Broadband common-caliber phased array antenna

Abstract

The invention provides a dual-broadband common-caliber phased-array antenna, and belongs to the technical field of array antennae, the antenna array is composed of a * b low-frequency antenna units and (2a * 2b) n high-frequency antenna units, and a compact arrangement layout is realized by multiplexing a high-frequency antenna structure as a low-frequency radiation structure. The high-frequency antenna unit adopts a waveguide, a horn or a Vivaldi broadband antenna and the like formed by a metal structure, and is used for realizing broadband radiation of a high frequency band; and the low-frequency antenna unit forms a broadband magnetoelectric dipole antenna radiation structure by multiplexing the metal structure of the high-frequency unit. According to the invention, through structure multiplexing, the space utilization efficiency is improved, and the double-broadband characteristic is realized. Meanwhile, by adjusting the structure of the high-frequency antenna unit and the low-frequency feed mode, various polarization forms can be realized, and the adaptability of the antenna is enhanced. In addition, due to the compact arrangement of the radiation units, the unit spacing is reduced, and the wide-angle scanning performance of the array is remarkably improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of co-aperture antennas, and in particular to a dual-broadband co-aperture phased array antenna. Background Art

[0002] As the demand for multi-band and multi-functional antennas in modern communications and radar systems continues to increase, co-aperture phased array antennas have become the focus of research in this field due to their high space utilization, compact structure, and multi-frequency sharing. Co-aperture antennas integrate multi-band, multi-polarization, or different functional antenna units in the same aperture plane, achieving simultaneous reception and transmission of multi-band signals, and are widely used in satellite communications, electronic countermeasures, radar detection, and other fields. Especially in limited spaces, the application of co-aperture phased array antennas is particularly critical.

[0003] Traditional dual-band co-aperture antenna designs often have the problem of limited bandwidth. The improvement of bandwidth performance is limited by the electromagnetic coupling between antenna units and the physical limitations of the structure. Existing broadband design methods usually use solutions such as tightly coupled arrays, dipole arrays, and waveguide structures. These solutions can expand the bandwidth to a certain extent, but due to the complex design and the arrangement between antenna units, it is difficult to achieve bandwidth expansion in two frequency bands. In addition, the arrangement method increases the coupling effect between antenna units, further limiting the isolation and overall performance of the antenna.

[0004] The Chinese invention patent application with publication number CN201710725935 discloses that the dual-frequency co-aperture function is realized by reusing part of the structure in the antenna unit of the Ku band and the Ka band. This solution has significant structural compactness and space utilization. By reusing the structural design of substrate integrated waveguide and metal waveguide, efficient radiation of two frequency bands within one physical aperture plane is realized. However, its bandwidth performance is limited by the feeding structure and the design of the radiation unit. It has insufficient expansion capability in wide-band applications and is difficult to meet the large bandwidth requirements of high-frequency and low-frequency bands at the same time.

[0005] In summary, it is currently difficult for dual-frequency co-aperture antennas to achieve broadband coverage in both high-frequency and low-frequency bands. The bandwidth performance is subject to the physical limitations of electromagnetic coupling and radiation structure between units, and it is difficult to meet the broadband performance requirements of modern communications and radar systems. In existing solutions, high-frequency and low-frequency antenna units are often designed separately, and dual-band functions are achieved through staggered arrangements. This design not only leads to a complex structure and increases the overall volume of the antenna, but also reduces the aperture utilization rate and fails to give full play to the advantages of co-aperture antennas. Traditional designs cannot fully integrate high-frequency and low-frequency functions, and at the same time achieve multi-band sharing and radiation in a limited space, which limits the system's integration capabilities and scope of application. Summary of the invention

[0006] The present invention aims to provide a dual-broadband co-aperture phased array antenna to solve the technical bottleneck of existing co-aperture antennas in terms of bandwidth. The solution is based on the reuse of magnetic electric dipole structures, and achieves efficient dual-band broadband integration by reusing electric dipoles, realizing a compact dual-band co-aperture layout and improving bandwidth performance.

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is:

[0008] A dual-broadband co-aperture phased array antenna, the antenna array includes a×b low-frequency antenna units and (2a×2b)n high-frequency antenna units. By reusing the high-frequency antenna structure as a low-frequency radiation structure, a compact layout and dual-broadband characteristics are achieved. The high-frequency antenna unit adopts a broadband antenna such as a waveguide, horn or Vivaldi composed of a metal structure to achieve broadband radiation in the high-frequency band. The low-frequency magneto-electric dipole antenna unit forms an electric dipole of a low-frequency radiation structure by reusing the metal structure of the high-frequency antenna, and each low-frequency unit is composed of (2×2)n high-frequency units and a feed source. The frequency ratio of the antenna can be controlled by the ratio of the high-frequency and low-frequency units. Any frequency ratio can be achieved.

