first transmission structure and a second transmission structure, a first transmission line 502 and a second transmission line 503. The main path of the first transmission structure serves as a first power supply terminal, and the two branches of the first transmission structure are respectively connected to the first ends of the first transmission line 502 and the first ends of the second transmission line 503. The main path of the second transmission structure serves as a first power supply terminal, and the two branches of the second transmission structure are respectively connected to the second ends of the first transmission line 502 and the second ends of the second transmission line 503. The second electrode layer 6 includes a plurality of patch electrodes 601, which overlap with the orthographic projections of the first transmission line 502 and the second transmission line 503 on the first dielectric substrate 1. A reference voltage is connected to one end of the second electrode layer 6 near either the first or second transmission structure. The plurality of patch electrodes 601 on the second electrode layer 6 can be connected by a single signal line, and all are subject to a reference voltage. The patch electrodes 601 and the transmission lines form a capacitor, causing a phase shift between the patch electrodes 601 and the transmission lines.

[0046] For the best options, please continue to refer to them. Figure 3 To ensure that the feed structure 7 can effectively couple the signal to the feed terminal 501 of the phase adjustment structure through the opening 10, the distance D from the edge of the device to the overlapping position N1 of the feed structure 7, the feed terminal 501, and the opening 10 should be greater than or equal to λ / 2. The most preferred solution is that D = λ / 2, at which point the signal coupling effect from the feed structure 7 to the feed terminal 501 is the best.

[0047] It should be noted that the first transmission structure and the second transmission structure can be balun components or other structures, without further limitation here.

[0048] Further reference Figure 5 , 6 The first transmission line 502 includes a first trunk line 5021 and a plurality of first branches 5022 connected to one side of the extension direction of the first trunk line 5021. The second transmission line 503 includes a second trunk line 5031 and a plurality of second branches 5032 connected to one side of the extension direction of the second trunk line 5031. A patch electrode 601 overlaps with the orthographic projection of a first branch 5022 and a second branch 5032 on the first dielectric substrate 1. By providing multiple branches for the first transmission line 502 and the second transmission line 503 to form a capacitor with the patch electrode 601, the capacitance value can be increased without affecting the signal transmission on the first transmission line 502 and the second transmission line 503.

[0049] This disclosure also provides another antenna, which will be referred to further. Figure 2-4 It includes a first dielectric substrate 1 and a second dielectric substrate 2, a phase adjustment structure located between the first dielectric substrate 1 and the second dielectric substrate 2, a reference electrode layer 4 disposed on the first dielectric substrate 1, and at least one feeding structure 7; wherein, the reference electrode layer 4 has at least one opening 10, and the phase adjustment structure has a feeding end 501; a feeding structure 7 is electrically connected to a feeding end 501 of the phase adjustment structure through an opening 10; the opening 10 includes at least one first substructure 101; at least a portion of the first substructure 101 has a width at its middle position in its length direction that is not greater than the width at both ends.

[0050] Furthermore, the phase adjustment structure includes: a second electrode layer 6 disposed on the side of the first dielectric substrate 1 near the second dielectric substrate 2, a first electrode layer 5 disposed on the side of the second dielectric substrate 2 near the first dielectric substrate 1, and an adjustable dielectric layer 8 located between the first electrode layer 5 and the second electrode layer 6; the second electrode layer 6 serves as a reference electrode layer 4. Using the structure in this embodiment, one dielectric substrate can be reduced, making the entire device more compact and facilitating the miniaturization of microwave devices. It also saves space for integrating other devices. Since the feeding structure 7 and the feeding end 501 of the phase adjustment structure are separated by only one dielectric substrate layer, the feeding effect is better and the loss is lower.

[0051] The antenna in this embodiment can be a liquid crystal phase shifter-based antenna. Its opening 10 is used to couple the signal from the feed structure 7 to the feed terminal 501 of the phase adjustment unit. The opening 10 includes at least one first substructure 101, and at least one first substructure 101 has a width at its middle position that is smaller than the width at both ends in its length direction. The opening 10 can be formed by one first substructure 101 or by multiple first substructures 101, depending on the actual application scenario.

