Antenna unit, antenna device, and array antenna

Abstract

The invention provides an antenna unit, an antenna device and an array antenna, and belongs to the technical field of antennas. The second substrate is arranged opposite to the first substrate; the dielectric layer is located between the first substrate and the second substrate; the electrode layer is positioned on one side, close to the second substrate, of the first substrate; the radiation structure layer is located on the second substrate and comprises a transmission line and a plurality of leaky-wave structures which are connected with the transmission line and are periodically arranged in the extension direction of the transmission line; wherein the leaky-wave structure comprises two groups of sub-structures, each sub-structure comprises at least one polygonal metal patch, and at least one edge between the metal patches in different sub-structures is orthogonal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of antenna technology, and in particular to an antenna element, an antenna device, and an array antenna. Background Technology

[0002] Leaky wave antennas are a type of traveling wave antenna that not only possesses wide bandwidth but also exhibits a main lobe beam that varies with frequency, thus attracting widespread attention. In modern communication systems, leaky wave antennas need to maintain stable communication even in complex geographical environments and harsh conditions. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Based on the background art, this disclosure proposes an antenna element, an antenna device, and an array antenna.

[0004] In a first aspect, this disclosure provides an antenna element, comprising:

[0005] First substrate;

[0006] The second substrate is disposed opposite to the first substrate;

[0007] A dielectric layer is located between the first substrate and the second substrate;

[0008] An electrode layer is located on the side of the first substrate closer to the second substrate; and,

[0009] A radiating structure layer, located on the second substrate, includes a transmission line and a plurality of leakage structures connected to the transmission line and periodically arranged along the extension direction of the transmission line.

[0010] The leakage structure includes two sets of substructures, each substructure including at least one polygonal metal patch, and at least one side of the metal patches located in different substructures is orthogonal to each other.

[0011] For example, multiple metal patches in the same leakage structure have the same shape and size, and the vertices of the metal patches are connected to the transmission line;

[0012] The vertices where the metal patches located in different substructures are connected to the transmission line have the same interior angle.

[0013] For example, the orthographic projection of the metal patch on the second substrate is a triangle; wherein one vertex of the metal patch is connected to the transmission line.

[0014] For example, the orthographic projection of the metal patch on the second substrate includes a right-angled triangle, and the non-right-angled vertices of the metal patch are connected to the transmission line;

[0015] Among them, there are at least two orthogonal hypotenuses between the metal patches located in different substructures.

[0016] For example, the length of one of the two right-angled sides of the metal patch is 1 / 15 to 1 / 10 of the working wavelength, and the length of the other right-angled side is 1 / 30 to 1 / 20 of the working wavelength.

[0017] For example, the two sets of substructures are located on the same side of the transmission line, and the two sets of substructures are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the perpendicular line of the transmission line; wherein, the two orthogonal sides of the metal patches in different substructures form a right triangle with the transmission line.

[0018] For example, the two sets of said substructures are located on opposite sides of the transmission line, and in the extension direction of the transmission line, the two sets of said substructures have a first gap between their orthogonal projections on the second substrate.

[0019] For example, the first spacing is 1 / 40 to 1 / 30 of the operating wavelength.

[0020] For example, the substructure includes two metal patches, and a second spacing is provided between the two metal patches in the same substructure along the extension direction of the transmission line.

[0021] For example, the second spacing is greater than the first spacing.

[0022] For example, the antenna unit further includes a feeding structure located at one end of the transmission line, the feeding structure being coupled to the transmission line;

[0023] The transmission line is a microstrip line, and the orthographic projections of the two sets of substructures on the second substrate are located on opposite sides of the microstrip line. In a clockwise direction starting from the power supply structure, at least one side of the metal patches in different substructures has an included angle of 90 degrees.

[0024] For example, the antenna unit further includes a feeding structure located at one end of the transmission line, the feeding structure being coupled to the transmission line;

[0025] The transmission line includes a differential signal line. The orthographic projections of the two sets of substructures on the second substrate are located on opposite sides of the microstrip line. The two sets of substructures are connected to different signal lines of the differential signal line. In a clockwise direction starting from the feed structure, at least one side of the metal patches located in different substructures has an included angle of 270 degrees.

[0026] For example, the differential signal line includes a first signal line and a second signal line, the first signal line and the second signal line being located on opposite sides of the second substrate;

[0027] In this configuration, one of the two sets of substructures is on the same layer as the first signal line, and the other substructure is on the same layer as the second signal line.

