MIMO antenna based on superconducting material and metamaterial

Abstract

The invention discloses an MIMO antenna based on a superconducting material and a metamaterial. The MIMO antenna comprises an upper substrate (1), a ground plane (2) and a lower substrate (3) which are sequentially arranged from top to bottom, a superconducting material antenna array is loaded on the upper surface of the upper-layer substrate (1); two square metamaterial layers (5) are arranged on the ground plane (2), and two feed slots (6) are integrated on the ground plane (2); two feeder lines (7) are arranged on the lower layer substrate (3), each feeder line (7) corresponds to one feed groove (6), and the feeder lines (7) are located under the corresponding feed grooves (6). Through the low loss characteristic of the superconducting material and the electromagnetic characteristic of the metamaterial layer, the high-frequency signal loss of the MIMO antenna is reduced, and the environmental adaptability is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to superconducting materials and metamaterials, and in particular to a MIMO antenna based on superconducting materials and metamaterials. Background Art

[0002] Existing MIMO antenna systems are widely used in satellite communications, particularly in low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite systems. Traditional MIMO antenna technology utilizes multiple antenna arrays at both the transmit and receive ends to increase channel capacity, spectral efficiency, and improve signal quality. However, these systems face challenges with high-frequency signal attenuation, bandwidth limitations, power consumption, and size. In particular, in high-frequency communications (such as the millimeter-wave band), traditional antenna systems are unable to effectively address signal loss and poor environmental adaptability. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the existing technology and provide a MIMO antenna based on superconducting materials and metamaterials. By utilizing the low-loss characteristics of the superconducting material and the electromagnetic properties of the metamaterial layer, the high-frequency signal loss of the MIMO antenna is reduced and the environmental adaptability is improved.

[0004] The object of the present invention is achieved through the following technical solutions: a MIMO antenna based on superconducting materials and metamaterials, comprising an upper substrate, a ground plane and a lower substrate arranged in sequence from top to bottom; The upper surface of the upper substrate is loaded with a superconducting material antenna array; two square metamaterial layers are provided on the ground plane and are integrated with two feeding slots; Two feed lines are provided on the lower substrate, each feed line corresponds to a feed slot, and the feed line is located directly below the corresponding feed slot.

[0005] The superconducting material antenna array includes a plurality of superconducting material antennas; and the superconducting material antennas are cylindrical antennas.

[0006] The two square metamaterial layers are parallel to each other, the feeding slot is located between the two metamaterial layers and remains parallel to the metamaterial layers. The layout direction of each feeding line is perpendicular to the opening direction of the corresponding feeding slot.

[0007] An array of 3*3 metamaterial units is provided in the metamaterial layer; Each metamaterial unit includes a square ring and a circular ring located inside the square ring; the lower left corner and upper right corner of the outer ring of the square ring are cut off by an isosceles right triangle; the inner ring of the circular ring is provided with two strip grooves symmetrical about the center of the circular ring, and each of the strip grooves is parallel to the left and right sides of the square ring.

[0008] The MIMO antenna of this application adopts a multi-layer integrated structure design, and the coherent superposition and beamforming of signals are achieved through spatial electromagnetic coupling between the layers of the structure; The superconducting material antennas are arranged regularly (for example, in a 4*4 arrangement) or in a stacked arrangement. The metamaterial layer forms a 3*3 unit cell array through 3*3 metamaterial units, forming a periodic subwavelength structure. This structure is strongly coupled with the superconducting material antenna array on the upper substrate. The 3*3 unit cell array structure can regulate the phase and amplitude of electromagnetic waves, improving the antenna's adaptability to the environment. The upper substrate carries an antenna array made of high-temperature superconducting material, which transmits signals to the intermediate ground plane layer through electromagnetic field coupling. The ground plane layer serves as a reference plane for RF signals and integrates the metamaterial layer and feed slot structure. The feed slot structure, as an RF signal transmission channel, effectively directs the RF signal from the lower-layer feed circuit to the upper-layer superconducting antenna elements. The metamaterial layer, through its specific structural form, adjusts the distribution of the electromagnetic field, thereby affecting the radiation characteristics and directivity of the antenna. The upper antenna array uses YBCO high-temperature superconducting material, effectively reducing the system's signal transmission loss. The metamaterial layer structure in the middle layer can be equivalent to a split-ring resonator, which is used to manipulate the propagation path and characteristics of electromagnetic waves.

