Antenna and electronic equipment

Abstract

The invention provides an antenna and electronic equipment, and belongs to the technical field of antennas. The antenna comprises a dielectric substrate, and a reflection electrode and a radiation electrode which are arranged on the two sides of the dielectric substrate in the thickness direction of the dielectric substrate. A first gap is formed between the radiation electrode and the dielectric substrate; the radiation electrode is provided with a plurality of slit openings; the antenna further comprises a plurality of switch units, and one slit opening corresponds to at least one switch unit. The switch unit is electrically connected with the radiation electrode and stretches across the slit opening. Wherein the switch unit is configured to adjust the current on the two sides of the slit opening in the extending direction of the slit opening.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure belongs to the field of antenna technology, and particularly relates to an antenna and an electronic device. Background Art

[0002] The radial line slot antenna (RLSA) is a planar slot array antenna that feeds the antenna by inserting a radial waveguide feed into the antenna waveguide cavity. The cylindrical wave generated by the radial waveguide feed can be represented by the Hankel function. In the cylindrical coordinate system, the amplitude of the cylindrical wave is uniform along the axial direction, while inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the axis in the radial direction, showing an operating state where the middle signal is strong and the edge signal is weak, such as Figure 1 As shown, this will cause uneven coverage of the signal radiated by the antenna, thereby reducing the radiation efficiency of the antenna. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art and provides an antenna comprising a dielectric substrate, and a reflecting electrode and a radiating electrode arranged on both sides of the dielectric substrate along the thickness direction thereof; a first gap is defined between the radiating electrode and the dielectric substrate; the radiating electrode has a plurality of slit openings; wherein,

[0004] The antenna further includes a plurality of switch units, and one of the slot openings is correspondingly provided to at least one of the switch units; the switch unit is electrically connected to the radiation electrode and spans the slot opening.

[0005] In some embodiments, the radiating electrode is divided into a radiating area and a non-radiating area, and the slit opening is provided in the radiating area; the non-radiating area includes a first sub-non-radiating area and a second sub-non-radiating area arranged in an intersecting manner, and the overlapping area of the first sub-non-radiating area and the second sub-non-radiating area covers the center of the radiating electrode;

[0006] The plurality of slit openings located in the radiation zone are arranged to form a plurality of nested groups, the slit openings in each group are sequentially spaced apart, and the centers of the slit openings in each group are located on a virtual circle; the centers of the virtual circles corresponding to the slit openings in each group are the same, forming a virtual concentric circle; the centers of the virtual concentric circles are the same as the center of the radiation electrode;

[0007] The switch unit corresponding to the two slit openings in different groups is configured to control the surface current of the one of the two slit openings closer to the center of the radiation electrode to be no greater than the surface current of the one farther from the center of the radiation electrode.

[0008] In some embodiments, the slit openings have the same size; one slit opening is provided corresponding to three switch units, which are respectively a first switch unit, a second switch unit, and a third switch unit; the slit opening has a first side and a second side opposite to each other and perpendicular to its extension direction, and a third side and a fourth side connecting the first side and the second side;

[0009] The first switch unit is arranged at the midpoint of the slit opening along its extension direction, the second switch unit is arranged on a side of the first switch unit close to the third side, and the third switch unit is arranged on a side of the second switch unit close to the third side.

[0010] In some embodiments, the slit openings have the same size; one slit opening is provided corresponding to three switch units, which are respectively a first switch unit, a second switch unit, and a third switch unit; the slit opening has a first side and a second side opposite to each other and perpendicular to its extension direction, and a third side and a fourth side connecting the first side and the second side;

[0011] The second switch unit is arranged at the midpoint of the slit opening along its extension direction, the first switch unit is arranged on a side of the second switch unit close to the third side, and the third switch unit is arranged on a side of the second switch unit close to the fourth side.

[0012] In some embodiments, the distance between the first switch unit and the second switch unit is equal to the distance between the second switch unit and the third switch unit.

[0013] In some embodiments, the slit openings in the same group have the same size, and at least some of the slit openings in different groups have different sizes; one slit opening is arranged corresponding to one switch unit, and the switch unit is arranged at the midpoint of the slit opening along its extension direction.

[0014] In some embodiments, for the slit openings in different groups, the length of each slit opening increases or decreases along a direction away from the center of the radiation electrode.

[0015] In some embodiments, the slit opening in the group farthest from the center of the radiation electrode is a first slit opening, and the slit opening in the group closest to the center of the radiation electrode is a second slit opening;

[0016] The width of the first slit opening is equal everywhere; the width of the second slit opening decreases monotonically in a direction away from the center thereof, and the maximum width of the second slit opening is equal to the width of the first slit opening.

[0017] In some embodiments, the first slit opening has a rectangular outline, and the second slit opening has a shuttle-shaped outline.

