Dielectric integrated antenna device and its fabrication method

Abstract

This disclosure provides a dielectric integrated antenna device and its fabrication method, which can be applied to the field of integrated antenna technology. The device includes: a bottom metal layer; a first dielectric layer stacked above the bottom metal layer, the first dielectric layer including a metal structure; an intermediate metal layer stacked above the first dielectric layer, the intermediate metal layer including a feed slot; and a second dielectric layer stacked above the intermediate metal layer, the second dielectric layer having a concave cavity disposed above the feed slot. The concave cavity includes multiple dielectric blocks, with gaps between adjacent dielectric blocks, and the multiple dielectric blocks and the gaps between adjacent dielectric blocks constitute a dielectric integrated antenna. The feed slot is used to couple electromagnetic signals fed from the metal structure, and the dielectric integrated antenna is used to radiate electromagnetic energy corresponding to the electromagnetic signal into free space.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of integrated antenna technology, and more specifically, to a dielectric integrated antenna device and its fabrication method. Background Technology

[0002] The millimeter-wave terahertz band possesses abundant spectrum resources and is considered one of the candidate bands for next-generation mobile communication technologies, with broad application prospects. In recent years, researchers have explored its potential in fields such as military, biomedicine, communications, and cultural relic preservation. Common millimeter-wave terahertz antenna types include photoconductive antennas, horn antennas, lens antennas, and antennas-on-chip (AoCs). Meanwhile, dielectric integrated antennas exhibit low loss at high frequencies, making them well-suited for terahertz antenna design.

[0003] In realizing the concept disclosed herein, the inventors discovered that antennas in the related technologies have high integration difficulty, poor performance, and difficulty in meeting the application requirements of the millimeter-wave terahertz band. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present disclosure provides a dielectric integrated antenna device for the millimeter-wave terahertz band and a method for fabricating the same.

[0005] One aspect of this disclosure provides a dielectric integrated antenna device, comprising:

[0006] A bottom metal layer; a first dielectric layer stacked above the bottom metal layer, the first dielectric layer including a metal structure; an intermediate metal layer stacked above the first dielectric layer, the intermediate metal layer including a feed slot; a second dielectric layer stacked above the intermediate metal layer, the second dielectric layer having a concave cavity disposed above the feed slot, wherein the concave cavity includes multiple dielectric blocks, with gaps between adjacent dielectric blocks, the multiple dielectric blocks and the gaps between adjacent dielectric blocks constituting a dielectric integrated antenna; wherein the feed slot is used to couple electromagnetic signals fed from the metal structure, and the dielectric integrated antenna is used to radiate electromagnetic energy corresponding to the electromagnetic signals into free space.

[0007] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the edge of the concave cavity is provided with a frame-shaped metal strip, wherein the edge of the concave cavity represents the connection between the upper surface of the second dielectric layer and the concave cavity.

[0008] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the inner side of the concave cavity is provided with a metal wall.

[0009] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the metal structure includes an electromagnetic wave conduction structure corresponding to a predetermined rule.

[0010] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the electromagnetic wave conduction structure and the feeding gap constitute a feeding unit, which is used to excite the resonant mode of the dielectric integrated antenna.

[0011] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the dimensions of each medium block are different, and the shape of the medium block includes one of the following: cuboid, cylinder, hemisphere.

[0012] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the shape of the power supply gap includes one of the following: rectangular or I-shaped.

[0013] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the gap includes a longitudinal gap and a transverse gap.

[0014] Another aspect of this disclosure provides a method for fabricating a dielectric integrated antenna device, comprising:

[0015] A photoresist is coated on the first surface of the second dielectric layer to obtain an etching mask; a metal layer is sputtered on the etching mask and electroplated to obtain an intermediate metal layer; a dielectric material is coated on the surface of the intermediate metal layer to obtain a first dielectric layer; a metal layer is electroplated on the dielectric layer to obtain a bottom metal layer; a patterned metallization process and a dielectric etching process are performed on the second surface of the second dielectric layer to obtain the target dielectric integrated antenna.

