Novel metal-loaded dielectric radiator aperture antenna

Abstract

The invention relates to a novel metal-loaded dielectric radiator aperture antenna, which comprises a metal floor, a slot antenna array and a dielectric radiator are loaded on the metal floor, electromagnetic wave radiation is generated through diffraction length at the edge of the dielectric radiator so as to increase the gain of the antenna, and a ridge waveguide feed network is arranged at the back of the metal floor. A feed SMA interface is arranged on the ridge waveguide feed network, and the ridge waveguide feed network serves as an excitation source of the antenna to excite a radiation pattern of the whole antenna through the feed SMA interface. According to the invention, the height of the medium radiator and the material filling rate are flexibly regulated and controlled by using the 3D printing technology, so that accurate regulation and control of the radiation pattern are realized, and low sidelobe control of the antenna radiation pattern is realized; by using the metal loading sheet on the dielectric radiator in the antenna, the radiation intensity of an edge diffraction field of the dielectric radiator is enhanced, a high-gain wave beam is realized at low cost, and the antenna has great superiority.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of antennas, and in particular to a novel metal-loaded dielectric radiator aperture antenna. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of wireless communication technologies and the popularization of Internet of Things (IoT) applications, the demand for high-speed data transmission and wireless connection has increased explosively. Traditional communication spectrum resources (such as LTE and Sub-6) have gradually become difficult to meet the growing demand for data capacity and data transmission rate. Therefore, exploring and developing antenna technologies operating in higher frequency bands (such as X-band and millimeter wave) has become a research hotspot. These antennas, with their advantages of miniaturization and high gain, show great application potential in the field of wireless communication. Among the numerous application scenarios of the IoT, automotive radar imaging technology plays a crucial role, especially in autonomous driving systems. The realization of autonomous driving technology highly depends on the accurate perception of the surrounding environment by the automotive radar system, and high-gain antennas are the key components to ensure the performance of the radar system. High-gain antennas can effectively compensate for the path loss of signals during transmission, thereby improving the detection accuracy and reliability of the radar system and safeguarding the safe driving of autonomous vehicles.

[0003] In recent years, researchers have proposed various design schemes for high-gain antennas, including reflector antennas, reflectarray / transmitarray antennas, and lens antennas, etc. These antennas can concentrate electromagnetic wave energy in a specific direction to achieve high-gain radiation. However, these traditional design schemes often have disadvantages such as large volume, complex structure, and high cost, and are difficult to meet the requirements of large-scale commercial applications. In contrast, single-plane antenna arrays, with their advantages of compact structure, low cost, and easy integration, have become an ideal choice for the antenna design of automotive radar systems. However, in order to achieve high-gain radiation, single-plane antenna arrays usually require a large physical size, which will lead to the complication of the feeding network and introduce additional losses, thus limiting the improvement of their performance.

[0004] To overcome the above challenges, researchers have proposed using parasitic elements as radiators loaded in the aperture to replace the complex feeding network in traditional antenna arrays. This method can simplify the antenna structure and reduce the manufacturing cost while achieving high-gain radiation. For example, some research has enhanced the antenna gain by loading metal sheets between current-fed elements, and some research has used artificial magnetic conductors or dielectric plates as generalized parasitic elements. In addition, methods using multiple rectangular dielectric plates and circular ring dielectric plates to enhance the antenna gain have also been proposed. These methods enhance the radiation performance of the antenna by exciting the diffraction field at the edge of the dielectric plate and using it as a secondary radiation source. However, relying solely on the radiation ability of the diffraction field at the edge of the dielectric plate is limited, resulting in low antenna aperture efficiency, high side lobe level, and insufficient control ability over the radiation pattern. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, and provide a new type of metal-loaded dielectric radiator aperture antenna, which solves the deficiencies existing in the prior art.

[0006] The object of the present invention is achieved by the following technical solutions: A new type of metal-loaded dielectric radiator aperture antenna, which includes a metal floor, on which a slot antenna array and a dielectric radiator are loaded. Electromagnetic wave radiation is generated through the diffraction length at the edge of the dielectric radiator to increase the gain of the antenna. A ridge waveguide feeding network is arranged on the back of the metal floor, and a feeding SMA interface is arranged on the ridge waveguide feeding network. The ridge waveguide feeding network, as the excitation source of the antenna, excites the radiation pattern of the entire antenna through the feeding SMA interface.