[0009] The polarization mode of high-frequency antenna is determined by the antenna structure and feed structure, and there are various polarization modes, such as linear polarization of waveguide structure, dual polarization of orthogonal mode coupler structure, dual circular polarization realized by polarizer, etc. The polarization of low-frequency antenna is determined by the feed structure, and its polarization mode is also diverse and not limited to linear polarization. Multiple polarizations can also be realized by adjusting the feed structure. The feed structure can be fed by different feed methods such as slot, L-type probe, SIW, etc.

[0010] Beneficial effects of the present invention: Through the reuse of magnetoelectric dipole structures, the bandwidth range of the antenna is effectively expanded, dual broadband characteristics are achieved, and the requirements of multi-band communication systems for broadband performance are met. A dual-frequency common aperture design is adopted, and by reusing the metal structure of the high-frequency antenna, a common aperture of high and low frequency bands is achieved, which improves the space utilization efficiency, and the compact structure is suitable for multi-band integration in a limited space. Multiple polarizations can be achieved by changing the high-frequency antenna unit structure and changing the low-frequency feed source, which enhances the adaptability of the antenna; based on the compact arrangement of the radiator based on structural reuse and the small unit spacing, the wide-angle scanning characteristics of the array are improved.

[0011] Additional advantages of the present invention will be more clearly given in the following description or learned through the practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other accompanying drawings can be obtained based on these accompanying drawings without paying creative work.

[0013] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the dual-broadband co-aperture phased array antenna unit according to an embodiment of the present invention at different frequency ratios.

[0014] Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of a dual-broadband co-aperture phased array antenna according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 3 It is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the dual-broadband common-aperture phased array antenna of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 4 This is a main structural diagram of the dual-broadband common-aperture phased array antenna of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 5 This is a top view of the structure of the dual-broadband common-aperture phased array antenna of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 6 It is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the low-frequency unit in the dual-broadband co-aperture phased array antenna example described in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 7 This is a side view structural diagram of the low-frequency unit in the dual-broadband co-aperture phased array antenna example described in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 8 Active voltage standing wave ratio of the array center unit, (a) low frequency band, (b) high frequency band.

[0021] Fig. 9 Scanning patterns of the array at 15 GHz: (a) E-plane scanning, (b) H-plane scanning.

[0022] Fig.10 Scanning patterns of the array at 30 GHz: (a) E-plane scanning, (b) H-plane scanning.

[0023] Among them: 1-high frequency antenna unit; 2-low frequency electric dipole; 3-low frequency unit; 4-high frequency antenna unit; 5-low frequency antenna feeding structure; 6-high frequency matching dielectric cone; 7-high frequency antenna feeding structure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, and examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements with the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below by the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and cannot be interpreted as limiting the present invention.

[0025] It should be understood by those skilled in the art that unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention belongs.

[0026] It should also be understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be understood to have a meaning consistent with that in the context of the prior art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless as defined herein.

[0027] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that, unless otherwise stated, the singular forms "a", "an", "said" and "the" used herein may also include plural forms. It should be further understood that the term "comprising" used in the specification of the present invention refers to the presence of the features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or groups thereof.

[0028] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. Different embodiments or examples described in this specification and features of different embodiments or examples may be combined and combined by those skilled in the art without contradiction.

[0029] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, the present invention is further explained below with reference to specific embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and the specific embodiments do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments of the present invention.

[0030] Those skilled in the art should understand that the drawings are merely schematic diagrams of embodiments, and the components in the drawings are not necessarily necessary for implementing the present invention.

[0031] The unit topology structure of the dual broadband common aperture phased array antenna of the present invention is as follows: Figure 1The figure shows the structural arrangement under different numbers of high-frequency units. The radiation structure of the antenna is mainly composed of two parts: the high-frequency antenna unit 1, which uses a wideband antenna such as a waveguide, horn or Vivaldi made of a metal structure to provide broadband radiation in the high-frequency band; the low-frequency electric dipole 2 is formed by reusing the metal structure of the high-frequency unit. Figure 2 The figure shows the array topology of the dual-bandwidth co-aperture phased array antenna, which consists of a*b dual-frequency co-aperture antenna units 3. By reusing the high-frequency structure, a compact layout is achieved, providing the necessary basis for wide-angle scanning. In addition, the multi-mode resonance of the magnetoelectric dipole structure effectively expands the bandwidth, ensuring that the antenna can maintain a wide working bandwidth in both high and low frequency bands.