[0016] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a target dielectric integrated antenna is obtained by performing patterning metallization and dielectric etching on the second surface of the second dielectric layer, including: thinning the second surface of the second dielectric layer to obtain a thinned second dielectric layer; performing patterning metallization on the thinned second dielectric layer to obtain a metal strip; and performing deep silicon etching on the thinned second dielectric layer to obtain a concave cavity and a dielectric block.

[0017] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, a concave cavity is formed above the feed slot in the second dielectric layer, and multiple dielectric blocks are disposed in the cavity. Since there are gaps between adjacent dielectric blocks, the gaps and dielectric blocks together constitute a dielectric integrated antenna. Electromagnetic signals are fed into the antenna device through the metal structure in the dielectric layer and coupled through the feed slot, exciting the resonant mode of the dielectric integrated antenna. The dielectric integrated antenna radiates the electromagnetic energy corresponding to the electromagnetic signal into free space, which can extend the impedance bandwidth. At the same time, the use of a stacked structure reduces space and has a high degree of integration while ensuring performance. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The above and other objects, features and advantages of this disclosure will become clearer from the following description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0019] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a basic dielectric integrated antenna structure is shown.

[0020] Figure 2a A schematic diagram of a conventional dielectric integrated antenna structure is shown.

[0021] Figure 2b The diagram illustrates a physical schematic of a conventional dielectric integrated antenna.

[0022] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a dielectric integrated antenna device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0023] Figure 4 The gain-frequency curve of a dielectric integrated antenna device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated schematically.

[0024] Figure 5 The radiation efficiency-frequency curve of a dielectric integrated antenna device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated schematically.

[0025] Figure 6 The radiation pattern of a dielectric integrated antenna device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated schematically.

[0026] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of an electromagnetic wave conduction structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0027] Figure 8 The diagram illustrates a top view of a dielectric integrated antenna device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of a plurality of media blocks of different sizes according to embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0029] Figure 10 A schematic three-dimensional diagram of a dielectric integrated antenna device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0030] Figure 11 A schematic diagram of a dielectric integrated antenna device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0031] Figure 12 A partial schematic diagram of a dielectric integrated antenna device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0032] Figure 13 A schematic front view of a dielectric integrated antenna device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0033] Figure 14 A schematic top view of a dielectric integrated antenna device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0034] Figure 15A schematic diagram of an electromagnetic wave conduction structure according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0035] Figure 16 A schematic diagram of a plurality of media blocks of the same size according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0036] Figure 17 The gain-frequency curve of a dielectric integrated antenna device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated schematically.

[0037] Figure 18 The radiation efficiency-frequency curve of a dielectric integrated antenna device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated schematically.

[0038] Figure 19 The radiation pattern of a dielectric integrated antenna device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated schematically.

[0039] Figure 20 The illustration schematically shows a method for fabricating a dielectric integrated antenna device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] Figure 21 The illustration shows a schematic diagram of the fabrication of a dielectric integrated antenna device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure in a first direction.

[0041] Figure 22 The illustration shows a schematic diagram of the fabrication of a dielectric integrated antenna device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure in a second direction. Detailed Implementation

[0042] The embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that these descriptions are exemplary only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the present disclosure for ease of explanation. However, it will be apparent that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. Furthermore, descriptions of well-known structures and techniques are omitted in the following description to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the concepts of the present disclosure.

[0043] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit this disclosure. The terms “comprising,” “including,” etc., as used herein indicate the presence of the stated features, steps, operations, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, or components.

[0044] All terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) have the meanings commonly understood by those skilled in the art, unless otherwise defined. It should be noted that the terms used herein are to be interpreted in a manner consistent with the context of this specification, and not in an idealized or overly rigid way.

[0045] When using expressions such as "at least one of A, B and C", they should generally be interpreted in accordance with the meaning that is commonly understood by those skilled in the art (e.g., "a system having at least one of A, B and C" should include, but is not limited to, a system having A alone, a system having B alone, a system having C alone, a system having A and B, a system having A and C, a system having B and C, and / or a system having A, B and C, etc.).

[0046] In the embodiments disclosed herein, the collection, updating, analysis, processing, use, transmission, provision, disclosure, and storage of data (e.g., including but not limited to user personal information) comply with relevant laws and regulations, are used for legitimate purposes, and do not violate public order and good morals. In particular, necessary measures have been taken to prevent unauthorized access to user personal information data and to safeguard user personal information security, network security, and national security.