[0018] In some embodiments, the switch unit is a liquid crystal switch; the liquid crystal switch includes a first electrode, a second electrode and a liquid crystal layer;

[0019] The radiation electrode is multiplexed as the first electrode of each of the liquid crystal switches; the liquid crystal layer is arranged on a side of the slit opening away from the dielectric substrate, and the liquid crystal layer spans the slit opening; the second electrode and the orthographic projection of the radiation electrode on the dielectric substrate at least partially overlap.

[0020] In some embodiments, the switch unit is a MEMS switch; the MEMS switch includes a membrane bridge structure and a contact structure, and the contact structure is connected to the first side of the slit opening;

[0021] The membrane bridge structure includes a bridge deck and a bridge arm connected to the bridge deck; the bridge arm is connected to the second side of the slit opening, one end of the bridge deck is connected to the bridge arm, and the other end at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the contact structure on the dielectric substrate.

[0022] In some embodiments, the antenna further includes a first supporting layer disposed between the radiation electrode and the first gap, and a second supporting layer disposed on a side of the radiation electrode away from the dielectric substrate.

[0023] In some embodiments, the antenna further comprises at least one feeding structure; the feeding structure is configured to feed the radiating electrode; the feeding structure comprises a first feeding portion and a second feeding portion connected to each other;

[0024] The first feeding portion extends to the first gap through a via hole penetrating the reflective electrode and the dielectric substrate; the second feeding portion is arranged in the first gap, and the diameter of the second feeding portion increases gradually along a side close to the radiation electrode.

[0025] In some embodiments, the antenna further includes a plurality of screws; the screws sequentially penetrate the dielectric substrate and the reflective electrode and fix the two relative to each other; and the nuts of the screws define the first gap.

[0026] The present disclosure also provides an electronic device, comprising the antenna described in the above embodiment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Figure 1 The signal strength distribution diagram of the feeding signal transmitted by the radial waveguide feed source in the radial direction.

[0028] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of an antenna provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] Figure 3 A schematic top view of the structure of a radiation electrode provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] Figure 4 A schematic top view of a slit opening and a switch unit provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] Figure 5 A schematic top view of another slit opening and switch unit provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0032] Figure 6 A schematic top view of another slit opening and switch unit provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] Figure 7 A schematic top view of another slit opening and switch unit provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] Figure 8 A schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of a liquid crystal switch provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] Figure 9 for Figure 8 The working state change diagram of the liquid crystal switch is shown.

[0036] Figure 10 A schematic cross-sectional structure diagram of a MEMS radio frequency switch provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] Figure 11 3D gain diagrams of the antenna when the switch unit is not set and when the switch unit is set provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] Figure 12 The gain diagrams of the antenna at an elevation angle φ=0° when the switch unit is not provided and when the switch unit is provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0039] Figure 13 The gain diagrams of the antenna at an elevation angle φ=90° when the switch unit is not provided and when the switch unit is provided are provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the present invention is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods.

[0041] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this application should have the ordinary meaning understood by a person of ordinary skill in the technical field to which this application belongs. The words "one", "a", "the" and the like used in this application do not indicate a limit on quantity and may indicate the singular or plural. The terms "include", "comprise", "have" and any variations thereof used in this application are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions; for example, a process, method, system, product or device that includes a series of steps or modules (units) is not limited to the listed steps or units, but may also include steps or units that are not listed, or may also include other steps or units that are inherent to these processes, methods, products or devices. The words "connect", "connected", "coupled" and the like used in this application are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but may include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. The word "multiple" used in this application refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, "A and / or B" can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone. The character " / " generally indicates an "or" relationship between the preceding and following objects. The terms "first," "second," and "third" used in this application merely distinguish similar objects and do not represent a specific ordering of the objects. Terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" are used only to indicate relative positional relationships. If the absolute position of the described objects changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0042] Exemplary embodiments are described herein with reference to cross-sectional and / or plan views that are idealized exemplary drawings. In the drawings, the thicknesses of layers and regions are exaggerated for clarity. Therefore, variations in shape relative to the drawings due to, for example, manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances are contemplated. Therefore, the exemplary embodiments should not be construed as limited to the shapes of the regions shown herein, but rather include deviations in shape due to, for example, manufacturing. Therefore, the regions shown in the drawings are schematic in nature, and their shapes are not intended to illustrate the actual shape of regions of the device and are not intended to limit the scope of the exemplary embodiments.