[0052] In some examples, continue to refer to Figure 4 The phase adjustment structure includes two feed terminals 501, namely a first feed terminal and a second feed terminal. The reference electrode layer 4 has two openings 10, namely a first opening 11 and a second opening 12. The feed structure 7 includes two feeding structures, namely a first feed structure 701 and a second feed structure 702. The first feed structure 701 is connected to the first feed terminal through the first opening 11, and the second feed structure 702 is connected to the first feed terminal through the second opening 12. The first feed structure 701 can be used to input a signal into the first feed terminal of the phase adjustment structure for phase shifting. The second feed structure 702 is used to receive the phase-shifted output signal transmitted from the first feed terminal and transmit the output signal to the corresponding position.

[0053] Figure 7 This is another top view of the phase adjustment structure in an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 8 for Figure 7 The cross-sectional view along the B-B' direction, as shown below. Figure 7 , 8 As shown, the first electrode layer 5 includes a first transmission structure and a second transmission structure, a first transmission line 502 and a second transmission line 503. The main path of the first transmission structure serves as a first power supply terminal, and the two branches of the first transmission structure are respectively connected to the first ends of the first transmission line 502 and the first ends of the second transmission line 503. The main path of the second transmission structure serves as a first power supply terminal, and the two branches of the second transmission structure are respectively connected to the second ends of the first transmission line 502 and the second ends of the second transmission line 503. The second electrode layer 6 includes a plurality of patch electrodes 601, which overlap with the orthographic projections of the first transmission line 502 and the second transmission line 503 on the first dielectric substrate 1. A reference voltage is connected to one end of the second electrode layer 6 near either the first or second transmission structure. The plurality of patch electrodes 601 on the second electrode layer 6 can be connected by a single signal line, and all are subject to a reference voltage. The patch electrodes 601 and the transmission lines form a capacitor, causing a phase shift between the patch electrodes 601 and the transmission lines.

[0054] For the best options, please continue to refer to them. Figure 3 To ensure that the feed structure 7 can effectively couple the signal to the feed terminal 501 of the phase adjustment structure through the opening 10, the distance D from the edge of the device to the overlapping position N1 of the feed structure 7, the feed terminal 501, and the opening 10 should be greater than or equal to λ / 2. The most preferred solution is that D = λ / 2, at which point the signal coupling effect from the feed structure 7 to the feed terminal 501 is the best.

[0055] It should be noted that the first transmission structure and the second transmission structure can be balun components or other structures, without further limitation here.

[0056] Furthermore, the first transmission line 502 includes a first trunk line 5021 and a plurality of first branches 5022 connected to one side of the extension direction of the first trunk line 5021, and the second transmission line 503 includes a second trunk line 5031 and a plurality of second branches 5032 connected to one side of the extension direction of the second trunk line 5031. The orthographic projections of a patch electrode 601, a first branch 5022, and a second branch 5032 on the first dielectric substrate 1 overlap. By providing multiple branches for the first transmission line 502 and the second transmission line 503 to form a capacitor with the patch electrode 601, the capacitance value can be increased without affecting the signal transmission on the first transmission line 502 and the second transmission line 503.

[0057] It should be noted that the above two structures are exemplary preferred structures and can be adjusted according to actual conditions. For example, a fourth dielectric substrate can be provided on the side of the second dielectric substrate 2 away from the first dielectric substrate 1, and a radiating part can be provided on the fourth dielectric substrate. The phase-shifted signal can be coupled to the radiating part through the opening 10 for antenna signal transmission; or the phase adjustment structure can be optimized by changing the number of substrates or the structure of the electrode layer. Only two exemplary preferred solutions are provided here, and no specific limitation is made.