[0047] In the embodiments disclosed herein, user authorization or consent is obtained before acquiring or collecting user personal information.

[0048] Terahertz (THz) waves typically refer to electromagnetic waves with frequencies ranging from 0.1 THz to 10 THz and wavelengths from 3 mm to 0.03 mm. Terahertz antennas play a crucial role in terahertz systems. In the transmission link, terahertz antennas convert guided waves in the circuit into electromagnetic waves radiated into space, and vice versa in the receiving link. Operating bandwidth, gain, and radiation efficiency are important indicators for evaluating antenna performance.

[0049] As a commonly used millimeter-wave terahertz antenna, the performance of photoconductive antennas needs to be improved due to factors such as high material loss, low photoelectric conversion efficiency, and low output power. Horn antennas have the advantages of simple structure, wide operating bandwidth, and high gain, but they are difficult to integrate and miniaturize. On-chip antennas can avoid the design of matching networks, but they are limited by semiconductor process materials and have performance problems such as narrow operating bandwidth, low gain, and low efficiency. Lens antennas have high gain and good directivity, but their size is relatively large, which is not conducive to integration.

[0050] Dielectric resonator antennas (DRAs) are typically made of materials with high relative permittivity and low loss. They have advantages such as small size, low surface wave loss, high radiation efficiency, and wide operating bandwidth. At the same time, DRAs are highly flexible. For a rectangular DRA with a given dielectric material, the resonant frequency of different modes can be arbitrarily changed by adjusting the dimensions of its three dimensions.

[0051] To better illustrate the structure of the dielectric resonant antenna, the following will demonstrate... Figures 1-2b The traditional dielectric integrated antenna is further elaborated.

[0052] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a basic dielectric integrated antenna structure is shown.

[0053] like Figure 1 As shown, Embodiment 100 illustrates an overall view and a front view of a basic rectangular dielectric integrated antenna structure. The basic dielectric integrated antenna includes a dielectric resonant antenna 110, a dielectric layer 120, a coupling slot 130, a bottom metal layer 140, a metal ground plane 150, and a feed line 160.

[0054] Figure 2a A schematic diagram of a conventional dielectric integrated antenna structure is shown.

[0055] like Figure 2a As shown, embodiment 200 includes a first dielectric substrate 210, a second dielectric substrate 220 and a dielectric resonant antenna 230 stacked in sequence. The second dielectric substrate 220 includes a feed line 221, a metal ground plane 222, a coupling slot 223 and an SMA interface 240 connected to the second dielectric substrate 220. The dielectric resonant antenna 230 is composed of multiple dielectric blocks of the same size.

[0056] Among them, L s W represents the length of the coupling gap. s L represents the width of the coupling gap. d G represents the lateral length of the feeder. a h represents the length of the first dielectric substrate. s1 h represents the thickness of the first dielectric substrate. s2 H represents the thickness of the second dielectric substrate, H represents the height of the dielectric resonant antenna, W represents the height of the dielectric block, and L represents the length of the dielectric block. a L represents the transverse gap of the dielectric block, g represents the longitudinal gap of the dielectric block, and L represents the transverse gap of the dielectric block. a Indicates the length of the medium block.

[0057] Figure 2b The diagram illustrates a physical schematic of a conventional dielectric integrated antenna.

[0058] like Figure 2b As shown, physical objects 201 of the conventional dielectric integrated antenna structure and 202 of the second dielectric substrate are shown respectively.

[0059] The above Figures 1-2b The existing dielectric integrated antennas shown all use feed lines and coupling slots for power feeding and energy radiation through dielectric resonant antennas. Figure 2a The antenna structure shown is relative to Figure 1The antenna structure shown has a wider operating bandwidth and a more stable radiation pattern.

[0060] To fully leverage the advantages of the terahertz band, it is necessary to design dielectric integrated antennas with a wide operating bandwidth. Traditional feeding methods may lead to significant losses and reflections. Meanwhile, with the development of terahertz technology, higher requirements are placed on antenna integration and miniaturization. Further reducing the size and improving the integration of dielectric integrated antennas in the terahertz band still faces some challenges. Moreover, due to the short wavelength of electromagnetic waves in the terahertz band, the requirements for antenna manufacturing precision are even higher. Even small manufacturing errors can have a significant impact on antenna performance, such as resonant frequency shift.