[0009] The signal is transmitted from the external RF front end (connected to the feed line) to the feed slot on the ground layer via the antenna's internal feed network (including the feed line on the lower substrate and the feed slot on the ground plane), and then from the feed slot to the metamaterial layer. Through strong electromagnetic coupling, the signal is transmitted to the superconducting material antenna array on the upper substrate, and then radiated into free space through the superconducting material antenna array. The metamaterial unit in the metamaterial layer is designed based on the principle of a composite right / left-handed (CRLH) transmission line. By introducing series capacitors and shunt inductors into a traditional right-handed transmission line, left-handed transmission characteristics are achieved. This results in both negative permittivity and negative permeability within certain frequency bands, modulating the phase and amplitude of electromagnetic waves and improving the antenna's adaptability to the environment. The right-handed transmission line characteristics are reflected in the feed lines on the underlying substrate, the feed slots in the ground plane, and the transmission path from the feed slots to the metamaterial layer. The left-handed characteristics are achieved through the arrangement of square and circular rings within the metamaterial layer. The series capacitance is primarily generated by the open gaps created by the symmetrical strip slots on the circular rings, providing electric field coupling. The shunt inductance is provided by the circular and square rings, each providing different inductances and forming a parallel inductance that generates a magnetic field response.

[0010] The antenna system is constructed using a layered integrated design of superconducting and metamaterial materials. On a high-resistance silicon substrate, superconducting thin film layers, metamaterial structure layers, and a feed network layer are sequentially deposited to achieve overall system functionality synergy. YBCO, the superconducting material, is chosen for its ultra-low resistance, effectively reducing electromagnetic signal transmission loss and ensuring efficient electromagnetic wave transmission within the antenna. The metamaterial structure consists of a composite unit cell composed of concentric rings (circular rings) and square patches (square rings). Key unit cell parameters are designed based on the principle of electromagnetic resonance: the inner ring radius r1 is 2 mm, corresponding to a quarter-wavelength resonance at the target frequency; the outer ring radius r2 is 3.5 mm, forming a coupled resonant structure with the inner ring. The ratio of the two ring radii is approximately 1:1.75, ensuring dual-band response; the unit cell width Pe is 10 mm, designed to be one-tenth the wavelength, ensuring effective electromagnetic coupling between the units. The combination of superconducting and metamaterials creates a synergistic mechanism that enhances the antenna's overall electromagnetic response. The superconducting layer effectively reduces energy loss during signal transmission, while the metamaterial structure improves the antenna's environmental adaptability, thereby enhancing system efficiency. The temperature stability mainly comes from the inherent physical properties of superconducting materials and the low sensitivity of metamaterial structures to temperature changes.

[0011] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: the present invention reduces the high-frequency signal loss of the MIMO antenna through the low-loss characteristics of the superconducting material and the electromagnetic characteristics of the metamaterial layer, and enables the metamaterial unit to simultaneously present a negative dielectric constant and a negative magnetic permeability, thereby improving environmental adaptability. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the principle of the present invention; Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structure of the metamaterial. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the protection scope of the present invention is not limited to the following.

[0014] like Figure 1 As shown, a MIMO antenna based on superconducting materials and metamaterials, a MIMO antenna based on superconducting materials and metamaterials, includes an upper substrate 1, a ground plane 2 and a lower substrate 3 arranged in sequence from top to bottom; The upper surface of the upper substrate 1 is loaded with a superconducting material antenna array; two square metamaterial layers 5 are provided on the ground plane 2, and two feeding slots 6 are integrated; Two feed lines 7 are provided on the lower substrate 3 , each feed line 7 corresponds to a feed slot 6 , and the feed line 7 is located directly below the corresponding feed slot 6 .

