Folding reflective array antenna

Abstract

The invention provides a folding reflective array antenna, and the antenna comprises a substrate which is provided with an avoiding hole in the center; the plurality of reflection units are arranged on the substrate in an array; the polarization grid is arranged above the substrate; the supporting piece is arranged between the substrate and the polarization grid; the feed part is arranged below the substrate and corresponds to the avoiding hole; the reflection unit comprises a metal frame, a rectangular metal piece arranged in the metal frame, a first metal connecting piece connected between the rectangular metal piece and the metal frame, and a second metal connecting piece connected between the rectangular metal piece and the metal frame, wherein the second metal connecting piece and the first metal connecting piece are arranged at an interval. According to the technical scheme of the invention, the problems of high loss and high cost of the folded reflective array antenna in the prior art are effectively solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of antenna technology, and in particular to a folded reflective array antenna. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, satellite communications, low-altitude economy (drones), emergency communications and other fields have developed rapidly. Antennas are the eyes and ears of wireless systems, and their performance is crucial. For most radar and long-distance communication systems, high-gain antennas are indispensable.

[0003] Among them, folded reflectarray antennas are widely used due to their advantages such as light weight, small size and easy processing and manufacturing. Traditional reflectarray antennas are mostly based on dielectric substrates. When the antenna is in a harsh space environment, the loss caused by the dielectric substrate cannot be ignored, which often leads to a decrease in antenna performance. At the same time, the existence of the dielectric substrate also increases the cost of the folded reflectarray antenna. Therefore, for high-gain antennas with strict requirements on cost and working environment, the folded reflectarray antenna with a full metal structure is a good attempt.

[0004] However, spatial feeding causes the overall profile of the planar folded reflectarray antenna to be relatively high. In order to solve this problem, the folded reflectarray antenna came into being. On the basis of the traditional reflectarray, it uses a reflector unit with polarization twisting function and adjustable phase, combined with a polarization grid with polarization selection characteristics, to integrate the feed source and the reflector surface in the same plane, which can effectively reduce the profile of the reflectarray. However, the existing folded reflectarray designs are all based on dielectric substrates, which will bring corresponding loss and cost issues. Summary of the invention

[0005] The main purpose of the present invention is to provide a folded reflective array antenna to solve the problem of high loss and high cost of the folded reflective array antenna in the related art.

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present invention provides a folded reflective array antenna, comprising: a substrate, a center of which is provided with an avoidance hole; a plurality of reflective units, which are arranged in an array on the substrate; a polarization grid, which is arranged above the substrate; a support, which is arranged between the substrate and the polarization grid; a feeding member, which is arranged below the substrate and corresponds to the avoidance hole; wherein the reflective unit comprises a metal frame, a rectangular metal member arranged in the metal frame, a first metal connector connected between the rectangular metal member and the metal frame, and a second metal connector connected between the rectangular metal member and the metal frame and spaced apart from the first metal connector.

[0007] Furthermore, the outer shape of the metal frame and the outer shape of the rectangular metal piece are similar figures.

[0008] Furthermore, the rectangular metal piece has a first side, a second side, a third side and a fourth side, the first side and the third side are arranged opposite to each other, the second side and the fourth side are arranged opposite to each other, the first metal connecting piece is connected between the first side and the metal frame, and the second metal connecting piece is connected between the second side and the metal frame.

[0009] Further, the distance between the second side and the metal frame is equal to the distance between the third side and the metal frame.

[0010] Further, the distance between the fourth side and the first metal connector is D1, the distance between the second side and the first metal connector is D2, and the length of D1 is adjustable to achieve a change in the reflection phase of the reflection unit.

[0011] Furthermore, the length of D1 is between 0.5 mm and 5 mm, and the length of D2 is between 0.5 mm and 1.5 mm.

[0012] Further, the multiple reflection units include a 0° reflection element, a 45° reflection element, a 90° reflection element and a 135° reflection element. The 0° reflection element is horizontally mirrored to form a 180° reflection element, the 45° reflection element is horizontally mirrored to form a 225° reflection element, the 90° reflection element is horizontally mirrored to form a 270° reflection element, and the 135° reflection element is horizontally mirrored to form a 315° reflection element. The 0° reflection element, the 45° reflection element, the 90° reflection element, the 135° reflection element, the 180° reflection element, the 225° reflection element, the 270° reflection element and the 315° reflection element are arranged according to the 3-bit array technology.