[0043] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of an antenna provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in FIG. Figure 2As shown, the antenna includes a dielectric substrate 1, as well as a reflective electrode 2 and a radiating electrode 3 disposed on either side of the dielectric substrate 1 along its thickness. The dielectric substrate 1 supports the entire antenna structure, ensuring its physical stability and mechanical strength. It also transmits electromagnetic waves. The dielectric constant and thickness of the dielectric substrate 1 determine the transmission speed of electromagnetic waves, as well as the antenna's resonant frequency and radiation efficiency. Both the reflective electrode 2 and the radiating electrode 3 are made of metal materials such as copper and aluminum. The reflective electrode 2 serves as the antenna's reflector and reference ground, ensuring that signals can be emitted from the radiating electrode 3, thereby improving signal radiation efficiency. The radiating electrode 3 is provided with multiple slit openings 30 for radiating electromagnetic waves. The dielectric substrate 1 and reflective electrode 2 are secured relative to each other by screws 6. The nuts of the screws 6 create a first gap Gap between the radiating electrode 3 and the dielectric substrate 1, which forms the antenna's waveguide cavity. The antenna also includes a feed structure 5, which extends into the waveguide cavity through vias extending through the reflective electrode 2 and the dielectric substrate 1 and feeds the radiating electrode 3. The feeding structure 5 can adopt a radial waveguide feed source, and the signal strength distribution of the radial waveguide feed source in the radial direction is as follows: Figure 1 As shown. Among them, Figure 1 In the coordinate diagram shown, the feed source location is the coordinate origin, the horizontal axis represents the distance between a certain location and the coordinate origin, in mm, and the vertical axis represents the normalized amplitude of the feed signal at that location. Figure 1 It can be seen that the closer the distance to the feed source, the greater the strength (ie, amplitude) of the feed signal, and the farther the distance to the feed source, the smaller the strength of the feed signal.

[0044] In order to ensure that the signal radiated by the radiation electrode 3 is evenly distributed and improve the antenna performance, the antenna provided by the present disclosure is further provided with a plurality of switch units 4. Among them, a slit opening 30 is provided corresponding to at least one switch unit 4. Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a top view of a slit opening and a switch unit is provided, referring to Figure 4The slit opening 40 includes a first side S1 and a second side S2 arranged opposite each other perpendicular to its extension direction, as well as a third side S3 and a fourth side S4 connecting the first side S1 and the second side S2. The switch unit 4, corresponding to the slit opening 30, spans the side of the slit opening 30 facing away from the dielectric substrate 1 and is connected to the first side S1 and / or the second side S2. Here, "and / or" means that the switch unit 4 is connected to at least one of the first side S1 and the second side S2. When the switch unit 4 is open, the slit opening 30 radiates electromagnetic signals normally. When the switch unit 4 is closed (i.e., conducting), the first side S1 and the second side S2 are connected via the switch unit 4, causing the surface current on the first side S1 and the second side S2 to change, thereby changing the operating state of the slit opening 30. Thus, by providing the switch unit 4, the operating state of each slit opening 30 on the radiating electrode 3 can be adjusted, thereby adjusting the electromagnetic wave signal radiated by the slit opening 30 to the outside world.

[0045] For each slit opening 30, its actual working intensity = the working state of the slit opening 30 * the intensity of the feed signal at that position (Formula 1). Here, the working intensity of the slit opening 30 is the intensity of the electromagnetic wave signal radiated to the outside world by the slit opening 30. The working state of the slit opening 30 is the ability of the slit opening 30 to radiate electromagnetic waves outward, and the value of the working state is an integer less than or equal to 1. For example, when the working state is 0.5, it means that the slit opening 30 can radiate 50% of the feed signal at that position to the outside world. The intensity of the feed signal at each position is related to the radial waveguide feed, for example, you can refer to Figure 1 The signal strength distribution diagram shown is for Figure 1 In the feed in the example shown, the strength of the feed signal at a distance of 2 mm from the center of the feed is approximately 60% of the maximum signal strength, and the strength of the feed signal at a distance of 5 mm from the center of the feed is approximately 35% of the maximum signal strength.

[0046] According to the above formula 1, it can be known that for each slit opening 30, when the intensity of the feed signal remains unchanged, the working intensity of the slit opening 30 can be adjusted by adjusting the working state of the slit opening 30. The present application mainly provides two design schemes to adjust the working state of the slit opening 30. The first design scheme is to set a plurality of switch units 4 for each slit opening 30, and realize different working states of the slit opening 30 by making different combinations of the switch states of each switch unit 4. The second design scheme is to realize different working states of the slit opening 30 by making different designs for the sizes of the slit opening 30. It should be noted that, according to the above formula 1, when adjusting the switch state of a single slit opening 30, it is necessary to combine the intensity of the feed signal at different positions to ensure that the entire antenna can radiate electromagnetic waves with uniformly distributed signals. Therefore, the specific distribution of the slit openings 30 on the entire radiation electrode 3 will be introduced below.

[0047] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a top view of a radiation electrode provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in FIG. Figure 3 As shown, the radiating electrode 3 is divided into a radiating area Q1 and a non-radiating area Q2. The radiating area Q1 is provided with a slit opening 30, while the non-radiating area Q2 is a blank area without a slit opening 30. The non-radiating area Q2 includes a first sub-non-radiating area Q21 and a second sub-non-radiating area Q22, which intersect to form a cross-shaped non-radiating area Q1. The center of the non-radiating area Q1 coincides with the center of the radiating electrode 3, dividing the radiating area Q1 into four sub-radiating areas.