[0028] For example, the metal patch has at least one perforated slit.

[0029] For example, the dielectric layer is a dielectric layer with an adjustable dielectric constant.

[0030] A second aspect of this disclosure provides an array antenna comprising a plurality of antenna elements as described in any of the first aspects, wherein the plurality of antenna elements are arranged in an array.

[0031] A third aspect of this disclosure provides an antenna device, characterized in that it includes any of the antenna elements described in the first aspect; or, it includes the array antenna described in the second aspect.

[0032] The antenna unit in this embodiment includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a dielectric layer between the first and second substrates, an electrode layer located on the side of the first substrate closer to the second substrate, and a radiating structure layer on the second substrate. The radiating structure layer includes a transmission line and a plurality of drain structures connected to the transmission line and periodically arranged along the extension direction of the transmission line. Each drain structure includes two sets of substructures, each substructure including at least one polygonal metal patch, and at least one edge between the metal patches in different substructures is orthogonal to each other. Because the metal patches in different substructures of the drain structure each have at least one orthogonal edge, the phase of the signal transmitted from the transmission line to the drain structure can be orthogonal, achieving circularly polarized radiation. Therefore, the antenna unit can receive electromagnetic waves of arbitrary polarization, thus avoiding polarization loss. It also has the advantages of suppressing multipath scattering and multipath interference, being insensitive to depolarization, and having high link reliability, thereby improving the communication stability of the antenna unit.

[0033] The above description is merely an overview of the technical solution disclosed herein. In order to better understand the technical means of this disclosure and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this disclosure more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of this disclosure are described below. Attached Figure Description

[0034] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments or related technologies of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or related technologies will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort. It should be noted that the scale in the drawings is for illustration only and does not represent the actual scale.

[0035] Figure 1 and Figure 10 Cross-sectional structural schematic diagrams of two antenna elements in embodiments of this disclosure are shown respectively;

[0036] Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 8 , Figure 9 , Figure 12 , Figures 19-21 Schematic diagrams of the radiating structure layers in several antenna elements in embodiments of this disclosure are shown respectively;

[0037] Figures 4-7 Schematic diagrams of the leakage wave structures in several antenna elements in embodiments of this disclosure are shown respectively;

[0038] Figure 11 Schematic diagrams of the structures of several metal patches in the embodiments of this disclosure are shown respectively;

[0039] Figures 13-18 A schematic diagram of the simulated structure of the antenna element of Example #1 in the embodiments of this disclosure is shown;

[0040] Figure 22 A plan view of the array antenna in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0041] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0042] 11. First substrate; 12. Second substrate; 13. Dielectric layer; 14. Electrode layer; 15. Radiation structure layer; 16. Hollowed-out gap; 151. Transmission line; 152. Leakage structure; 153. Feed structure; 52. Metal patch; 521. First metal patch; 522. Second metal patch; 523. Third metal patch; 524. Fourth metal patch; d1. First pitch; d2. Second pitch; P. Periodic pitch; 1511. First signal line; 1512. Second signal line. Detailed Implementation

[0043] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this disclosure more apparent and understandable, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this disclosure. Based on the embodiments of this disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0044] In this specification, "electrical connection" and "coupling" include situations where components are connected together by elements that have some electrical function. There are no particular limitations on what constitutes an "electrical function," as long as it allows for the transmission and reception of electrical signals between the connected components. Examples of "electrical functions" include not only electrodes and wiring, but also switching elements such as transistors, resistors, inductors, capacitors, and other components with various functions.

[0045] In this specification, "parallel" refers to the state where the angle formed by two straight lines is greater than or equal to -10° and less than 10°, and therefore also includes the state where the angle is greater than or equal to -5° and less than 5°. Similarly, "orthogonal" refers to the state where the angle formed by two straight lines is greater than or equal to 80° and less than 100°, and therefore also includes the state where the angle is greater than or equal to 85° and less than 95°. Of course, "orthogonal" also refers to the state where the angle formed by two straight lines is greater than or equal to 260° and less than 280°, and therefore also includes the state where the angle is greater than or equal to 265° and less than 275°.

[0046] Unless the context otherwise requires, throughout the specification and claims, the term "comprising" is interpreted as open and encompassing, that is, "including, but not limited to".