[0013] Further, in the direction from the center of the substrate to the periphery of the substrate, the 0° reflector, the 45° reflector, the 90° reflector, the 135° reflector, the 180° reflector, the 225° reflector, the 270° reflector and the 315° reflector are arranged in sequence.

[0014] Furthermore, the polarization grid includes a plurality of metal strips arranged at intervals, the distance between any two adjacent metal strips is between 1 mm and 2 mm, and the thickness of the polarization grid is between 0.2 mm and 0.6 mm.

[0015] Furthermore, there is an air layer between the substrate and the reflection unit.

[0016] By applying the technical solution of the present invention, a plurality of reflection unit arrays are arranged on a substrate, a polarization grid is arranged above the substrate, a support member is arranged between the substrate and the polarization grid, and a feed member is arranged below the substrate and corresponding to the avoidance hole. The reflection unit includes a metal frame, a rectangular metal member, a first metal connector and a second metal connector, the rectangular metal member is arranged in the metal frame, the first metal connector and the second metal connector are both connected between the rectangular metal member and the metal frame, and the first metal connector and the second metal connector are arranged at intervals. Through the above-mentioned arrangement, low cost, high efficiency and strong adaptability to harsh environments are achieved. Compared with the reflective array antenna of the traditional dielectric substrate, this design avoids dielectric loss, significantly improves the aperture efficiency and bandwidth performance of the antenna, and reduces the cross-sectional height of the antenna. Therefore, the technical solution of the present application effectively solves the problems of high loss and cost of the folded reflective array antenna in the related art. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The drawings constituting a part of the present application are used to provide a further understanding of the present invention. The exemplary embodiments of the present invention and their descriptions are used to explain the present invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the present invention. In the drawings:

[0018] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of an embodiment of a folded reflective array antenna according to the present invention is shown;

[0019] Figure 2 Shows Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of multiple reflection units;

[0020] Figure 3 Shows Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a reflection unit;

[0021] Figure 4 Shows Figure 1 A side view schematic diagram of a folded reflectarray antenna;

[0022] Figure 5 Shows Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the continuous phase array layout of the folded reflectarray antenna;

[0023] Figure 6 Shows Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the 3-bit array layout of the folded reflectarray antenna;

[0024] Figure 7 Shows Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the polarization grid of the folded reflectarray antenna;

[0025] Figure 8 Shows Figure 1The reflection amplitude curves of the reflection units of the folded reflectarray antenna in eight states within the designed 8-12GHz frequency range;

[0026] Fig. 9 Shows Figure 1 Reflection phase curves of eight state units of the reflection unit of the folded reflectarray antenna in the designed 8-12GHz frequency range;

[0027] Fig.10 Shows Figure 1 The reflection amplitude and transmission amplitude curves of the polarization grid of the folded reflectarray antenna in the designed 8-12GHz frequency range;

[0028] Fig.11 Shows Figure 1 Simulated and measured E-plane radiation patterns of the folded reflectarray antenna at 10 GHz;

[0029] Fig.12 Shows Figure 1 Simulated and measured H-plane radiation patterns of the folded reflectarray antenna at 10 GHz;

[0030] Fig.13 Shows Figure 1 The E-plane radiation pattern of the folded reflectarray antenna measured at different frequencies;

[0031] Fig.14 Shows Figure 1 The H-plane radiation pattern of the folded reflectarray antenna measured at different frequencies;

[0032] Fig.15 Shows Figure 1 Gain and aperture efficiency curves measured for the folded reflectarray antenna.

[0033] The above drawings include the following reference numerals:

[0034] 10. Substrate; 11. Avoidance hole; 20. Reflection unit; 21. Metal frame; 22. Rectangular metal part; 221. First side; 222. Second side; 223. Third side; 224. Fourth side; 23. First metal connector; 24. Second metal connector; 30. Polarization grid; 31. Metal strip; 40. Support member; 50. Feeder; 60. Air layer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is actually only illustrative and is by no means intended to limit the present invention and its application or use. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0036] It should be noted that the terms used herein are only for describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to the present application. As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular form is also intended to include the plural form. In addition, it should be understood that when the terms "comprise" and / or "include" are used in this specification, it indicates the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components and / or combinations thereof.