[0058] It should be noted that the materials of the feed structure 7, reference electrode layer 4, first electrode layer 5, and second electrode layer 6 can be one or more of the low-resistance, low-loss metals such as copper, gold, and silver. They can be prepared by magnetron sputtering, thermal evaporation, or electroplating, or a combination thereof. For example, sputtering can be performed first to form a seed layer, followed by electroplating to thicken the seed layer and form the electrode layer. The first dielectric substrate 1, second dielectric substrate 2, and third dielectric substrate 3 can be common PCB insulating materials such as polytetrafluoroethylene glass fiber laminate, phenolic paper laminate, and phenolic glass cloth laminate, or they can be rigid materials with low microwave loss such as quartz, high-temperature glass, and ordinary glass. The materials of the different dielectric substrates can be the same or different; specific material selection is not limited here, and those skilled in the art can adjust them according to the actual situation. The tunable dielectric layer 8 can be made of liquid crystal materials or other dielectric materials with adjustable dielectric constants, such as graphene. The thickness and specific material of the tunable dielectric layer 8 can also be adjusted according to the actual situation and are not specifically limited here.

[0059] In this embodiment of the disclosure, Figure 9-13 A top view of the opening provided in an embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 9-13As shown, the first substructure 101 is a straight structure with a first side and a second side extending along its length and arranged opposite each other; at least one of the first side and the second side is a curve or a broken line. When the first side and / or the second side is a curve, it can be an arc, a parabola, or a hyperbola (when both the first side and the second side are curves), or it can be a broken line. Of course, when multiple first substructures 101 are provided in the opening 10, the first side and the second side of some of the first substructures 101 can be straight lines.

[0060] In some examples, continue to refer to Figure 3 The orthographic projection of the power supply terminal 501 onto the first dielectric substrate 1 passes through the middle position of the orthographic projection of a first substructure 101 onto the first dielectric substrate 1. To improve the power supply effect, the positions where the orthographic projections of the power supply terminal 501 and the power supply structure 7 overlap on the first dielectric substrate 1 correspond to at least the middle position of a first substructure 101. When the first side and / or the second side of the first substructure 101 is a broken line, the inflection point of the broken line is located at the middle position of the first substructure 101; when the first side and / or the second side of the first substructure 101 is an arc, the apex of the arc is located at the middle position of the first substructure 101.

[0061] In some examples, such as Figure 9 As shown, the opening 10 includes two first substructures 101; the two first substructures 101 intersect at their midpoints, and both first substructures 101 are in their length direction, with the width at the midpoint not exceeding the width at both ends. To improve the power feeding effect, the position where the power feeding end 501 and the power feeding structure 7 coincide in the orthographic projection of the first dielectric substrate 1 corresponds to the midpoint of one of the first substructures 101. Taking the first and second sides of the first substructure 101 as an example, the apex of the arc is located at the midpoint of the first substructure 101 in its length direction.

[0062] Preferably, from the shape of the first substructure 101 projected onto the first dielectric substrate 1, it can be seen that the first substructure 101 has recessed regions on both sides of its first and second sides, since the first and second sides are curved. The length of the first substructure 101 is 2a, the maximum width of the recessed region of the first substructure 101 projected onto the first dielectric substrate 1 is b, and the width of the narrowest part of the first substructure 101 is w. In this example, the narrowest part of the first substructure 101 is in the middle position, so the width at the middle position is w. To ensure the coupling effect between the antenna feed structure 7 and the feed terminal 501 of the phase adjustment structure, it is necessary to satisfy λ≥a>b≥λ / 100, λ / 2≥w≥λ / 100; where λ is the dielectric wavelength corresponding to the center frequency f of the antenna operation. Setting only one first substructure 101 has a simple manufacturing process and is suitable for microwave devices with narrow bandwidth due to its relatively weak coupling effect. When the antenna or other microwave device is a narrow bandwidth device, a straight first substructure 101 can be made to simplify the manufacturing process without affecting the device performance.