[0047] In this application, "same layer" refers to the relationship between multiple film layers formed from the same material after undergoing the same step (e.g., a patterning process). "Same layer" here does not always mean that multiple film layers have the same thickness or the same height in a cross-sectional view. The polygons used in this specification are not strictly defined; they can be approximate triangles, parallelograms, trapezoids, pentagons, or hexagons, and may have minor deformations due to tolerances.

[0048] Leaky wave antennas in related technologies need to maintain sufficient communication stability. Therefore, they can be made capable of radiating circularly polarized signals. However, leaky wave antennas that radiate circularly polarized signals have the problem of insufficient radiation effect, such as insufficient antenna gain.

[0049] In view of this, the present disclosure proposes a leaky antenna that can achieve circularly polarized radiation and has a good radiation effect. The leaky antenna includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a dielectric layer between the first substrate and the second substrate, an electrode layer located on the side of the first substrate closer to the second substrate, and a radiating structure layer located on the second substrate. The radiating structure layer includes a transmission line and a plurality of leaky structures connected to the transmission line and periodically arranged along the extension direction of the transmission line. The leaky structure includes two sets of substructures, and each substructure includes at least one polygonal metal patch. At least one side of the metal patches located in different substructures is orthogonal to each other.

[0050] The leaky wave antenna proposed in this embodiment includes two sets of orthogonal substructures, which allows the phase of the signal transmitted from the transmission line to the leaky wave structure to be orthogonal, achieving circular polarization radiation. As a result, the antenna element can receive electromagnetic waves of arbitrary polarization, thus avoiding polarization loss. It also has the advantages of suppressing multipath scattering and multipath interference, being insensitive to depolarization, and having high link reliability, thereby improving the communication stability of the antenna element. Furthermore, the use of polygonal metal patches in the leaky wave structure can improve the radiation effect.

[0051] The antenna element, antenna device, and antenna array provided in the embodiments of this application will now be described and introduced in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0052] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, Figure 1 A cross-sectional structural diagram of the antenna element in this embodiment is shown. Figure 2 and Figure 3 Planar schematic diagrams of the radiating structure layers of the two types of antenna elements are shown, as follows: Figures 1-3 As shown, the antenna unit in this embodiment includes:

[0053] First substrate 11;

[0054] The second substrate 12 is disposed opposite to the first substrate;

[0055] Dielectric layer 13 is located between the first substrate and the second substrate;

[0056] Electrode layer 14 is located on the side of the first substrate closer to the second substrate; and,

[0057] The radiation structure layer 15 is located on the second substrate and includes a transmission line 151 and a plurality of leakage structures 152 connected to the transmission line and periodically arranged along the extension direction of the transmission line.

[0058] The leakage structure includes two sets of substructures, each substructure including at least one polygonal metal patch 52, and the metal patches located in different substructures have at least one orthogonal edge.

[0059] In this embodiment, both the first substrate and the second substrate can be glass substrates, or commonly used PCB insulating materials such as polytetrafluoroethylene glass fiber laminates, phenolic paper laminates, and phenolic glass cloth laminates. They can also be rigid materials with low microwave loss, such as quartz and glass, or flexible materials.

[0060] The medium layer can be a solid material layer or an air layer. The solid material layer can use resin material as the medium.

[0061] The electrode layer can be formed of metal. Its orthogonal projection onto the first substrate can completely or partially cover the first substrate. The electrode layer can be grounded, thereby enabling the grounding function of the antenna element. In some exemplary embodiments, the electrode layer can be a low-resistance, low-loss metal such as copper, gold, or silver, and can be prepared using methods such as magnetron sputtering, thermal evaporation, or electroplating. Specifically, different methods can be selected to prepare the electrode layer depending on its thickness. For example, if the electrode layer is made of copper and has a thickness of 2 μm, it can be prepared using methods such as magnetron sputtering, thermal evaporation, or electroplating.

[0062] The radiating structure layer can be located on the second substrate, for example, on the side of the second substrate closer to the first substrate, such that the radiating structure layer can be located between the second substrate and the dielectric layer. This radiating structure layer can radiate signals outwards, specifically including a transmission line and multiple drain structures connected to the transmission line. The transmission line can be connected to the feed structure 153 of the antenna element, and the feed structure can feed signals into the transmission line. The signals are transmitted in the transmission line and radiated outwards through the drain structures. Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, these multiple leakage structures are arranged periodically along the extension direction of the transmission line. This extension direction can refer to the signal transmission direction in the transmission line, or it can be understood as the length direction of the transmission line. Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the extension direction can be the x-direction in the figure.