[0037] Unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions and numerical values ​​of the parts and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the present invention. Meanwhile, it should be understood that, for ease of description, the sizes of the various parts shown in the accompanying drawings are not drawn according to the actual proportional relationship. The technology, method and equipment known to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art may not be discussed in detail, but in appropriate cases, the technology, method and equipment should be considered as a part of the specification. In all examples shown and discussed here, any specific value should be interpreted as being merely exemplary, rather than as a limitation. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters represent similar items in the following drawings, and therefore, once a certain item is defined in an accompanying drawing, it does not need to be further discussed in subsequent drawings.

[0038] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the folded reflective array antenna includes: a substrate 10, a plurality of reflective units 20, a polarization grid 30, a support member 40 and a feeder 50. An avoidance hole 11 is provided at the center of the substrate 10. A plurality of reflective units 20 are arranged in an array on the substrate 10. The polarization grid 30 is provided above the substrate 10. The support member 40 is provided between the substrate 10 and the polarization grid 30. The feeder 50 is provided below the substrate 10 and is provided corresponding to the avoidance hole 11. Among them, the reflective unit 20 includes a metal frame 21, a rectangular metal member 22 provided in the metal frame 21, a first metal connector 23 connected between the rectangular metal member 22 and the metal frame 21, and a second metal connector 24 connected between the rectangular metal member 22 and the metal frame 21 and spaced apart from the first metal connector 23.

[0039] By applying the technical solution of this embodiment, a plurality of reflection units 20 are arranged in an array on a substrate 10, a polarization grid 30 is arranged above the substrate 10, a support member 40 is arranged between the substrate 10 and the polarization grid 30, and a feeder 50 is arranged below the substrate 10 and corresponding to the avoidance hole 11. The reflection unit 20 includes a metal frame 21, a rectangular metal member 22, a first metal connector 23 and a second metal connector 24, the rectangular metal member 22 is arranged in the metal frame 21, the first metal connector 23 and the second metal connector 24 are both connected between the rectangular metal member 22 and the metal frame 21, and the first metal connector 23 and the second metal connector 24 are arranged at intervals. Through the above-mentioned arrangement, low cost, high efficiency and strong adaptability to harsh environments are achieved. Compared with the reflective array antenna of the traditional dielectric substrate, this design avoids dielectric loss, significantly improves the aperture efficiency and bandwidth performance of the antenna, and reduces the cross-sectional height of the antenna. Therefore, the technical solution of this embodiment effectively solves the problem of high loss and cost of the folded reflective array antenna in the related art.

[0040] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the shape of the metal frame 21 and the shape of the rectangular metal part 22 are similar figures. The above design utilizes the characteristics of similar figures to ensure the phase compensation capability of the reflection unit 20 at different angles, thereby achieving accurate pointing and shaping of the antenna beam. The radiation pattern of the antenna is more stable, and the sidelobe level and cross-polarization level are effectively controlled.

[0041] The usage process is that during the design phase, the sizes of the metal frame 21 and the rectangular metal part 22 are adjusted according to the required beam pointing and gain to achieve a reflection unit 20 with a similar pattern, and then the units are arranged through 3-bit array technology, and finally manufactured and integrated into the system for performance testing and optimization.

[0042] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the rectangular metal member 22 has a first side 221, a second side 222, a third side 223 and a fourth side 224, the first side 221 and the third side 223 are arranged opposite to each other, the second side 222 and the fourth side 224 are arranged opposite to each other, the first metal connector 23 is connected between the first side 221 and the metal frame 21, and the second metal connector 24 is connected between the second side 222 and the metal frame 21. By precisely controlling the positions of the first metal connector 23 and the second metal connector 24 between the side of the rectangular metal member 22 and the metal frame 21, the polarization twisting and phase compensation of the incident electromagnetic wave are achieved, thereby optimizing the radiation performance of the antenna. In addition, the gain and aperture efficiency of the antenna are significantly improved, while the profile height is reduced, and the stability and reliability of the antenna in harsh environments are enhanced.