[0061] In view of this, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a dielectric integrated antenna device, comprising: a bottom metal layer; a first dielectric layer stacked above the bottom metal layer, the first dielectric layer including a metal structure; an intermediate metal layer stacked above the first dielectric layer, the intermediate metal layer including a feed slot; and a second dielectric layer stacked above the intermediate metal layer, the second dielectric layer having a concave cavity disposed above the feed slot, wherein the concave cavity includes a plurality of dielectric blocks, gaps exist between adjacent dielectric blocks, and the plurality of dielectric blocks and the gaps between adjacent dielectric blocks constitute a dielectric integrated antenna; wherein the feed slot is used to couple electromagnetic signals fed from the metal structure, and the dielectric integrated antenna is used to radiate electromagnetic energy corresponding to the electromagnetic signals into free space.

[0062] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a dielectric integrated antenna device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0063] like Figure 3 As shown, the device 300 includes a bottom metal layer 310, a first dielectric layer 320, an intermediate metal layer 330, a second dielectric layer 340, a concave cavity 350, a dielectric integrated antenna 360, and a top metal layer 370, wherein the dielectric integrated antenna 360 includes a plurality of dielectric blocks 361.

[0064] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a first dielectric layer 320 is stacked above a bottom metal layer 310, and the first dielectric layer 320 includes a metal structure 321. The metal structure enables the dielectric layer to have feeding characteristics for the transmission of electromagnetic signals. An intermediate metal layer 330 is stacked above the first dielectric layer 320, and the intermediate metal layer 330 includes a feeding gap. The material of the first dielectric layer can be a dielectric material such as benzocyclobutene (BCB) or polyimide (PI).

[0065] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, a second dielectric layer 340 is stacked above an intermediate metal layer 330. The material of the second dielectric layer can be a silicon substrate. A concave cavity 350 is provided in the second dielectric layer 340. The concave cavity 350 is disposed above the feed gap. The concave cavity 350 includes a plurality of dielectric blocks. There are gaps between adjacent dielectric blocks. The plurality of dielectric blocks and the gaps between adjacent dielectric blocks constitute a dielectric integrated antenna 360.

[0066] It should be noted that, Figure 3 The number of media blocks shown is for illustrative purposes only. In actual applications, the number of media blocks can be increased or decreased according to application requirements.

[0067] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the feed gap is used to couple electromagnetic signals fed from the metal structure, and the dielectric integrated antenna is used to radiate electromagnetic energy corresponding to the electromagnetic signals into free space.

[0068] According to embodiments of this disclosure, based on experimental data, with an input reflection coefficient of -15dB, the impedance bandwidth of device 300 can reach 30.6GHz, which is a better extension of the impedance bandwidth compared to the dielectric integrated antenna in embodiments 100 and 200.

[0069] To better demonstrate the effectiveness of the dielectric integrated antenna device according to the embodiments of this disclosure, the following will be explained... Figures 4-6 The gain, radiation efficiency, and radiation direction of the antenna in Example 300 will be described separately.

[0070] Figure 4 The gain-frequency curve of a dielectric integrated antenna device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated schematically.

[0071] like Figure 4 As shown, the horizontal axis represents frequency, and the vertical axis on the left represents the input reflection coefficient S. 11 The vertical axis on the right represents the gain.

[0072] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the input reflection coefficient S of the dielectric integrated antenna device 11 In the gain versus frequency curve, the gain change is less than 2.6 dB, and the peak gain can reach 9.36 dBi.

[0073] Figure 5 The radiation efficiency-frequency curve of a dielectric integrated antenna device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated schematically.

[0074] like Figure 5 As shown, the vertical axis represents radiation efficiency, and the horizontal axis represents frequency.

[0075] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the radiation efficiency at any frequency is greater than 0.86, with a maximum radiation efficiency of approximately 0.88.

[0076] Figure 6 The radiation pattern of a dielectric integrated antenna device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated schematically.