[0048] The multiple slit openings 30 within the four sub-radiation zones Q1 are arranged to form multiple nested groups of slit openings 30. The slit openings 30 within each group are arranged sequentially, and the centers of the slit openings 30 lie on the same virtual circle. The virtual circles corresponding to the groups of slit openings 30 have the same center, forming a virtual concentric circle. The center O of the virtual concentric circle coincides with the center of the radiation electrode 3. This arrangement ensures that the slit openings 30 are evenly distributed on the radiation electrode 3, thereby improving the spatial utilization of the radiation electrode 3.

[0049] Next, the first design solution is described in detail in combination with the distribution of the slit openings 30 on the radiation electrode 3 and the signal intensity distribution of the radial waveguide feed source.

[0050] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a top view of a slit opening and a switch unit provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, with reference to Figure 4The sizes and shapes of the slit openings 30 on the radiation electrode 3 are the same. Each slit opening 30 is provided with a plurality of switch units 4. By controlling the switching state of each switch unit 4, the slit opening 30 can be controlled to have different working states. The number of switch units 4 corresponding to each slit opening 30 is multiple, for example, two to five. For example, if there are three switch units 4, each slit opening 30 is provided with three switch units 4, which are respectively a first switch unit 41, a second switch unit 42, and a third switch unit 43. The positions of the three switch units are different, so each switch unit has a different effect on the working state of the slit opening 30. By flexibly controlling the switching states of the three switch units 4, the working state of the slit opening 30 can be finely controlled, thereby optimizing the radiation efficiency and directivity of the antenna.

[0051] Specifically, refer to Figure 4 , wherein the first switch unit 41 is arranged at the center of the slit opening 30, the third switch unit 43 is arranged on a side of the first switch unit 41 close to the third side S3, and the second switch unit 42 is arranged between the first switch unit 41 and the third switch unit 43. Preferably, to ensure uniform distribution of the switch units, the first switch unit 41, the second switch unit 42, and the third switch unit 43 are arranged to be spaced equally.

[0052] exist Figure 4 In the example, when the first switch unit 41, the second switch unit 42, and the third switch unit 43 are all disconnected, the working state of the slit opening 30 is equivalent to 1, that is, the feed signal can completely radiate outward through the slit opening 30. When the first switch unit 41 is turned on and the second switch unit 42 and the third switch unit 43 are disconnected, the working state of the slit opening 30 can be equivalent to 0, that is, the feed signal cannot pass through the slit opening 30. When the second switch unit 42 is turned on and the first switch unit 41 and the third switch unit 43 are disconnected, the working state of the slit opening 30 can be equivalent to 0.6, that is, 60% of the feed signal can radiate outward through the slit opening 30. When the third switch unit 43 is turned on and the first switch unit 41 and the second switch unit 42 are disconnected, the working state of the slit opening 30 can be equivalent to 0.8, that is, 80% of the feed signal can radiate outward through the slit opening 30.

[0053] Combine Figure 1 、 Figure 3 and Figure 4For all the slot openings 30 on the entire radiation electrode 3, the second switch unit 42 corresponding to the slot openings 30 in the middle region can be turned on, the three switch units 41 / 42 / 43 corresponding to the slot openings 30 in the edge region can be turned off, and the third switch unit 43 corresponding to the slot openings 30 in the transition region between the edge and middle regions can be turned on. In other words, the operating state of the slot openings 30 in the middle region is controlled to be 0.6, the operating state of the slot openings 30 in the transition region is controlled to be 0.8, and the operating state of the slot openings 30 in the edge region is controlled to be 1. In this way, the actual operating strength of all the slot openings 30 on the radiation electrode 3 can be guaranteed to be comparable, thereby improving the radiation efficiency of the antenna.

[0054] Here, the division boundaries of the intermediate region, transition region and boundary region can be determined based on the signal strength distribution diagram of the radial waveguide feed source. Figure 1 Taking the signal strength distribution diagram shown as an example, the intermediate region can include an area within a radius of 5 mm centered on the center of the radiation electrode 3. The transition region is a circular region with an inner radius of 5 mm and an outer radius of 15 mm. The region greater than 15 mm from the center of the radiation electrode 3 is the boundary region. It will be appreciated that in this embodiment, the switching states of the three switch units 4 are exemplified, resulting in three different operating states of the slit opening 30: 0.6, 0.8, and 1. Therefore, the radiation electrode 3 is correspondingly divided into three regions: the intermediate region, the transition region, and the edge region. If more switch units 4 are provided or the slit opening 30 has more operating states, the radiation electrode 3 can also be divided into more regions, and this is not limited in this disclosure.