[0043] The use process is to first optimize the size parameters of the reflection unit 20 through simulation software, then process and manufacture the folded reflection array antenna, and finally integrate it into the communication system, feed the electromagnetic wave through the feeding device 50, and the polarization grid 30 and the reflection unit 20 work together to achieve efficient reflection and polarization twisting of the electromagnetic wave.

[0044] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the distance between the second side 222 and the metal frame 21 is equal to the distance between the third side 223 and the metal frame 21. By keeping the distances between the second side 222 and the third side 223 and the metal frame 21 equal, the consistency of the electromagnetic characteristics of the reflective unit 20 in different states is ensured, thereby achieving the stability of the antenna beam and the uniformity of the gain. In this way, the radiation pattern of the antenna is more stable, and the side lobe level and the cross-polarization level are effectively controlled.

[0045] The usage process is that during the design phase, according to the required beam pointing and gain, the sizes of the metal frame 21 and the rectangular metal part 22 are adjusted to achieve a reflection unit 20 with the second side 222 and the third side 223 being at an equal distance from the metal frame 21, and then the units are arranged through 3-bit array technology, and finally manufactured and integrated into the system for performance testing and optimization.

[0046] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the distance between the fourth side 224 and the first metal connector 23 is D1, the distance between the second side 222 and the first metal connector 23 is D2, and the length of D1 is adjustable to achieve the reflection phase change of the reflection unit 20. By adjusting the length of D1, the electromagnetic characteristics of the reflection unit 20 are changed, and the phase compensation of the incident electromagnetic wave is achieved, thereby optimizing the radiation performance of the antenna. In this way, the gain and aperture efficiency of the antenna can be significantly improved, while the profile height is reduced, and the stability and reliability of the antenna in harsh environments are enhanced.

[0047] The use process is to first optimize the size parameters of the reflection unit 20 through simulation software, then process and manufacture the folded reflection array antenna, and finally integrate it into the communication system, feed the electromagnetic waves through the feeding device 50, and the polarization grid 30 and the reflection unit 20 work together to achieve efficient reflection and phase control of the electromagnetic waves.

[0048] It should be noted that the length of the above-mentioned D1 is adjustable, so as to achieve the change of the reflection phase of the reflection unit 20 .

[0049] like Figures 1 to 3As shown, in this embodiment, the length of D1 is between 0.5 mm and 5 mm, and the length of D2 is between 0.5 mm and 1.5 mm. By accurately controlling the lengths of D1 and D2 within the adjustable range, the reflection phase of the reflection unit 20 is accurately controlled, thereby optimizing the radiation performance of the antenna. This significantly improves the gain and aperture efficiency of the antenna, while reducing the profile height, and enhancing the stability and reliability of the antenna in harsh environments.

[0050] The usage process is to first optimize the size parameters of the reflection unit 20 through simulation software, then process and manufacture the folded reflection array antenna, and finally integrate it into the communication system. The electromagnetic waves are fed through the feeding device 50. The polarization grid 30 and the reflection unit 20 work together to achieve efficient reflection and phase control of the electromagnetic waves, ensuring the good radiation performance of the antenna at a frequency of 10 GHz.

[0051] like Figure 3 As shown, the unit spacing P of the reflective unit 20 is 14 mm, that is, 0.47λ, where λ is the free space wavelength corresponding to 10 GHz. The slot length L is 12.5 mm, the slot width W is 2 mm, the slot D1 is adjustable, and the slot D2 is 1 mm. The slot D1 has values ​​of 0.5 mm, 2 mm, 3.5 mm, and 5 mm, corresponding to different state units.

[0052] D1 = 0.5 mm corresponds to Element 0° (corresponds to Element 180° after horizontal mirroring);

[0053] D1 = 2mm corresponds to Element 45° (corresponds to Element 225° after horizontal mirroring);

[0054] D1 = 3.5 mm corresponds to Element 90° (corresponds to Element 270° after horizontal mirroring);

[0055] D1 = 5mm corresponds to Element 135° (corresponds to Element 315° after horizontal mirroring);

[0056] The thickness H of the air layer 60 is 6 mm.