[0063] In some examples, such as Figure 10 As shown, the opening 10 includes two first substructures 101; the two first substructures 101 intersect at their midpoint, and both first substructures 101 are in their length direction, with the width at the midpoint not exceeding the width at both ends. To improve the power feeding effect, the position where the power feeding end 501 and the power feeding structure 7 coincide in the orthographic projection of the first dielectric substrate 1 corresponds to the intersection position of the two first substructures 101. Taking the first and second sides of the first substructure 101 as an example, the apex of the arc is located at the midpoint of the first substructure 101 in its length direction.

[0064] Preferably, based on the shape of the orthographic projection of the two first substructures 101 onto the first dielectric substrate 1, since the first and second sides of the first substructure 101 are curved, the first substructure 101 includes recessed regions on both sides of the orthographic projection onto the first dielectric substrate 1. The length of the first substructure 101 is 2a, the maximum width of the recessed region of the first substructure 101 onto the orthographic projection onto the first dielectric substrate 1 is b, and the width of the narrowest part of the first substructure 101 is w. In this example, the narrowest part of the first substructure 101 is at the middle position, so the width at the middle position is w. The two first substructures 101 intersect at the middle position and are perpendicular to each other. Of course, they can also have a certain angle, such as an acute angle of 45°, 60°, or other angles. The intersection position of the two first substructures 101 may not be at the middle position. This is just one example, and the specific design can be adjusted according to actual needs. To ensure the coupling effect between the antenna feed structure 7 and the feed terminal 501 of the phase adjustment structure, the following conditions must be met: λ ≥ a > b ≥ λ / 100, λ / 2 ≥ w ≥ λ / 100; where λ is the dielectric wavelength corresponding to the center frequency f of the antenna operation. The cross-configuration of two first substructures 101 provides better coupling and stronger coupling than a single linear first substructure 101, allowing for a wider bandwidth for applicable antennas or microwave devices. Furthermore, its manufacturing process is simpler than that of the traditional H-shaped slit.

[0065] In some examples, the opening 10 is an H-shaped opening 10, that is, the opening 10 includes three first sub-openings 10, wherein at least one first sub-structure 101 has a width at its middle position in its length direction that is not greater than the width at both ends. In the prior art, an H-shaped slit is composed of three rectangles, while in this application, the H-shaped opening 10 is formed by three first sub-structures 101, wherein at least one first sub-structure 101 has a width at its middle position in its length direction that is not greater than the width at both ends.

[0066] In some examples, such as Figure 11 As shown, the H-shaped opening 10 includes three first substructures 101. The width of the middle position of each of the three first substructures 101 along its length is no greater than the width of its two ends. The first substructure 101 located between two parallel first substructures 101 has its two ends overlapping the middle positions of the two parallel first substructures 101, respectively. To improve the power feeding effect, the position where the power feeding end 501 and the power feeding structure 7 coincide in the orthographic projection of the first dielectric substrate 1 corresponds to the middle position of the middle first substructure 101 among the three first substructures 101.

[0067] Preferably, the shapes of the three first substructures 101 projected onto the first dielectric substrate 1 are such that, since the first and second sides of the first substructure 101 are curved, the first substructure 101 includes recessed regions on both sides of its projected onto the first dielectric substrate 1. The length of the first substructure 101 is 2a, the maximum width of the recessed region of the first substructure 101 projected onto the first dielectric substrate 1 is b, and the width of the narrowest part of the first substructure 101 is w. In this example, the narrowest part of the first substructure 101 is in the middle position, so the width at the middle position is w. To ensure the coupling effect between the antenna feed structure 7 and the feed terminal 501 of the phase adjustment structure, it is necessary to satisfy λ≥a>b≥λ / 100, λ / 2≥w≥λ / 100; where λ is the dielectric wavelength corresponding to the center frequency f of the antenna operation.