[0015] The physical structure of the present invention adopts a multi-layer integrated design and consists of an upper substrate, a ground plane, a metamaterial layer, and a lower substrate. The upper substrate carries a cylindrical superconducting material antenna (height Hd = 5mm, radius Rd = 3mm). This geometric design fully utilizes the low-loss characteristics of superconducting materials; the ground plane integrates a precisely sized feeding slot (length Lc = 2mm, width Wc = 0.5mm) for efficient signal feeding; the metamaterial layer is located on the ground plane and provides tunable electromagnetic properties through a special electromagnetic structure to achieve dynamic beam control; the lower substrate contains carefully designed feed lines (W50 = 0.25mm, Lq = 1.5mm) to ensure signal integrity and transmission efficiency. The entire radiation system adopts an improved Sierpinski fractal geometry. This self-similar structure exhibits multiple resonant modes at three iterative levels, achieving ultra-wideband characteristics while maintaining a compact design.

[0016] like Figure 2 As shown, the metamaterial unit of the present invention adopts the following structural parameter design to achieve precise electromagnetic property control and efficient antenna performance. The unit consists of an inner ring (radius r1 = 2 mm) and an outer ring (radius r2 = 3.5 mm). The inner ring is responsible for controlling the local electromagnetic response characteristics, while the larger outer ring affects the operating frequency range of the entire unit, broadening the frequency response. The overall design dimensions of the unit (width Pe = 10 mm, height Pz = 10 mm) are precisely calculated to determine both the physical dimensions and the effective dielectric constant and permeability, ensuring optimal electromagnetic wave interaction. The corner width (i.e., the hypotenuses c1 and c2 of the truncated isosceles right triangle are both 1.2 mm) is designed to minimize edge effects. The design of the unit spacing (horizontal spacing Fw = 11 mm, vertical spacing Lw = 11 mm, center distance d = 1 mm) plays a key role in optimizing array performance, controlling coupling between adjacent units, and determining the overall resonance characteristics. By adjusting these parameters, the metamaterial structure can demonstrate precise electromagnetic wave manipulation capabilities, such as real-time adjustment of frequency, beam direction, and radiation characteristics, providing unprecedented flexibility and adaptability for satellite communication systems. The metamaterial layer adopts a composite right / left-handed (CRLH) transmission line structure to achieve simultaneous negative dielectric constant and negative permeability in a specific frequency band.

[0017] The foregoing description shows and describes a preferred embodiment of the present invention. However, as previously stated, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the form disclosed herein and should not be construed as excluding other embodiments. Instead, the present invention is applicable to various other combinations, modifications, and environments and is capable of modification within the scope of the inventive concept described herein, through the teachings above, or through techniques or knowledge in the relevant art. Modifications and variations made by those skilled in the art that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention are intended to be within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A MIMO antenna based on superconducting materials and metamaterials, characterized by: It comprises an upper substrate (1), a ground plane (2) and a lower substrate (3) which are arranged in sequence from top to bottom; The upper surface of the upper substrate (1) is loaded with a superconducting material antenna array; two square metamaterial layers (5) are provided on the ground plane (2), and two feeding slots (6) are integrated therein; Two feed lines (7) are provided on the lower substrate (3), each feed line (7) corresponds to a feed slot (6), and the feed line (7) is located directly below the corresponding feed slot (6).

2. The MIMO antenna based on superconducting materials and metamaterials according to claim 1, characterized in that: The superconducting material antenna array comprises a plurality of superconducting material antennas (4); the superconducting material antennas (4) are cylindrical antennas.

3. The MIMO antenna based on superconducting materials and metamaterials according to claim 1, characterized in that: The two square metamaterial layers (5) are parallel to each other, and the feeding slot (6) is located between the two metamaterial layers and remains parallel to the metamaterial layer (5).

4. The MIMO antenna based on superconducting materials and metamaterials according to claim 1, characterized in that: The layout direction of each feeder line (7) is perpendicular to the opening direction of the corresponding feeder slot (6).

5. The MIMO antenna based on superconducting materials and metamaterials according to claim 1, characterized in that: An array formed by 3*3 metamaterial units is provided in the metamaterial layer (5); Each metamaterial unit includes a square ring and a circular ring located inside the square ring; the lower left corner and upper right corner of the outer ring of the square ring are cut off by an isosceles right triangle; the inner ring of the circular ring is provided with two strip grooves symmetrical about the center of the circular ring, and each of the strip grooves is parallel to the left and right sides of the square ring.

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