[0057] like Figures 1 to 3 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 as well as Figures 8 to 10As shown, in this embodiment, a plurality of reflection units 20 include a 0° reflection element, a 45° reflection element, a 90° reflection element and a 135° reflection element. The 0° reflection element forms a 180° reflection element after horizontal mirroring, the 45° reflection element forms a 225° reflection element after horizontal mirroring, the 90° reflection element forms a 270° reflection element after horizontal mirroring, and the 135° reflection element forms a 315° reflection element after horizontal mirroring. The 0° reflection element, the 45° reflection element, the 90° reflection element, the 135° reflection element, the 180° reflection element, the 225° reflection element, the 270° reflection element and the 315° reflection element are arranged in an array according to the 3-bit array technology. The principle of this design is to achieve phase compensation and polarization twisting of the incident electromagnetic wave through the combination of reflection units 20 with different phases, thereby optimizing the radiation performance of the antenna. In this way, the gain and aperture efficiency of the antenna are significantly improved, while the profile height is reduced, and the stability and reliability of the antenna in harsh environments are enhanced.

[0058] The usage process is to first optimize the size parameters of the reflection unit 20 through simulation software, then process and manufacture the folded reflection array antenna, and finally integrate it into the communication system. The electromagnetic waves are fed through the feeding device 50. The polarization grid 30 and the reflection unit 20 work together to achieve efficient reflection and phase control of the electromagnetic waves, ensuring the good radiation performance of the antenna at a frequency of 10 GHz.

[0059] It should be noted that the 0° reflector, 45° reflector, 90° reflector, 135° reflector, 180° reflector, 225° reflector, 270° reflector and 315° reflector realize 3-bit phase quantization. Within the frequency range of 9.0-10.6 GHz, the reflection amplitudes of the reflection units 20 in these eight states are all above -1dB, which can realize efficient polarization twisting of the incident wave.

[0060] like Figures 1 to 3 as well as Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, in this embodiment, in the direction from the center of the substrate 10 to the periphery of the substrate 10, a 0° reflector, a 45° reflector, a 90° reflector, a 135° reflector, a 180° reflector, a 225° reflector, a 270° reflector and a 315° reflector are arranged in sequence. The principle of the above design is to achieve phase compensation and polarization twisting of the incident electromagnetic wave by arranging the reflective units 20 with different phases in sequence from the center of the substrate 10 to the periphery, thereby optimizing the radiation performance of the antenna. In this way, the gain and aperture efficiency of the antenna are significantly improved, while the profile height is reduced, and the stability and reliability of the antenna in harsh environments are enhanced.

[0061] The usage process is to first optimize the size parameters of the reflection unit 20 through simulation software, then process and manufacture the folded reflection array antenna, and finally integrate it into the communication system. The electromagnetic waves are fed through the feeding device 50. The polarization grid 30 and the reflection unit 20 work together to achieve efficient reflection and phase control of the electromagnetic waves, ensuring the good radiation performance of the antenna at a frequency of 10 GHz.

[0062] Specifically, the phase compensation rule of the reflective unit 20: the distribution of the reflective unit 20 shows a rule of diffusion from the center to the periphery, and the reflective units 20 of the array realize phase compensation in different ranges according to their positions. That is, starting from the center, the units are arranged in increasing phase states such as Element 0°, Element 45°, Element 90°, Element 135°, etc., and each state of the reflective unit 20 covers a phase range of 45° to perform phase compensation.

[0063] The number and proportion of the reflective unit 20: In a specific embodiment, the number of elements 0° to Element 315° and their proportion in the total units have a specific distribution, for example, the number of Element 0° units is 89, accounting for 14.24%; the number of Element 90° units is 88, accounting for 14.08%, etc. This shows that the distribution and number of units are designed to achieve a specific phase compensation effect and antenna performance.

[0064] Phase quantization rule of the reflection unit 20: The unit distribution of the folded reflection array antenna realizes 3-bit phase quantization, that is, the phase is controlled by new gap lengths D of different sizes to form units with eight states of 0°, 45°, 90°, 135°, 180°, 225°, 270° and 315°. The units in these eight states can cover a phase range of 360° and realize 3-bit phase control.

[0065] The mirror operation rule of the reflection unit 20: Element 0°, Element 45°, Element 90°, Element 135° are obtained as Element 180°, Element 225°, Element 270°, Element 315° respectively through horizontal mirror operation, and the unit reflection amplitude curves before and after the mirroring completely overlap, while the reflection phase differs by 180°, which indicates that the unit design of the invention has mirror symmetry.