[0007] Four dielectric radiators, two long and two short, are loaded on the metal floor. The two long dielectric radiators are arranged on the outside of the metal floor, and the two short dielectric radiators at both ends are arranged between the two long dielectric radiators. The four dielectric radiators are arranged at equal intervals, and the filling materials of the four dielectric radiators are different, and the dielectric constants are different.

[0008] Metal loading sheets are loaded on the outside of the two long dielectric radiators to enhance the radiation intensity at the edge of the dielectric radiator, improve the radiation efficiency and the aperture efficiency of the antenna.

[0009] The height and material filling rate of the dielectric radiator are regulated by 3D printing technology to realize the regulation of the antenna radiation pattern and the low sidelobe control of the antenna radiation pattern.

[0010] The present invention has the following advantages: A new type of metal-loaded dielectric radiator aperture antenna flexibly regulates the height and material filling rate of the dielectric radiator by 3D printing technology to realize the precise regulation of the radiation pattern and achieve the low sidelobe control of the antenna radiation pattern; by using the metal loading sheet on the dielectric radiator in the antenna, the radiation intensity of the diffraction field at the edge of the dielectric radiator is enhanced, and a high-gain beam is realized at low cost, which has great superiority; by using the slot antenna array as the driving unit and the ridge waveguide as the feeding network, the minimum spacing of the antenna is realized, which not only improves the radiation aperture of the antenna but also reduces the sidelobe of the radiation pattern. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of the present invention; In the figure: 1-SMA feeding interface, 2-dielectric radiator, 3-slot array antenna, 4-metal floor, 5-metal loading sheet, 6-ridge waveguide feeding network. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0012] To make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part rather than all of the embodiments of this application. Components of the embodiments of this application usually described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings here can be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the detailed description of the embodiments of this application provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the protection scope of this application claimed, but merely represents the selected embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative efforts fall within the protection scope of this application. The following further describes the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0013] The present invention specifically relates to a novel metal-loaded dielectric radiator aperture antenna. Its core principle lies in utilizing the diffraction effect of the dielectric radiator 2 and the radiation enhancement effect of the metal loading sheet 5 to achieve precise regulation of electromagnetic waves. By adding the metal loading sheet 5 on the top of the dielectric radiator 2, the radiation ability of the diffraction field is effectively enhanced, and the overall aperture efficiency is improved. At the same time, based on the great freedom brought by the advanced 3D printing technology, the dielectric radiator 2 with different material filling rates is equivalent to the dielectric radiator 2 with different dielectric constants, and at the same time, it is combined with the metal loading sheet 5, which not only enhances the radiation intensity at the edge of the dielectric radiator 2, but also realizes precise control of the antenna radiation pattern, thus designing a high-performance antenna applicable to automotive radar systems and Internet of Things devices, with broad application prospects.

[0014] As Figure 1 shown, it includes a metal floor 4, on which a slot antenna array 3 and a dielectric radiator 2 are loaded. Electromagnetic wave radiation is generated through the diffraction length at the edge of the dielectric radiator 2 to increase the gain of the antenna. A ridge waveguide feeding network 6 is arranged on the back of the metal floor 4, and a feeding SMA interface 1 is arranged on the ridge waveguide feeding network 6. The ridge waveguide feeding network 6, as the excitation source of the antenna, excites the radiation pattern of the entire antenna through the feeding SMA interface 1.

[0015] Furthermore, four dielectric radiators 2, two long ones and two short ones, are loaded on the metal floor 4. The two long dielectric radiators 2 are arranged on the outside of the metal floor 4, and the two short dielectric radiators 2 at both ends are arranged between the two long dielectric radiators 2, and the four dielectric radiators 2 are arranged at equal intervals.