[0063] In this embodiment, the radiating structure layer can be a low-resistivity, low-loss metal such as copper, gold, or silver, and can be prepared by methods such as magnetron sputtering, thermal evaporation, or electroplating. Specifically, different methods can be selected to prepare the radiating structure layer depending on its thickness.

[0064] Each leaky wave structure can include two sets of substructures, such as Figure 2 As shown, the two sets of substructures can be arranged along the extension direction on the same side of the transmission line; or, as... Figure 3 As shown, the two sets of substructures can be arranged in the direction perpendicular to the transmission line, so that the two sets of substructures are located on opposite sides of the transmission line. Regardless of the design, as long as the metal patches in the two sets of substructures ensure that one side is orthogonal, circularly polarized radiation can be achieved.

[0065] Both sets of substructures include at least one metal patch. For example, each substructure may include one, two, or more metal patches. Figure 2 and Figure 3 The illustration depicts a substructure comprising a single metal patch. Specifically, all metal patches within a single wavelet structure can have the same shape and size; that is, the metal patches in one substructure can have the same size and shape as those in another substructure. This size can include the side length of each edge of the metal patch and the degree angle between the side lengths. Of course, in this embodiment, consistency can be approximate and does not require complete uniformity.

[0066] In this embodiment, the metal patch is a polygon; specifically, the metal patch can be a triangle, quadrilateral, trapezoid, or other polygon. Figure 2 and Figure 3 The metal patch inside is triangular.

[0067] In this embodiment, in the two sets of substructures in the wave-draining structure, at least one edge of the metal patch in one substructure is orthogonal to a corresponding edge of the metal patch in the other substructure. Orthogonality can mean that the edge of the metal patch in one substructure intersects the corresponding edge of the metal patch in the other substructure at an angle of 90 degrees or 270 degrees. For example, if the metal patch is triangular, in a wave-draining structure, one edge of the metal patch in one substructure is orthogonal to one edge of the metal patch in the other substructure; or, two edges of the metal patch in one substructure are each orthogonal to two edges of the metal patch in the other substructure.

[0068] For example, with Figure 2 For example, if a substructure includes a triangular metal patch, then a leaky wave structure includes two triangular metal patches. Both triangular metal patches are acute triangles. In the case of acute triangles, there can be at least one orthogonal side between the metal patches in different substructures. In this case, the interior angles of the acute triangles can be set to make all three sides between the metal patches in different substructures orthogonal.

[0069] like Figure 2As shown, the two triangular metal patches are the first metal patch 521 and the second metal patch 522, both of which are equilateral triangles. The first metal patch and the second metal patch are located on opposite sides of the transmission line. The side L1 of the first metal patch is orthogonal to the side L1' of the second metal patch, the side L2 of the first metal patch is orthogonal to the side L2' of the second metal patch, and the side L3 of the first metal patch is orthogonal to the side L3' of the second metal patch.

[0070] For example, with Figure 3 For example, the substructure also includes a triangular metal patch. The entire leakage structure includes two triangular metal patches, namely the first metal patch and the second metal patch. The first metal patch and the second metal patch are located on the same side of the transmission line. The side L1 of the first metal patch is not orthogonal to the side L1' of the second metal patch, the side L2 of the first metal patch is not orthogonal to the side L2' of the second metal patch, and the side L3 of the first metal patch is orthogonal to the side L3' of the second metal patch. That is to say, the metal patches located in different substructures have only one orthogonal side.

[0071] It should be noted that in this embodiment, orthogonality can mean that each side between the two metal patches is perpendicular to each other. As mentioned above, being perpendicular to each other can include a state with an included angle of 80° or more and 100° or less, or an included angle of 265° or more and 275° or less.

[0072] Since the metal patches in the two substructures of the leaky wave structure have at least one orthogonal edge, the signal is transmitted to the two substructures of the leaky wave structure in the transmission line, so that the signals radiated by the two substructures are 90 degrees out of phase, thus forming circularly polarized radiation.

[0073] In this embodiment, since at least one edge of the metal patch in each of the two substructures is orthogonal, and each metal patch needs to be connected to the transmission line to achieve signal transmission, the metal patch and the transmission line in the substructure can be obliquely intersecting. This oblique intersection means that each edge of the metal patch is not orthogonal to the transmission line, or at least some edges of the metal patch are not orthogonal to the transmission line. For example, as... Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, none of the edges of the metal patch are orthogonal to the transmission line. In practice, the metal patch can be rotated by a certain angle around the perpendicular line to the transmission line, so that at least one edge of the metal patch in each of the two substructures is orthogonal, and each edge is not orthogonal to the transmission line.