[0068] In some examples, such as Figure 12 As shown, the H-shaped opening 10 includes three first substructures 101. The width of the middle position of two parallel first substructures 101 along their length is no greater than the width of their ends. The first substructure 101 located between the two parallel first substructures 101 has its ends overlapping the middle positions of the two parallel first substructures 101 respectively. To improve the power feeding effect, the position where the power feeding end 501 and the power feeding structure 7 coincide in the orthographic projection of the first dielectric substrate 1 corresponds to the middle position of the middle first substructure 101 among the three first substructures 101.

[0069] Preferably, the shape of the two parallel first substructures 101 projected onto the first dielectric substrate 1 is such that, since the first and second sides of the first substructure 101 are curved, the two sides of the projected image of the first substructure 101 include recessed regions. The length of the two parallel first substructures 101 is 2a, the maximum width of the recessed region of the projected image of the first substructure 101 onto the first dielectric substrate 1 is b, and the width of the narrowest part of the first substructure 101 is w. In this example, the narrowest part of the first substructure 101 is in the middle position, so the width at the middle position is w. To ensure the coupling effect between the antenna feed structure 7 and the feed terminal 501 of the phase adjustment structure, it is necessary to satisfy λ≥a>b≥λ / 100, λ / 2≥w≥λ / 100; where λ is the dielectric wavelength corresponding to the center frequency f of the antenna operation.

[0070] In some examples, such as Figure 13As shown, the H-shaped opening 10 includes three first substructures 101. The first substructure 101 located between two parallel first substructures 101 has a width at its middle position that is no greater than the width at both ends along its length. The H-shaped opening 10 includes three first substructures 101. The first substructure 101 located between two parallel first substructures 101 has its two ends overlapping the middle positions of the two parallel first substructures 101 respectively. To improve the power feeding effect, the position where the power feeding end 501 and the power feeding structure 7 coincide in the orthographic projection of the first dielectric substrate 1 corresponds to the middle position of the middle first substructure 101 among the three first substructures 101.

[0071] Preferably, the shape of the first substructure 101 located between two parallel first substructures 101 in its orthographic projection onto the first dielectric substrate 1 is such that, since the first and second sides of the first substructure 101 are curved, the first substructure 101 includes recessed regions on both sides of its orthographic projection onto the first dielectric substrate 1. The length of the first substructure 101 located between the two parallel first substructures 101 is 2a, the maximum width of the recessed region of the first substructure 101 in its orthographic projection onto the first dielectric substrate 1 is b, and the width of the narrowest part of the first substructure 101 is w. In this example, the narrowest part of the first substructure 101 is in the middle position, therefore the width at the middle position is w. To ensure the coupling effect between the antenna feeding structure 7 and the feeding terminal 501 of the phase adjustment structure, the following conditions must be met: λ ≥ a > b ≥ λ / 100, λ / 2 ≥ w ≥ λ / 100. The two parallel first substructures 101 have the same structural dimensions, with a length of L and a width of W. The values ​​of length L and width W need to be within a reasonable range for effective feeding. The range of length L is λ / 4 ≤ L ≤ λ, and the range of width W is λ / 100 ≤ W ≤ λ / 5, with L > a > b. Here, λ is the dielectric wavelength corresponding to the center frequency f of the antenna's operation, the preferred value of length L is λ / 2, and the preferred value of width W is λ / 20. Furthermore, the length 2a of the first substructure 101 located between the two parallel first substructures 101 is equal to the length L of the parallel first substructures 101, and the maximum width b of the recessed area of ​​the first substructure 101 in the orthogonal projection on the first dielectric substrate 1 is L / 6.

[0072] In this embodiment of the disclosure, in the H-shaped opening 10, the width of the first substructure 101 located between two parallel first substructures 101 in its length direction is no greater than the width of its two ends. Compared to the H-shaped slot composed of three rectangular parts in the prior art, the H-shaped opening 10 provided in this embodiment improves both the transmission coefficient and reflection coefficient during feeding. An antenna fed using the opening 10 of this embodiment was tested at an operating frequency of λ = 10 GHz. Compared to the traditional H-shaped slot, the H-shaped opening 10 in this embodiment improved the signal transmission by approximately 1 dB, while reducing the reflected signal by approximately 3 dB. This reduces the amount of reflected signal and increases the amount of transmitted signal, thus improving the feeding effect.