[0032] In a specific embodiment, Figures 3 to 5 As shown, the dual-wideband co-aperture phased array antenna is mainly composed of the following parts: a high-frequency antenna 4, a low-frequency antenna feeding structure 5, a high-frequency matching dielectric cone 6, and a low-frequency antenna feeding structure 7. In this embodiment, in the antenna structure design, the high-frequency antenna unit adopts a SIW-fed cone antenna with broadband characteristics to ensure the broadband characteristics of the high-frequency band. The low-frequency magneto-electric dipole antenna unit forms a magneto-electric dipole structure with broadband characteristics by inserting a high-frequency feeding structure between 2×2 high-frequency units. Both frequency bands are fed through a broadband GCPW to SIW structure, thereby ensuring the integration and bandwidth performance of the feeding system. In addition, the frequency ratio in the design is approximately 2. Figure 6 to Figure 7 As shown, the detailed structure of the array unit is shown.

[0033] In this embodiment, the voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) of the central unit is as follows: Figure 8 As shown in (a) and (b), the low-frequency bandwidth is 12 to 19 GHz, the high-frequency bandwidth is 28 to 48 GHz, and the VSWR is less than 2. In addition, the H-plane and E-plane scanning results of the array at 15 GHz and 30 GHz are shown in Fig. 9 (a), (b) and Fig.10 As shown in (a) and (b), both frequency bands can achieve a scanning range of ±60°.

[0034] In addition to the specific form described in this embodiment, the high-frequency part of the structure can also be designed in a diversified manner according to needs, such as using a speaker with broadband characteristics, a circular polarizer and other structures. The feeding method is not limited to the description of this embodiment, and a variety of solutions such as L-type probe feeding, coaxial feeding, and waveguide can be selected. In addition, the frequency ratio can be flexibly adjusted according to the number of high-frequency units, and the scale of the antenna array can also be expanded to any configuration to meet application requirements such as higher gain.

[0035] In summary, the embodiment of the present invention proposes a broadband dual-frequency common aperture phased array antenna based on magnetoelectric dipole structure reuse, which realizes the common aperture of high-frequency and low-frequency bands by reusing the metal structure of the high-frequency antenna in the low-frequency radiation unit. The design includes the overall layout and structural optimization of the high-frequency antenna unit and the low-frequency magnetoelectric dipole antenna that reuses the metal structure of the high-frequency antenna; at the same time, a broadband feeding method (such as GCPW to SIW, L-type probe, slot feeding, etc.) is adopted to ensure the broadband matching of the array antenna in the high and low frequency bands, which significantly improves the performance and applicability of the antenna.

[0036] Although the above describes the specific implementation mode of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications or variations that can be made by those skilled in the art without creative work on the basis of the technical solution disclosed in the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A dual broadband co-aperture phased array antenna, characterized in that: The phased array realizes a compact dual-frequency co-aperture layout by reusing the high-frequency antenna structure as the low-frequency radiation structure; the high-frequency antenna unit can use waveguides, horns or Vivaldi different broadband antennas composed of metal structures to realize broadband radiation in the high-frequency band; the low-frequency antenna unit forms a broadband magneto-electric dipole antenna radiation structure by reusing the metal structure of the high-frequency unit. The high-frequency unit realizes different polarizations by adjusting the high-frequency antenna unit structure or the feeding structure, and the low-frequency unit realizes different polarizations by adjusting the low-frequency feeding structure.

2. The dual-broadband co-aperture phased array antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: The phased array is composed of a×b dual-frequency antenna units, where: a, b ≥ 2, and a, b ∈ N + .

3. The dual-broadband co-aperture phased array antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: The number of high-frequency units reused by each low-frequency antenna unit is 2n×2n, where: n≥1, and n∈N + .

4. The dual-broadband co-aperture phased array antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: The polarization mode of the low-frequency broadband magnetoelectric dipole antenna is determined by the feeding structure, and multiple polarizations can be achieved by adjusting the high-frequency antenna unit structure and the low-frequency feeding structure.

5. The dual-broadband co-aperture phased array antenna according to claim 4, characterized in that: The high and low frequency antennas can be fed by using slots, L-shaped probes or coaxial feed sources.

6. The dual-broadband co-aperture phased array antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: The frequency ratio of the antenna array is controlled by the ratio of the number of high-frequency units to the number of low-frequency units to meet the requirements of different frequency ratios.

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