[0055] In another example, referring to Figure 5 The second switch unit 2 is disposed at the center of the slit opening 30, the first switch unit 41 is disposed on the side of the second switch unit 42 close to the third side S3, and the third switch unit 43 is disposed on the side of the second switch unit 42 close to the fourth side S4. Preferably, to ensure uniform distribution of the switch units, the first switch unit 41, the second switch unit 42, and the third switch unit 43 are spaced evenly apart. In other words, the three switch units 41 / 42 / 43 are evenly distributed across the slit opening 30. This prevents a compact layout of the switch units from affecting the radiation capability of the slit opening.

[0056] exist Figure 5In the example, since the positions of the first switch unit 41 and the third switch unit 43 are completely symmetrical, they have the same impact on the operating state of the slit opening 30. That is, when the first switch unit 41 is on and the second switch unit 42 and the third switch unit 43 are both off, or when the third switch unit 43 is on and the first switch unit 41 and the second switch unit 42 are both off, the operating state of the slit opening 30 is equivalent to 0.8, that is, 80% of the feed signal can be radiated outward through the slit opening 30. When the first switch unit 41 and the third switch unit 43 are both on and the second switch unit 42 is off, the operating state of the slit opening 30 is equivalent to 0.6, that is, 60% of the feed signal can be radiated outward through the slit opening 30. When the second switch unit 42 is on and the first switch unit 41 and the third switch unit 43 are both off, the operating state of the slit opening 30 is equivalent to 0. When the first switch unit 41 , the second switch unit 42 and the third switch unit 43 are all disconnected, the working state of the slit opening 30 is equivalent to 1, that is, the feeding signal can be completely radiated outward through the slit opening 30 .

[0057] In the first design scheme mentioned above, by controlling the switching states of the three switch units 41 / 42 / 43 corresponding to different slit openings 30, the switching state of each slit opening 30 can be controlled. After matching with the feed signals at different positions, the antenna can output electromagnetic wave signals with uniform signal strength distribution.

[0058] Next, the second design solution is described in detail in combination with the distribution of the slit openings 30 on the radiation electrode 3 and the signal intensity distribution of the radial waveguide feed source.

[0059] In this design, each slit opening 30 is provided corresponding to a switch unit 4, and the switch unit 4 is provided at the middle position of the slit opening 30, such as Figure 6-7 When the switch unit 4 is turned on, the slit opening 30 can reach the maximum working state. When the switch unit 4 is turned on, the working state of the slit opening 30 is 0 and the feeding signal cannot be radiated.

[0060] For each operating frequency of the antenna, the slot opening 30 has a corresponding optimal length. Setting the length of the slot opening 30 to the optimal length can make the working state of the slot opening 30 1. When the length of the slot opening 30 is less than the optimal length or greater than the optimal length, the working state of the slot opening 30 will decrease. Specifically, referring to Figure 6, where the length of slit opening 303 is the optimal length, and its operating state is 1. The lengths of slit openings 301 and 302 are less than the optimal length, and their operating states are less than 1. The lengths of slit openings 304 and 305 are greater than the optimal length, and their operating states are also less than 1. Similarly, the width of slit opening 30 also affects its operating state. Therefore, by setting different groups of slit openings 30 with different sizes, the flexibility of antenna design can be further increased. By rationally designing the size and distribution of each group of slit openings 30, good antenna performance can be achieved across a wide frequency band.

[0061] In one example, the widths of the slit openings 30 on the radiation electrode 3 are the same, and the lengths vary in a step-wise manner. Specifically, the slit openings 30 in the middle region are formed as follows: Figure 6 The slit opening 305 shown in the figure is located in the transition area of the slit opening 30. Figure 6 The slit opening 304 shown, the slit opening 30 located in the edge area is formed as follows Figure 6 Alternatively, the slit opening 30 located in the middle area is formed as shown in FIG. Figure 6 The slit opening 301 shown in the figure, the slit opening 30 located in the transition area is formed as follows Figure 6 The slit opening 302 shown in FIG. 3 is located in the edge area of the slit opening 30. Figure 6 The slit opening 303 is shown. Here, the division of the middle area, transition area and edge area can refer to the first design solution, which will not be described in detail.

[0062] In addition to changing the length of the slit opening 30, the working state of the slit opening 30 can also be adjusted by changing the width of the slit opening 30. For the sake of convenience, taking the radiation electrode 3 divided into the middle area, the transition area and the edge area as an example, the slit opening 30 set in the edge area is called the first slit opening 308, the slit opening 30 set in the transition area is called the second slit opening 306, and the slit opening 30 set in the middle area is called the third slit opening 307. Figure 7The first slit opening 308, the second slit opening 306, and the third slit opening 307 are all of equal length. The first slit opening 308 has a rectangular outline with uniform width. The first side S1 and second side S2 of the second slit opening 306 are straight lines, while the third side S3 and fourth side S4 are arcs convex away from the center of the slit opening 30. This means that the width of the portion near the center of the slit opening is equal, while the width of the portion away from the center decreases monotonically. The third slit opening 306 has a fusiform outline, meaning that the first side S1, second side S2, third side S3, and fourth side S4 of the slit opening 30 are all arcs convex away from the center of the slit opening 30. Through verification, the working state of the first slot opening 308 is equivalent to 1, that is, the feed signal can be completely radiated; the working state of the second slot opening 306 is equivalent to 0.6, that is, 60% of the feed signal can be radiated; the working state of the third slot opening 307 is equivalent to 0.8, that is, 80% of the feed signal can be radiated. In this way, by setting the slot openings 30 with different working states corresponding to the feed signals with different intensities, it can be ensured that the actual working intensities of all the slot openings 30 are basically the same, thereby improving the radiation efficiency of the antenna.