[0073] It should be noted that the designs of the openings 10 and the first substructure 101 provided in this disclosure can be adjusted according to actual conditions. During the manufacturing process, the first substructure 101 in the opening 10 can be made into a structure that is narrow in the middle and wide at both ends along its length, thereby improving the feeding effect or simplifying the manufacturing process while ensuring the feeding effect. The above embodiments are merely preferred examples and can be changed and adjusted according to actual conditions. Furthermore, the openings 10 described above can be used in any microwave device that requires feeding.

[0074] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the fabrication of the phase adjustment device includes the following specific steps:

[0075] S1: Clean the dielectric substrate.

[0076] Specifically, the substrate is fed into a cleaning machine, where it is cleaned using chemical liquids and water to remove surface impurities and dirt.

[0077] S2: Sputtering and electroplating are performed on the dielectric substrate.

[0078] Specifically, a seed layer is sputtered onto a dielectric substrate, and its thickness is increased by electroplating to form an electrode layer. The material can be MTD-Cu, Mo-Al, or Ag.

[0079] S3: Patterning.

[0080] Specifically, the dielectric substrate from the previous step is cleaned, and then coated with a photoresist, such as photoresist; the electrode layer is patterned through exposure and development, and then cleaned, baked and stripped to form the feeding structure 7, the first transmission structure and the second transmission structure.

[0081] S4: Construct support columns.

[0082] Specifically, the support columns were made using a patterned process and their height was tested.

[0083] S5: Inject liquid crystal and align the cell.

[0084] Specifically, two dielectric substrates are positioned opposite each other. A rubbing method can be used to align the opposing substrates. The rubbing process allows for high-precision and high-quality alignment of the two substrates. After alignment, adhesive is applied for fixation, followed by liquid crystal injection, application of a sealing adhesive, and finally vacuum annealing to complete the fabrication.

[0085] It should be noted that multiple liquid crystal phase shifter antennas can be manufactured at once, and therefore processes such as cutting and testing can also be included. The above is only an exemplary process flow, and no specific limitations are made here. Those skilled in the art can adjust the process and manufacturing flow according to the actual situation.

[0086] The opening 10 provided in this embodiment for feeding can enhance the coupling strength during the feeding process and broaden the operating bandwidth of the phase shifter or other types of antennas or microwave devices. Compared to metal waveguides, the air waveguide formed by this opening 10 is small in size, easy to integrate and miniaturize, and the transmission loss during the feeding process can be reduced by designing the opening 10 and the first substructure 101 that makes up the opening 10.

[0087] Based on the same inventive concept, this disclosure also provides an electronic device, including the antenna provided in the above embodiments. Therefore, the principle by which the electronic device in this disclosure solves the problem is similar to the principle by which the antenna in the above-mentioned embodiments of this disclosure solves the problem. Based on this, for a detailed description of the electronic device in this disclosure, please refer to the detailed description of the antenna in the above-mentioned embodiments, and repeated descriptions will not be repeated.

[0088] It is understood that the above embodiments are merely exemplary implementations used to illustrate the principles of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto. For those skilled in the art, various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the spirit and essence of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements are also considered to be within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An antenna comprising a first dielectric substrate and a second dielectric substrate, a phase adjustment structure located between the first dielectric substrate and the second dielectric substrate, a reference electrode layer disposed on the first dielectric substrate, and at least one feeding structure; wherein, The reference electrode layer has at least one opening, and the phase adjustment structure has a feed terminal; one of the feed structures is electrically connected to the feed terminal of the phase adjustment structure through one of the openings. The opening includes at least one first substructure; at least a portion of the first substructure has a width at its midpoint not greater than the width at both ends in its length direction; The first substructure is a straight-line structure with a first side and a second side extending along its length and arranged opposite to each other; the first side and the second side are curved; the two sides of the orthographic projection of the first substructure onto the first dielectric substrate include recessed regions; the length of the first substructure is 2a; the maximum width of the recessed region is b; the width of the narrowest part of the first substructure is w; where λ≥a>b≥λ / 100, λ / 2≥w≥λ / 100, and λ is the dielectric wavelength corresponding to the center frequency of the antenna operation.

2. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein, The orthographic projection of the power supply terminal on the first dielectric substrate passes through the middle position of the orthographic projection of the first substructure on the first dielectric substrate.

3. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein, The opening includes two first substructures; the two first substructures intersect at their midpoints, and both first substructures are in their length direction, with the width at the midpoint not exceeding the width at either end.

4. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein, The opening is an H-shaped opening.

5. The antenna according to claim 4, wherein, The H-shaped opening includes three first substructures. The width of the three first substructures of the H-shaped opening in their respective length directions is no greater than the width of the two ends.

6. The antenna according to claim 4, wherein, The H-shaped opening includes three first substructures, and the width of the middle position of two parallel first substructures in the length direction is not greater than the width of the two ends.

7. The antenna according to claim 4, wherein, The H-shaped opening includes three first substructures. The first substructure located between two parallel first substructures has a width in the middle position that is no greater than the width at both ends in the length direction.

8. The antenna according to claim 4, wherein, The H-shaped opening includes three first substructures, with the first substructure located between two parallel first substructures having its two ends overlapping the middle positions of the two parallel first substructures respectively.

9. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein, The reference electrode layer is located on the side of the first dielectric substrate away from the second dielectric substrate; the antenna further includes a third dielectric substrate, which is disposed on the side of the reference electrode layer away from the first dielectric substrate; the feeding structure is disposed on the side of the third dielectric substrate away from the reference electrode layer.

10. The antenna according to claim 9, wherein, The phase adjustment structure includes: a first electrode layer disposed on the side of the first dielectric substrate near the second dielectric substrate, a second electrode layer disposed on the side of the second dielectric substrate near the first dielectric substrate, and an adjustable dielectric layer located between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.

11. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein, The phase adjustment structure includes: a second electrode layer disposed on the side of the first dielectric substrate near the second dielectric substrate, a first electrode layer disposed on the side of the second dielectric substrate near the first dielectric substrate, and an adjustable dielectric layer located between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer; the second electrode layer serves as the reference electrode layer.

12. The antenna according to claim 10 or 11, wherein, The phase adjustment structure includes two feed terminals, namely a first feed terminal and a second feed terminal; the reference electrode layer includes two openings, namely a first opening and a second opening; the feed structure includes two feeding structures, namely a first feed structure and a second feed structure; the first feed structure is connected to the first feed terminal through the first opening, and the second feed structure is connected to the second feed terminal through the second opening; The first electrode layer includes a first transmission structure and a second transmission structure, a first transmission line and a second transmission line; the main path of the first transmission structure serves as the first feed terminal, and the two branches of the first transmission structure are respectively connected to the first end of the first transmission line and the first end of the second transmission line; the main path of the second transmission structure serves as the second feed terminal, and the two branches of the second transmission structure are respectively connected to the second end of the first transmission line and the second end of the second transmission line. The second electrode layer includes a plurality of patch electrodes, which overlap with the orthographic projections of the first transmission line and the second transmission line onto the first dielectric substrate.

13. The antenna according to claim 12, wherein, The first transmission line includes a first trunk and a plurality of first branches connected to one side of the extension direction of the first trunk; the second transmission line includes a second trunk and a plurality of second branches connected to one side of the extension direction of the second trunk. One of the patch electrodes overlaps with the orthographic projections of one of the first stubs and one of the second stubs on the first dielectric substrate.

14. An electronic device comprising the antenna according to any one of claims 1-13.

Images