[0066] From the above content, it can be seen that the reflection unit 20 includes a plurality of reflection units 20 arranged according to a 3-bit phase quantization rule. The reflection units 20 are diffusely arranged from the center to the periphery in the order of Element 0° to Element 315°. Each state of the reflection unit 20 covers a 45° phase range, and phase compensation and phase quantization are achieved through mirroring operations.

[0067] The number of reflection units 20 from Element 0° to Element 315° has a specific distribution to achieve a specific phase compensation effect, and occupies a defined proportion in the total reflection units 20, such as the number of Element 0° reflection units 20 is 14.24% of the total reflection units 20, the number of Element 45° units is 13.44% of the total reflection units 20, etc.

[0068] Specific distribution rules:

[0069] The number of reflective units 20 is 25*25=625, and the reflective units 20 are arranged in a diffuse distribution from the center to the periphery, that is, the central area is Element 0°, and the outwards are Element 45°, Element 90°, Element 135°, etc. Because the shape of the array involved is rectangular rather than circular, the visual pattern is not obvious at the outermost periphery.

[0070] 1. The middle unit is Element 0°, and the number of middle units is 29. The actual required phase is 0°-45°, and Element 0° is used for phase compensation.

[0071] 2. The reflective unit 20 further out is Element 45°, which is 32 in total. The actual required phase is 45°-90°, and Element 45° is used for phase compensation.

[0072] 3. Further out are Element 90°, which is 28 in total. The actual required phase is 90°-135°, and Element 90° is used for phase compensation.

[0073] 4. Further out are Element 135°, which is 32 in total. The actual required phase is 135°-180°, and Element 135° is used for phase compensation.

[0074] 5. Further out are Element 180°, which is 24 in total. The actual required phase is 180°-225°, and Element 180° is used for phase compensation.

[0075] 6. Further out are Element 225°, which is 32 in total. The actual required phase is 225°-270°, and Element 225° is used for phase compensation.

[0076] 7. Further out are Element 270°, which is 36 in total. The actual required phase is 270°-315°, and Element 270° is used for phase compensation.

[0077] 8. Further out are Element 315°, which is 28 in total. The actual required phase is 315°-360°, and Element 315° is used for phase compensation.

[0078] 9. Further out is Element 0°, which is 36 in total. The actual required phase is 0°-45°, and Element 0° is used for phase compensation.

[0079] 10. Further out are Element 45°, which has 28 elements.

[0080] 11. Further out are Element 90°, which is 44 in total.

[0081] 12. Further out are Element 135°, which has 24 elements.

[0082] 13. Further out are Element 180°, which is 48 in total.

[0083] 14. Further out are Element 225°, which is 16 in total.

[0084] 15. Further out are Element 270°, which has 52 elements.

[0085] 16. Further out is Element 315°, which has 28 elements.

[0086] 17. Further out is Element 0°, which has 16 elements.

[0087] 18. Further out are Element 45°, which is 24 in total.

[0088] 19. Further out are Element 90°, which is 12 in total.

[0089] 20. Further out are Element 135°, which has 16 elements.

[0090] 21. Further out are Element 180°, which is 8 in total.

[0091] 22. Further out are Element 225°, which is 8 in total.

[0092] 22. Further out are Element 270°, which is 12 in total.

[0093] 23. Further out is Element 0°, which has 8 elements.

[0094] 24. Further out are Element 90°, which is 4 in total.

[0095] The number of Element 0° reflection units 20 is 89, accounting for 14.24%.

[0096] The number of Element 45° reflection units 20 is 84, accounting for 13.44%.

[0097] The number of Element 90° reflection units 20 is 88, accounting for 14.08%.

[0098] The number of Element 135° reflection units 20 is 72, accounting for 11.52%.

[0099] The number of Element 180° reflective units 20 is 80, accounting for 12.8%.

[0100] The number of Element 225° reflection units 20 is 56, accounting for 8.96%.

[0101] The number of Element 270° reflective units 20 is 100, accounting for 16%.

[0102] The number of Element 315° reflective units 20 is 56, accounting for 8.96%.