[0077] like Figure 6 As shown, the vertical axis represents gain. It can be clearly seen that the radiation patterns in the horizontal and vertical directions have good symmetry, achieving a maximum gain of 8.5 dBi and a front-to-back ratio of 18 dB.

[0078] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, a concave cavity is formed above the feed slot in the second dielectric layer, and multiple dielectric blocks are disposed in the cavity. Since there are gaps between adjacent dielectric blocks, the gaps and dielectric blocks together constitute a dielectric integrated antenna. Electromagnetic signals are fed into the antenna device through the metal structure in the dielectric layer and coupled through the feed slot, exciting the resonant mode of the dielectric integrated antenna. The dielectric integrated antenna radiates the electromagnetic energy corresponding to the electromagnetic signal into free space, which can extend the impedance bandwidth. At the same time, the use of a stacked structure reduces space and has a high degree of integration while ensuring performance.

[0079] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the metal structure includes an electromagnetic wave conduction structure corresponding to a predetermined rule.

[0080] For example, the electromagnetic wave conduction structure can be multiple metal holes arranged according to a predetermined rule, and the multiple metal holes are used to form the electromagnetic wave conduction structure.

[0081] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the electromagnetic wave transmission structure can be a grounded coplanar waveguide (GCPW). The metal structure and the metal signal line are coplanar to form a transmission waveguide. The impedance of the GCPW can be controlled by adjusting the width and spacing of the metal signal line and the metal aperture to achieve impedance matching with the DRA.

[0082] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the metal structure can also be a metal wall, but in actual preparation, metal holes are simpler and more conducive to mass production.

[0083] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of an electromagnetic wave conduction structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0084] like Figure 7 As shown, the electromagnetic wave conduction structure 710 is located in the dielectric layer above the bottom metal layer 310. The width Ws of the metal signal line can be 55 μm, and the spacing Wg between the metal signal line and the bottom metal layer can be 20 μm.

[0085] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the electromagnetic wave conduction structure and the feeding gap constitute a feeding unit, which is used to excite the resonant mode of the dielectric integrated antenna.

[0086] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the resonant mode can be a higher-order mode resonant mode, specifically including TE. 111 and TE 131 Etc. mode.

[0087] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the feeding unit is the core structure of the entire dielectric integrated antenna device, used to feed electromagnetic signal sources into the device. In addition, microstrip line direct coupling feeding or coaxial probe feeding can also be used.

[0088] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the shape of the power supply gap includes one of the following: rectangular or I-shaped.

[0089] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a feeding unit is formed by a metal hole or other metal structure in the first dielectric layer, an electromagnetic wave conduction structure composed of metallicity, and a feeding gap. By optimizing the arrangement rules and size of the metal holes and the relevant parameters of the feeding gap, efficient transmission of electromagnetic signals can be achieved. The target resonant mode of the dielectric integrated antenna can be excited according to actual needs, which is beneficial to meeting the requirements of modern communication systems for high efficiency, high gain, and wide bandwidth of dielectric integrated antenna devices.

[0090] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the edge of the concave cavity is provided with a frame-shaped metal strip, wherein the edge of the concave cavity represents the connection between the upper surface of the second dielectric layer and the concave cavity.

[0091] According to the embodiments of this disclosure, the top metal layer 360 in embodiment 300 can be a frame-shaped metal strip, which can be made of copper. The frame-shaped metal strip corresponds to the shape of the concave cavity, including a first strip width corresponding to the wide side of the concave cavity and a second strip width corresponding to the long side of the concave cavity, and the first strip width and the second strip width should not be too wide.

[0092] To better understand the positional relationship between the frame-shaped metal strip, the silicon substrate, and the concave cavity, the following will be explained... Figure 8 A detailed explanation will be provided.

[0093] Figure 8 The diagram illustrates a top view of a dielectric integrated antenna device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0094] like Figure 8 As shown, embodiment 800 includes a feed slot 331, a dielectric integrated antenna 360, a frame-shaped metal strip 810, and a metal hole 820.

[0095] Among them, the feed gap width Wslot can be 11μm, the feed gap length Lslot can be 426μm, the first strip width w1 can be 75μm, and the first strip width w2 can be 40μm.