[0016] According to the propagation principle of the electromagnetic field, electromagnetic waves are propagated by the central slot antenna and can be regarded as propagating outward from a point source. The propagation area increases from small to large. Therefore, two sets of dielectric radiators 2 with one short and one long are used, which conforms to the electromagnetic wave propagation law, enables each dielectric radiator to be utilized maximally, and saves costs.

[0017] Metal loading sheets 5 are loaded on the outer sides of the two long dielectric radiators 2 to enhance the radiation intensity at the edges of the dielectric radiators 2, improve the radiation efficiency and the aperture efficiency of the antenna.

[0018] The height and material filling rate of the dielectric radiator 2 are regulated by 3D printing technology to achieve the regulation of the antenna radiation pattern and the low sidelobe control of the antenna radiation pattern.

[0019] The working principle of the present invention is as follows: Using the basic slot antenna radiation principle, a slot antenna array 3 is realized on the metal floor 4, and a corresponding feeding network is designed. At the same time, in order to minimize the sidelobes of the radiation pattern of the slot antenna array 3, the spacing between each slot antenna unit is minimized as much as possible. A ridge waveguide feeding network 6 is adopted in the metal feeding network to reduce the length of the equivalent wavelength of the electromagnetic wave, achieve a low profile in the driving antenna radiation pattern, and at the same time load a series of dielectric radiators 2 on the radiation aperture of the original slot antenna array 3 to increase the radiation aperture of the original antenna and improve the radiation gain. At the same time, in order to make up for the problem that the intensity of the edge diffraction radiation field of the dielectric radiator 2 is relatively small, a metal loading sheet 5 is arranged on the upper surface of the dielectric radiator 2 to enhance the radiation intensity, improve the radiation efficiency and the peak gain.

[0020] Furthermore, in order to achieve precise regulation of the antenna radiation pattern, an advanced 3D printing technology is adopted to flexibly change the size and material filling rate of each dielectric radiator 2, realize the flexible layout of the antenna radiator, and thus achieve flexible and precise regulation of the radiation pattern to realize a radiation pattern with low sidelobes and high gain. The feeding uses a 50-ohm SMA (3.5mm) interface. The designed frequency band of the antenna is the radar application frequency band (10.1 GHz - 10.6 GHz).

[0021] The above is only the preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the form disclosed herein, should not be regarded as excluding other embodiments, but can be used in various other combinations, modifications and improvements, and can be changed within the scope of the concept described herein through the above teachings or the technology or knowledge in related fields. And any changes and modifications made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention shall fall within the protection scope of the appended claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A novel metal-loaded dielectric radiator aperture antenna, characterized in that: The invention comprises a metal floor (4), on which a slot antenna array (3) and a dielectric radiator (2) are loaded, and electromagnetic wave radiation is generated through the diffraction length of the edge of the dielectric radiator (2) to increase the gain of the antenna. A ridge waveguide feeding network (6) is arranged on the back of the metal floor (4), and a feeding SMA interface (1) is arranged on the ridge waveguide feeding network (6). The ridge waveguide feeding network (6) serves as an excitation source of the antenna to excite the radiation pattern of the entire antenna through the feeding SMA interface (1).

2. A novel metal-loaded dielectric radiator aperture antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: The metal floor (4) is loaded with four dielectric radiators (2), two long and two short, the two long dielectric radiators (2) being arranged outside the metal floor (4), the short dielectric radiators (2) at both ends being arranged between the two long dielectric radiators (2), and the four dielectric radiators (2) being arranged at equal intervals, and the filling materials of the four dielectric radiators (2) being different and having different dielectric constants.

3. A novel metal-loaded dielectric radiator aperture antenna according to claim 2, characterized in that: Metal loading sheets (5) are loaded on the outsides of the two long dielectric radiators (2), and the metal loading sheets (5) enhance the radiation intensity at the edges of the dielectric radiators (2), thereby improving the radiation efficiency and the aperture efficiency of the antenna.

4. A novel metal-loaded dielectric radiator aperture antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: The height and material filling rate of the dielectric radiator (2) are regulated by 3D printing technology, thereby achieving regulation of the antenna radiation pattern and low sidelobe control of the antenna radiation pattern.

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