[0063] In some examples, the switch unit 4 may be a liquid crystal switch, with a specific structure as follows: Figure 8 The liquid crystal switch includes a first electrode 44, a second electrode 45, and a liquid crystal layer 46. The first electrode 44 and the second electrode 45 are arranged on different sides of the liquid crystal layer 46. When different voltages are applied to the first electrode 44 and the second electrode 45, the electric field between the first electrode 44 and the second electrode 45 can change the dielectric constant of the liquid crystal layer 46, thereby turning the liquid crystal switch on or off.

[0064] The radiation electrode 3 can be reused as the first electrode 44 of each liquid crystal switch. That is, the first electrode 44 of each liquid crystal switch is an integrated structure and transmits the same electrical signal. Figure 8 For each liquid crystal switch, its liquid crystal layer 46 is arranged on the side of the radiation electrode 3 away from the base substrate, and the liquid crystal layer is in contact with both the first side S1 and the second side S2 of the slit opening 30. Here, the liquid crystal layer 46 of each liquid crystal switch can be formed by a one-time patterning process. The second electrode 45 is arranged on the side of the liquid crystal layer 46 away from the dielectric substrate 1, and the orthographic projection of the second electrode on the dielectric substrate 1 overlaps with the orthographic projection of the first side S1 and the second side S2 on the dielectric substrate 1. In this way, an electric field can be formed between the second electrode 45 and the radiation electrode 3, thereby changing the arrangement of liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer. Preferably, in order to save space, the second electrode 45 is embedded in the liquid crystal layer 46, such as Figure 8 shown.

[0065] Figure 9This diagram shows the relationship between the bias voltage applied to the second electrode 42 of the liquid crystal switch and the operating state of the slit opening 30. As can be seen from the diagram, as the bias voltage increases linearly, the operating state of the slit opening 30 increases first and then decreases. Therefore, the use of a liquid crystal switch can linearly adjust the operating state of the slit opening 30, allowing the slit opening 30 to have a wider range of operating states.

[0066] In some examples, the switch unit 4 may also use a MEMS switch, and the specific structure is as follows: Figure 10 As shown. The MEMS RF switch includes a membrane bridge structure 44 and a contact structure 45, and the membrane bridge structure 44 includes a bridge surface 441 and a bridge arm 442. One of the bridge arm 441 and the contact structure 45 is connected to the first side S1 of the slit opening 30, and the other is connected to the second side S2 of the slit opening 30. One end of the bridge surface 441 is connected to the bridge arm 442, and the other end extends and spans the slit opening 30, and overlaps with the orthographic projection of the contact structure 45 on the dielectric substrate 1. When power is applied to the membrane bridge structure 44 and the contact structure 45, the bridge surface 441 of the membrane bridge structure contacts the contact structure 45 under the control of the electromagnetic field, and the MEMS RF switch is turned on. When the membrane bridge structure 44 and the contact structure 45 are powered off, the bridge surface 441 returns to a suspended state, and the MEMS RF switch is turned off.

[0067] Exemplarily, the switch unit 4 in the embodiment of the present disclosure may also be a PIN diode or a variable reactance diode Varactor. In this case, the PIN diode or the variable reactance diode Varactor may be integrated with the slit opening 30 to achieve dual-value amplitude or continuous amplitude control capability. For example: taking the switch unit 4 as an example of a PIN diode, the input bias voltage to the PIN diode is controlled to control the forward bias / reverse bias of the PIN diode. When the slit opening 30 is required to be in the open state, at this time, the input bias voltage to the PIN diode is greater than its conduction threshold, and the PIN diode is turned on; when the slit is required to be in the closed state, at this time, the input bias voltage to the PIN diode is less than its conduction threshold, and the PIN diode is turned off.

[0068] In some examples, reference Figure 2 The antenna further includes a first supporting layer 71 disposed between the radiating electrode 33 and the first gap Gap, and a second supporting layer 72 disposed on the side of the radiating electrode 3 facing away from the dielectric substrate 12. The first supporting layer 71 and the second supporting layer 72 disposed on either side of the radiating electrode 3 can protect the radiating electrode 3 from deformation that could affect radiation efficiency. Optionally, the first supporting layer 71 and the second supporting layer 72 can be made of glass.