[0096] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a frame-shaped metal strip is provided at the edge of the concave cavity. Unnecessary radiation can be reduced by adjusting the width of the first strip and the width of the second strip, thereby effectively reducing the sidelobe level and further improving the stability of the radiation direction of the dielectric integrated antenna device.

[0097] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the inner side of the concave cavity is provided with a metal wall.

[0098] According to the embodiments of this disclosure, the inner perimeter of the concave cavity is a metal wall. The material and thickness of the metal wall should take into account factors such as the environment, antenna radiation efficiency, and corrosion resistance. The bottom of the concave cavity retains the same material as the silicon plate.

[0099] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a metal wall is provided around the inner perimeter of the concave cavity, so that the electromagnetic energy fed into the device by the feeding unit is concentrated on the dielectric block in the concave cavity, avoiding excessive consumption by the silicon plate and further improving the radiation efficiency of the antenna.

[0100] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the various dielectric blocks have different dimensions, the dielectric blocks are made of silicon, and the dielectric blocks have one of the following shapes: cuboid, cylinder, or hemisphere.

[0101] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the radiation performance of the dielectric integrated antenna varies with the size of each dielectric block. By using non-uniform dielectric blocks, the dielectric integrated antenna achieves resonance at more frequencies, thereby extending the antenna bandwidth.

[0102] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the gap includes a longitudinal gap and a transverse gap.

[0103] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of a plurality of media blocks of different sizes according to embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0104] like Figure 9 As shown, Embodiment 900 includes two different sizes of media blocks, hereinafter referred to as the first media block and the second media block.

[0105] Among them, the two different sizes of dielectric blocks have the same length. The length of the dielectric block wDRA can be 408μm, the width of the first dielectric block lDRA1 can be 100μm, the width of the second dielectric block lDRA2 can be 22μm, the height of the dielectric block hDRA can be 158μm, the lateral gap wgap between adjacent dielectric blocks can be 34μm, and the longitudinal distance lgap1=lgap2=5μm between adjacent dielectric blocks.

[0106] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the impedance bandwidth can be increased by adjusting the longitudinal and transverse gaps, and dielectric blocks of different sizes can excite more resonant modes, further enhancing the radiation gain.

[0107] Besides dielectric integrated antennas composed of dielectric blocks of different sizes, there are also dielectric integrated antennas composed of dielectric blocks of the same size. However, the radiation performance of their antenna devices is inferior compared to those composed of dielectric blocks of the same size. To improve another embodiment of this disclosure, the following will describe... Figures 10-19 The structure and performance of a dielectric integrated antenna device according to another embodiment of this disclosure will be described.

[0108] Figure 10 A schematic three-dimensional diagram of a dielectric integrated antenna device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0109] like Figure 10 As shown, device 1000 includes a bottom metal layer 1010, a first dielectric layer 1020, an intermediate metal layer 1030, a second dielectric layer 1040, a concave cavity 1050, a dielectric integrated antenna 1060, and a frame-shaped metal strip 1070. The dielectric integrated antenna 1060 includes multiple dielectric blocks 1061. The first dielectric layer 1020 includes a metal structure 1021.

[0110] According to embodiments of this disclosure, an impedance bandwidth of -15dB can be achieved at 20.7GHz.

[0111] According to the embodiments of this disclosure, the structure of device 1000 and device 300 is basically the same except for the medium block, and will not be described in detail here.

[0112] It should be noted that, Figure 10 The number of media blocks shown is for illustrative purposes only. In actual applications, the number of media blocks can be increased or decreased according to application requirements.

[0113] Figure 11 A schematic diagram of a dielectric integrated antenna device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0114] like Figure 11 As shown, Example 1100 corresponds to Example 1000.

[0115] Figure 12 A partial schematic diagram of a dielectric integrated antenna device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0116] like Figure 12As shown, Embodiment 1200 includes a bottom metal layer 1010, a first dielectric layer 1020, an intermediate metal layer 1030, a second dielectric layer 1040, a frame-shaped metal strip 1070, a metal wall 1210 inside a concave cavity, a dielectric block 1061, and a metal structure 1021.

[0117] The height of the dielectric block, hDRA, can be 123 μm.