[0103] like Figure 7 As shown, in this embodiment, the polarization grid 30 includes a plurality of metal strips 31 arranged at intervals, the distance between any two adjacent metal strips 31 is between 1 mm and 2 mm, and the thickness of the polarization grid 30 is between 0.2 mm and 0.6 mm. The principle of the above design is to achieve polarization selection of the incident electromagnetic wave by accurately controlling the distance between the metal strips 31 and the thickness of the polarization grid 30, thereby optimizing the radiation performance of the antenna. This significantly improves the gain and aperture efficiency of the antenna, while reducing the profile height, and enhancing the stability and reliability of the antenna in harsh environments.

[0104] The usage process is to first optimize the size parameters of the reflection unit 20 through simulation software, then process and manufacture the folded reflection array antenna, and finally integrate it into the communication system. The electromagnetic waves are fed through the feeding device 50. The polarization grid 30 and the reflection unit 20 work together to achieve efficient reflection and polarization selection of electromagnetic waves, ensuring the good radiation performance of the antenna at a frequency of 10 GHz.

[0105] like Figure 7 As shown, in this embodiment, the polarization grid 30 includes a plurality of metal strips 31 with a width of 1.5 mm, the spacing between the metal strips 31 is 1.5 mm, and the thickness of the polarization grid 30 is 0.4 mm. In the working frequency band, when the incident wave is x-polarized, the reflection amplitude of the polarization grid 30 is about 0 dB, and the transmission amplitude is about -57 dB, which means that the x-polarized wave parallel to the metal strips 31 cannot be transmitted from the polarization grid 30 and is completely reflected by the polarization grid 30; when the incident wave is y-polarized, the reflection amplitude of the polarization grid 30 is about -21 dB, and the transmission amplitude of the polarization grid 30 is almost 0 dB, which indicates that the polarization grid 30 has a good transmission performance for the y-polarized wave perpendicular thereto.

[0106] like Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, there is an air layer 60 between the substrate 10 and the reflective unit 20. The principle of the above design is to use the air layer 60 as a medium to reduce the electromagnetic interference between the reflective unit 20 and the substrate 10, thereby optimizing the radiation performance of the antenna. In turn, the gain and aperture efficiency of the antenna are significantly improved, while the profile height is reduced, and the stability and reliability of the antenna in harsh environments are enhanced.

[0107] The usage process is to first optimize the size parameters of the reflection unit 20 through simulation software, then process and manufacture the folded reflection array antenna, and finally integrate it into the communication system. The electromagnetic waves are fed through the feeding device 50. The polarization grid 30 and the reflection unit 20 work together to achieve efficient reflection and phase control of the electromagnetic waves. At the same time, the existence of the air layer 60 reduces electromagnetic interference and ensures the good radiation performance of the antenna at a frequency of 10 GHz.

[0108] Depend on Fig.11 and Fig.12 It can be seen that at 10GHz, the simulated and measured radiation patterns of the E-plane and H-plane of the folded reflectarray antenna are basically consistent. The main lobe direction of the E-plane is at 0°, which is consistent with the design. The measured sidelobe level and cross-polarization of the E-plane are -18dB and -34dB respectively, and the measured sidelobe level and cross-polarization of the H-plane are -18dB and -38dB respectively.

[0109] Depend on Fig.13 and Fig.14 It can be seen that the measured radiation patterns of the E-plane and H-plane of the folded reflectarray antenna at different frequencies are relatively stable.

[0110] Depend on Fig.15It can be seen that the measurement results of the folded reflectarray antenna show that the gain at 10GHz is 28.5dBi and the maximum aperture efficiency is 45%. At the same time, the all-metal folded reflectarray antenna can achieve a 1-dB gain bandwidth of 16% and a 3-dB gain bandwidth of 21%.

[0111] In the description of the present invention, it is necessary to understand that the directions or positional relationships indicated by directional words such as "front, back, up, down, left, right", "lateral, vertical, perpendicular, horizontal" and "top, bottom" are usually based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description. Unless otherwise specified, these directional words do not indicate or imply that the devices or elements referred to must have a specific direction or be constructed and operated in a specific direction. Therefore, they cannot be understood as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention. The directional words "inside and outside" refer to the inside and outside relative to the contours of each component itself.