[0074] In this embodiment, the endpoints of the metal patch can be connected to the transmission line.

[0075] In the antenna element of this embodiment, the phase of the signal transmitted from the transmission line to the drain structure can be orthogonal, realizing circular polarization radiation. As a result, the antenna element can receive electromagnetic waves of arbitrary polarization, thereby avoiding polarization loss. It also has the advantages of suppressing multipath scattering and multipath interference, being insensitive to depolarization, and having high link reliability, thereby improving the communication stability of the antenna element. Furthermore, the drain structure uses polygonal metal patches, which can improve the radiation effect. For example, it can improve the radiation gain, improve the axial ratio of the antenna element, and improve the reflection coefficient of the antenna element.

[0076] In an exemplary embodiment, multiple metal patches in the same drain structure have the same shape and size. The vertices of the metal patches are connected to the transmission lines. The interior angles of the vertices of the metal patches in different substructures of the same drain structure that are connected to the transmission lines can be different. In different cases, two substructures in the drain structure can be orthogonal to each other. That is, each edge of the metal patch in one substructure can be orthogonal to each edge of the metal patch in another substructure (this case is not shown in the figure).

[0077] In one exemplary embodiment, multiple metal patches in the same drain structure have the same shape and size. The vertices of the metal patches are connected to the transmission lines. The interior angles of the vertices connecting the metal patches in different substructures of the same drain structure to the transmission lines can be the same. Under the same conditions, the metal patches in two substructures of the drain structure can have one orthogonal edge; that is, one edge of a metal patch in one substructure is orthogonal to one edge of a metal patch in another substructure. This can be combined with... Figure 2 As shown, in this case, if the two substructures are located on opposite sides of the transmission line, in one example, the two substructures can be axially symmetrical with respect to the transmission line; or, they can be combined. Figure 3 As shown, in this case, if the two substructures are located on the same side of the transmission line, in one example, the two substructures can be axially symmetric with respect to the normal direction of the transmission line.

[0078] Of course, in some other examples, the two substructures may not be axially symmetric relative to the transmission line or the normal of the transmission line, as long as there is at least one perpendicular side.

[0079] Please refer to Figure 4. Figure 4 An enlarged schematic diagram of a leakage wave structure is shown, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the substructure in the leaky wave structure includes one metal patch, and there are two metal patches in total: a first metal patch and a second metal patch. The two metal patches are distributed on opposite sides of the transmission line. The metal patches are triangular, and the interior angle α connecting the first metal patch to the transmission line has the same degree measure as the interior angle α' connecting the second metal patch to the transmission line. In this case, the first and second metal patches have one orthogonal side.

[0080] In one exemplary embodiment, the metal patch may be triangular, specifically, one vertex of the metal patch of the triangle is connected to the transmission line.

[0081] Please continue to refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, triangular metal patches are used, and at least one side of the triangular metal patches in the two substructures is orthogonal to each other. This allows the signal to have a high gain when it is radiated outward through the metal patches.

[0082] The triangular metal patch can be an obtuse triangle, an acute triangle, a right triangle, or more specifically, an isosceles triangle, an equilateral triangle, or a scalene triangle. For example, Figure 2 The triangle shown is an acute triangle. Figure 3 The triangle shown is an obtuse triangle.

[0083] In this configuration, any vertex of the triangular metal patch can be connected to the transmission line. Connecting vertices to the transmission line increases signal coupling strength, thereby increasing gain. In some implementations, the vertex with the smallest angle in the metal patch can be connected to the transmission line. For example, if the three interior angles of the metal patch are 60°, 50°, and 70°, then the vertex at the 50° interior angle of the metal patch can be connected to the transmission line.

[0084] As mentioned above, in this example, the interior angles of the vertices where the metal patches in different substructures are connected to the transmission lines can be the same or different.

[0085] In a further example of this embodiment, the metal patch may be a right-angled triangle, that is, the orthographic projection of the metal patch onto the second substrate includes a right-angled triangle; in this case, the non-right-angled vertices of the metal patch are connected to the transmission line, and at least the hypotenuses of the metal patches located in different substructures are orthogonal.