[0118] Figure 13 A schematic front view of a dielectric integrated antenna device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0119] like Figure 13 As shown, Embodiment 1300 includes a silicon substrate 1040, a frame-shaped metal strip 1070, a metal wall 1210 inside a concave cavity, and a dielectric block 1061.

[0120] Figure 14 A schematic top view of a dielectric integrated antenna device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0121] like Figure 14 As shown, this embodiment 1400 includes a power supply gap 1410, a dielectric block 1061, a frame-shaped metal strip 1070, and a metal structure 1021.

[0122] Among them, the feed gap width Wslot can be 11μm, the feed gap length Lslot can be 521μm, the first strip width w1 can be 45μm, and the first strip width w2 can be 40μm.

[0123] Figure 15 A schematic diagram of an electromagnetic wave conduction structure according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0124] like Figure 15 As shown, the electromagnetic wave conduction structure 1510 is located in the dielectric layer above the bottom metal layer 1010.

[0125] The width of the metal signal line Ws can be 55 μm, and the spacing width Wg between the metal signal line and the bottom metal layer can be 20 μm.

[0126] Figure 16 A schematic diagram of a plurality of media blocks of the same size according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0127] like Figure 16 As shown, the media blocks are all the same size, and are all rectangular.

[0128] The dielectric block width wDRA can be 123μm, the dielectric block length lDRA can be 163μm, the transverse gap wgap between adjacent dielectric blocks can be 171μm, and the longitudinal distance lgap between adjacent dielectric blocks can be 13μm.

[0129] Figure 17 The gain-frequency curve of a dielectric integrated antenna device according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated schematically.

[0130] like Figure 17 As shown, the horizontal axis represents frequency, and the vertical axis on the left represents the input reflection coefficient S. 11 The vertical axis on the right represents the gain.

[0131] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the input reflection coefficient S of the dielectric integrated antenna device... 11 In the gain versus frequency curve, the gain change is less than 2.3dB, and the peak gain can reach 9.11dBi.

[0132] Figure 18 The radiation efficiency-frequency curve of a dielectric integrated antenna device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated schematically.

[0133] like Figure 18 As shown, the vertical axis represents radiation efficiency, and the horizontal axis represents frequency.

[0134] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the radiation efficiency at any frequency is greater than 0.8, with a maximum radiation efficiency of approximately 0.858.

[0135] Figure 19 The radiation pattern of a dielectric integrated antenna device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated schematically.

[0136] like Figure 19 As shown, the vertical axis represents gain. It can be clearly seen that the radiation patterns in the horizontal and vertical directions have good symmetry, achieving a maximum gain of 9 dBi and a front-to-back ratio greater than 20 dB.

[0137] Figure 20 The illustration schematically shows a method for fabricating a dielectric integrated antenna device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0138] like Figure 20 As shown, the method 2000 includes operations S2010 to S2050.

[0139] In operation S2010, photoresist is coated on the first surface of the second dielectric layer to obtain an etching mask.

[0140] In operation S2020, a layer of metal is sputtered onto the etching mask and then electroplated to obtain an intermediate metal layer.

[0141] In operation S2030, a dielectric material is coated on the surface of the intermediate metal layer to obtain the first dielectric layer.

[0142] In operation S2040, a metal layer is electroplated on the first dielectric layer to obtain the bottom metal layer.

[0143] In operation S2050, patterning metallization and dielectric etching are performed on the second surface of the second dielectric layer to obtain the target dielectric integrated antenna.

[0144] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the second dielectric layer may be selected from a high resistivity silicon wafer.

[0145] According to embodiments of this disclosure, sputtering a layer of metal onto an etching mask and electroplating the metal to obtain an intermediate metal layer includes: cleaning the etching mask and then sputtering the metal; circuitizing and polishing the sputtered metal to obtain a metal wall inside a concave cavity; and then performing a second electroplating on the metal to obtain the intermediate metal layer. The electroplated metal can be copper.

[0146] According to the embodiments of this disclosure, the fabrication of the bottom metal layer to the middle metal layer is integrated, which can achieve high processing accuracy and better meet the requirements of modern communication for antennas. Moreover, the target dielectric integrated antenna can be obtained by etching only a part of the silicon substrate, which has high integration while ensuring performance.