[0069] In some examples, there may be multiple feeding structures 5. When multiple feeding structures 5 are used, the feeding structures 5 can be superimposed to generate a feeding signal with the same strength at all locations. In this case, according to the above formula 1, the strength of the feeding signal at each location is substantially the same. Therefore, the slit openings 30 can be designed to have the same structure to ensure that the antenna radiates uniform electromagnetic waves.

[0070] Among them, continue to refer to Figure 2 The feeding structure 5 includes a first feeding section and a second feeding section connected to each other. The first feeding section extends to the first gap Gap through a via hole penetrating the reflective electrode 2 and the dielectric substrate 1. The second feeding section is disposed within the first gap Gap. Externally input feed signals pass through the first and second feeding sections in sequence, then are transmitted into the first gap Gap in the form of electromagnetic waves, thereby exciting the radiating electrode 3 to radiate electromagnetic waves.

[0071] This disclosure also provides a simulation diagram of the antenna in the above embodiment. Specifically, Figure 11 (a) is the 3D gain diagram of the antenna when the switch unit is not set. Figure 11 (b) is the 3D gain diagram of the antenna when the switch unit is set; Figure 12 (a) is the gain diagram of the antenna at an elevation angle of φ = 0° when the switch unit is not set. Figure 12 (b) is the gain diagram of the antenna at an elevation angle of φ = 0° when the switch unit is provided; Figure 13 (a) is the gain diagram of the antenna at an elevation angle of φ = 90° when the switch unit is not set. Figure 13 (b) is the gain diagram of the antenna at an elevation angle of φ = 90° when the switch unit is installed. Figure 11-13 It can be seen that after the switch unit 4 is provided, the gain of the antenna is increased by about 1.5 dB, so the electromagnetic wave signal can be propagated farther and the communication efficiency is higher.

[0072] The present disclosure also provides an electronic device, which includes the antenna in the above embodiment and other circuit structures.

[0073] In some examples, the other circuit structures described above may specifically include: a transceiver unit, a radio frequency transceiver, a signal amplifier, a power amplifier, and a filtering unit. The antenna in the electronic device may serve as a transmitting antenna or a receiving antenna. The transceiver unit may include a baseband and a receiving end. The baseband provides signals of at least one frequency band, such as 2G signals, 3G signals, 4G signals, 5G signals, etc., and transmits signals of at least one frequency band to the radio frequency transceiver. After the antenna in the electronic device receives the signal, it may be processed by the filtering unit, power amplifier, signal amplifier, and radio frequency transceiver before being transmitted to the receiving end in the transceiver unit. The receiving end may be, for example, a smart gateway.

[0074] Furthermore, a radio frequency transceiver is connected to the transceiver unit and is used to modulate the signals sent by the transceiver unit or to demodulate the signals received by the antenna and transmit them back to the transceiver unit. Specifically, the radio frequency transceiver may include a transmitting circuit, a receiving circuit, a modulation circuit, and a demodulation circuit. After the transmitting circuit receives various types of signals provided by the baseband, the modulation circuit can modulate these various types of signals provided by the baseband and then transmit them to the antenna. The antenna receives the signal and transmits it to the receiving circuit of the radio frequency transceiver. The receiving circuit transmits the signal to the demodulation circuit, which demodulates the signal and transmits it to the receiving end.

[0075] Furthermore, the RF transceiver is connected to a signal amplifier and a power amplifier, which are then connected to a filtering unit, which is connected to at least one antenna. When the electronic device transmits a signal, the signal amplifier is used to increase the signal-to-noise ratio of the signal output by the RF transceiver before transmitting it to the filtering unit. The power amplifier is used to amplify the power of the signal output by the RF transceiver before transmitting it to the filtering unit. The filtering unit may specifically include a duplexer and a filtering circuit. The filtering unit combines the signals output by the signal amplifier and the power amplifier, filters out noise, and transmits them to the antenna, which radiates the signal. When the electronic device receives a signal, the antenna receives the signal and transmits it to the filtering unit. The filtering unit filters out noise from the signal received by the antenna and transmits it to the signal amplifier and power amplifier. The signal amplifier amplifies the signal received by the antenna to increase the signal-to-noise ratio. The power amplifier amplifies the power of the signal received by the antenna. The signal received by the antenna is processed by the power amplifier and signal amplifier before being transmitted to the RF transceiver, which then transmits it to the transceiver unit.

[0076] In some examples, the signal amplifier may include various types of signal amplifiers, such as a low noise amplifier, which is not limited herein.

[0077] In some examples, the electronic device provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure further includes a power management unit, which is connected to a power amplifier and provides the power amplifier with a voltage for amplifying a signal.

[0078] It will be understood that the above embodiments are merely exemplary embodiments for illustrating the principles of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the spirit and substance of the present invention, and such modifications and improvements are also considered to be within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An antenna comprising a dielectric substrate, and a reflecting electrode and a radiating electrode disposed on both sides of the dielectric substrate in a thickness direction thereof; a first gap is defined between the radiating electrode and the dielectric substrate; the radiating electrode has a plurality of slit openings; wherein: The antenna further includes a plurality of switch units, and one of the slot openings is correspondingly provided to at least one of the switch units; the switch unit is electrically connected to the radiation electrode and spans the slot opening.

2. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein The radiation electrode is divided into a radiation area and a non-radiation area, and the slit opening is provided in the radiation area; the non-radiation area includes a first sub-non-radiation area and a second sub-non-radiation area arranged in an intersecting manner, and the overlapping area of the first sub-non-radiation area and the second sub-non-radiation area covers the center of the radiation electrode; The plurality of slit openings located in the radiation zone are arranged to form a plurality of nested groups, the slit openings in each group are sequentially spaced apart, and the centers of the slit openings in each group are located on a virtual circle; the centers of the virtual circles corresponding to the slit openings in each group are the same, forming a virtual concentric circle; the centers of the virtual concentric circles are the same as the center of the radiation electrode; The switch unit corresponding to the two slit openings in different groups is configured to control the surface current of the one of the two slit openings closer to the center of the radiation electrode to be no greater than the surface current of the one farther from the center of the radiation electrode.

3. The antenna according to claim 2, wherein The slit openings have the same size; one slit opening is provided corresponding to three switch units, which are respectively a first switch unit, a second switch unit, and a third switch unit; the slit opening has a first side and a second side oppositely arranged along a direction perpendicular to the slit opening's extension, and a third side and a fourth side connecting the first side and the second side; The first switch unit is arranged at the midpoint of the slit opening along its extension direction, the second switch unit is arranged on a side of the first switch unit close to the third side, and the third switch unit is arranged on a side of the second switch unit close to the third side.

4. The antenna according to claim 2, wherein The slit openings have the same size; one slit opening is provided corresponding to three switch units, which are respectively a first switch unit, a second switch unit, and a third switch unit; the slit opening has a first side and a second side oppositely arranged along a direction perpendicular to the slit opening's extension, and a third side and a fourth side connecting the first side and the second side; The second switch unit is arranged at the midpoint of the slit opening along its extension direction, the first switch unit is arranged on a side of the second switch unit close to the third side, and the third switch unit is arranged on a side of the second switch unit close to the fourth side.

5. The antenna according to claim 3 or 4, wherein: The distance between the first switch unit and the second switch unit is equal to the distance between the second switch unit and the third switch unit. The antenna according to claim 2 , wherein: The slit openings in the same group have the same size, and at least some of the slit openings in different groups have different sizes; one slit opening is corresponding to one switch unit, and the switch unit is arranged at the midpoint of the slit opening along its extension direction.

7. The antenna according to claim 6, wherein For the slit openings located in different groups, the length of each slit opening increases or decreases in a direction away from the center of the radiation electrode.

8. The antenna according to claim 6, wherein The slit openings in the group farthest from the center of the radiation electrode are first slit openings, and the slit openings in the group closest to the center of the radiation electrode are second slit openings; The width of the first slit opening is equal everywhere; the width of the second slit opening decreases monotonically in a direction away from the center thereof, and the maximum width of the second slit opening is equal to the width of the first slit opening.

9. The antenna according to claim 8, wherein The outline of the first slit opening is rectangular, and the outline of the second slit opening is shuttle-shaped.

10. The antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein: The switch unit is a liquid crystal switch; the liquid crystal switch includes a first electrode, a second electrode and a liquid crystal layer; The radiation electrode is multiplexed as the first electrode of each liquid crystal switch; the liquid crystal layer is arranged on a side of the slit opening away from the dielectric substrate, and the liquid crystal layer spans the slit opening; The second electrode and the orthographic projection of the radiation electrode on the dielectric substrate at least partially overlap.

11. The antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein: The switch unit is a MEMS switch; the MEMS switch includes a membrane bridge structure and a contact structure, and the contact structure is connected to the first side of the slit opening; The membrane bridge structure includes a bridge deck and a bridge arm connected to the bridge deck; The bridge arm is connected to the second side of the slit opening, one end of the bridge deck is connected to the bridge arm, and the other end at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the contact structure on the dielectric substrate.

12. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein The antenna further includes a first supporting layer arranged between the radiation electrode and the first gap, and a second supporting layer arranged on a side of the radiation electrode away from the dielectric substrate.

13. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein The antenna further comprises at least one feeding structure; the feeding structure is configured to feed the radiating electrode; the feeding structure comprises a first feeding portion and a second feeding portion connected to each other; The first feeding portion extends to the first gap through a via hole penetrating the reflective electrode and the dielectric substrate; the second feeding portion is arranged in the first gap, and the diameter of the second feeding portion increases gradually along a side close to the radiation electrode.

14. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein The antenna further includes a plurality of screws; the screws sequentially penetrate the dielectric substrate and the reflective electrode and fix the two relative to each other; the nuts of the screws define the first gap.

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

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