[0112] For ease of description, spatially relative terms such as "above", "above", "on the upper surface of", "above", etc. may be used here to describe the spatial positional relationship between a device or feature and other devices or features as shown in the figure. It should be understood that spatially relative terms are intended to include different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation described in the figure. For example, if the device in the accompanying drawings is inverted, the device described as "above other devices or structures" or "above other devices or structures" will be positioned as "below other devices or structures" or "below other devices or structures". Thus, the exemplary term "above" can include both "above" and "below". The device can also be positioned in other different ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptions used here are interpreted accordingly.

[0113] In addition, it should be noted that the use of terms such as "first" and "second" to limit components is only for the convenience of distinguishing the corresponding components. If not otherwise stated, the above terms have no special meaning and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0114] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. For those skilled in the art, the present invention may have various modifications and variations. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention shall be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A folded reflectarray antenna, characterized in that: include: A base plate (10), wherein a avoidance hole (11) is provided at the center of the base plate (10); A plurality of reflection units (20) arranged in an array on the substrate (10); A polarization grid (30) is arranged above the substrate (10); A support member (40) is arranged between the substrate (10) and the polarization grid (30); A feeding element (50) is arranged below the substrate (10) and corresponds to the avoidance hole (11); The reflection unit (20) comprises a metal frame (21), a rectangular metal piece (22) arranged in the metal frame (21), a first metal connecting piece (23) connected between the rectangular metal piece (22) and the metal frame (21), and a second metal connecting piece (24) connected between the rectangular metal piece (22) and the metal frame (21) and arranged at a distance from the first metal connecting piece (23).

2. The folded reflectarray antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer shape of the metal frame (21) and the outer shape of the rectangular metal piece (22) are similar figures.

3. The folded reflectarray antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rectangular metal piece (22) has a first side (221), a second side (222), a third side (223) and a fourth side (224); the first side (221) and the third side (223) are arranged opposite to each other, the second side (222) and the fourth side (224) are arranged opposite to each other, the first metal connecting piece (23) is connected between the first side (221) and the metal frame (21), and the second metal connecting piece (24) is connected between the second side (222) and the metal frame (21).

4. The folded reflectarray antenna according to claim 3, characterized in that: The distance between the second side (222) and the metal frame (21) is equal to the distance between the third side (223) and the metal frame (21).

5. The folded reflectarray antenna according to claim 3, characterized in that: The distance between the fourth side (224) and the first metal connector (23) is D1, the distance between the second side (222) and the first metal connector (23) is D2, and the length of D1 is adjustable to achieve a change in the reflection phase of the reflection unit (20).

6. The folded reflectarray antenna according to claim 5, characterized in that: The length of D1 is between 0.5 mm and 5 mm, and the length of D2 is between 0.5 mm and 1.5 mm.

7. The folded reflectarray antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: The plurality of reflective units (20) include a 0° reflective element, a 45° reflective element, a 90° reflective element and a 135° reflective element. The 0° reflective element is horizontally mirrored to form a 180° reflective element. The 45° reflective element is horizontally mirrored to form a 225° reflective element. The 90° reflective element is horizontally mirrored to form a 270° reflective element. The 135° reflective element is horizontally mirrored to form a 315° reflective element. The 0° reflective element, the 45° reflective element, the 90° reflective element, the 135° reflective element, the 180° reflective element, the 225° reflective element, the 270° reflective element and the 315° reflective element are arranged in an array according to a 3-bit array technology.

8. The folded reflectarray antenna according to claim 7, characterized in that: In the direction from the center of the substrate (10) to the periphery of the substrate (10), the 0° reflector, the 45° reflector, the 90° reflector, the 135° reflector, the 180° reflector, the 225° reflector, the 270° reflector and the 315° reflector are arranged in sequence.

9. The folded reflectarray antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: The polarization grid (30) comprises a plurality of metal strips (31) arranged at intervals, the distance between any two adjacent metal strips (31) is between 1 mm and 2 mm, and the thickness of the polarization grid (30) is between 0.2 mm and 0.6 mm.

10. The folded reflectarray antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: An air layer (60) is provided between the substrate (10) and the reflection unit (20).

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