[0147] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a target dielectric integrated antenna is obtained by performing patterning metallization and dielectric etching on the second surface of the second dielectric layer, including: thinning the second surface of the second dielectric layer to obtain a thinned second dielectric layer; performing patterning metallization on the thinned second dielectric layer to obtain a metal strip; and performing dielectric etching on the thinned second dielectric layer to obtain a concave cavity and a dielectric block.

[0148] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the dielectric etching process can etch a high aspect ratio structure on the substrate of the second dielectric layer, and obtain the shape of the concave cavity and the dielectric block according to predetermined process parameters.

[0149] Figure 21 The illustration shows a schematic diagram of the fabrication of a dielectric integrated antenna device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure in a first direction.

[0150] like Figure 21 As shown, the first direction is direction A in the legend.

[0151] Figure 22 The illustration shows a schematic diagram of the fabrication of a dielectric integrated antenna device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure in a second direction.

[0152] like Figure 22As shown, the second direction is direction B in the legend.

[0153] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions indicated in the blocks may occur in a different order than those indicated in the drawings. For example, two consecutively indicated blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in a block diagram or flowchart, and combinations of blocks in a block diagram or flowchart, may be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or operation, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions. Those skilled in the art will understand that the features described in the various embodiments of the present disclosure can be combined and / or combined in various ways, even if such combinations are not explicitly described in the present disclosure. In particular, the features described in the various embodiments of this disclosure may be combined and / or combined in various ways without departing from the spirit and teachings of this disclosure. All such combinations and / or combinations fall within the scope of this disclosure.

[0154] The embodiments of this disclosure have been described above. However, these embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Although various embodiments have been described above, this does not mean that the measures in the various embodiments cannot be used advantageously in combination. Various substitutions and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of this disclosure, and all such substitutions and modifications should fall within the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A dielectric integrated antenna device, characterized in that, include: Bottom metal layer; A first dielectric layer is stacked on top of the bottom metal layer. The first dielectric layer includes a metal structure, wherein the metal structure includes an electromagnetic wave conduction structure corresponding to a predetermined rule. An intermediate metal layer is stacked on top of the first dielectric layer. The intermediate metal layer includes a feed gap, wherein the electromagnetic wave conduction structure and the feed gap constitute a feed unit, and the feed unit is used to excite the resonant mode of the dielectric integrated antenna. A second dielectric layer is stacked above the intermediate metal layer. A concave cavity is provided in the second dielectric layer and is disposed above the feed slot. The concave cavity includes multiple dielectric blocks with gaps between adjacent dielectric blocks. The multiple dielectric blocks and the gaps between adjacent dielectric blocks constitute a dielectric integrated antenna. The edge of the concave cavity is provided with a frame-shaped metal strip. The edge of the concave cavity represents the connection between the upper surface of the second dielectric layer and the concave cavity. The inner side of the concave cavity is provided with a metal wall. The feed gap is used to couple electromagnetic signals fed from the metal structure, and the dielectric integrated antenna is used to radiate electromagnetic energy corresponding to the electromagnetic signals into free space.

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The dimensions of each of the aforementioned medium blocks are different, and the shape of the medium blocks includes one of the following: cuboid, cylinder, or hemisphere.

3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The shape of the power supply gap includes one of the following: rectangular or "I" shaped.

4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gaps include longitudinal gaps and transverse gaps.

5. A method for manufacturing a dielectric integrated antenna device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, include: Photoresist is coated on the first surface of the second dielectric layer to obtain an etching mask; A layer of metal is sputtered onto the etching mask and then electroplated to obtain an intermediate metal layer. A dielectric material is coated on the surface of the intermediate metal layer to obtain a first dielectric layer; A metal layer is electroplated onto the first dielectric layer to obtain a bottom metal layer; The second surface of the second dielectric layer is subjected to pattern metallization and dielectric etching to obtain the target dielectric integrated antenna.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The step of performing patterning metallization and dielectric etching on the second surface of the second dielectric layer substrate to obtain the target dielectric integrated antenna includes: The second surface of the second dielectric layer is thinned to obtain a thinned second dielectric layer; The thinned second dielectric layer is patterned and metallized to obtain a metal strip; The thinned second dielectric layer is subjected to dielectric etching to obtain a concave cavity and a dielectric block.

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