[0086] Please refer to Figure 5 As shown, Figure 5 This shows a top plan view of the leaky wave structure in another antenna unit, combined with... Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the metal patch in this example is a right triangle. It should be noted that the right triangle referred to here means that one of the interior angles is 90°. In practice, it can be approximately 90°. For example, the interior angle can be between 85° and 95° and can be called a right angle. A triangle with this interior angle is called a right triangle.

[0087] like Figure 4As shown, when the metal patch is a right-angled triangle, it has two right-angled sides and a hypotenuse. In this embodiment, the hypotenuse of the metal patch in one substructure is orthogonal to the hypotenuse of the metal patch in another substructure. The interior angles of the vertices connecting the metal patches in different substructures to the transmission line can be the same. In this case, the hypotenuse Hc of the metal patch in one substructure is orthogonal to the hypotenuse Hc of the metal patch in another substructure. Alternatively, the interior angles of the vertices connecting the metal patches in different substructures to the transmission line can be different. In different cases, if the hypotenuse of the metal patch in one substructure is orthogonal to the hypotenuse of the metal patch in another substructure, the two right-angled sides of the metal patches in the two substructures can also be orthogonal.

[0088] In this example, a non-right-angled vertex of the metal patch can be connected to the transmission line. This non-right-angled vertex can be a vertex where the hypotenuse connects to a right-angled side, or a vertex where the hypotenuse connects to any right-angled side. More specifically, if the metal patch is a non-isosceles triangle, the vertex connected to the transmission line can be a vertex where the hypotenuse connects to the longer right-angled side, i.e., the vertex with the smallest interior angle. Therefore, when the signal travels from the transmission line to the metal patch, it can propagate along the path of the hypotenuse within the metal patch, thereby increasing the gain of the radiated signal.

[0089] In one embodiment of this example, when the metal patch is a right triangle, the lengths of the two legs of the right triangle can be determined according to the frequency band of the desired radiated signal, for example, according to the operating wavelength, which may refer to the center frequency of the radiated signal frequency band.

[0090] Specifically, the length Lc of one of the two right-angled sides connected to the right-angle vertex of the metal patch is 1 / 15 to 1 / 10 of the working wavelength, and the length Wc of the other right-angled side is 1 / 30 to 1 / 20 of the working wavelength.

[0091] Please continue to combine Figure 4 As shown, the right triangle is not an isosceles right triangle, meaning the two legs have different lengths. The longer leg can be 1 / 15 to 1 / 10 of the working wavelength, for example, 1 / 15, 1 / 14, 1 / 13, 1 / 12, 1 / 11, or 1 / 10 of the working wavelength. The shorter leg can be 1 / 30 to 1 / 20 of the working wavelength, for example, 1 / 30, 1 / 28, 1 / 26, 1 / 24, 1 / 22, or 1 / 20 of the working wavelength.

[0092] In some exemplary embodiments, the two sets of substructures in the leakage structure can be located on the same side of the transmission line and can be arranged in the extension direction of the transmission line. The two sets of substructures are orthogonal to each other, and the two sets of substructures can be symmetrically distributed on both sides of the perpendicular line of the transmission line. The two orthogonal sides of the metal patches in different substructures form a right triangle with the transmission line.

[0093] Please continue to combine Figure 3 As shown, the substructure includes a metal patch, and the leakage structure contains a total of two metal patches. The two metal patches are axially symmetrical along the perpendicular line of the transmission line. In this case, the endpoints of the two metal patches can be connected. For example, if the metal patches are triangular, one endpoint of the two metal patches can be connected.

[0094] In this case, one edge of the metal patch in the two substructures is orthogonal, while the other two edges are not orthogonal. In one example, the metal patches in the two substructures can be obliquely intersecting with the transmission line, such as... Figure 3 As shown. In another example, the metal patches in the two substructures can have one edge orthogonal to the transmission line (not shown in the figure).

[0095] Specifically, the two orthogonal sides of the metal patches in different substructures form a right triangle with the transmission line, that is, as... Figure 3 As shown, the two orthogonal sides of the metal patches in different substructures face each other, thus forming right-angle gaps between the metal patches, thereby radiating circularly polarized signals.

[0096] In some exemplary embodiments, the two sets of substructures in the leakage structure can be located on opposite sides of the transmission line, and in the extension direction of the transmission line, the two sets of substructures have a first spacing d1 between their orthogonal projections on the second substrate.

[0097] Please combine Figure 6 As shown, Figure 6 A top-view schematic diagram of the filter structure is shown, such as... Figure 6 As shown, a leaky wave structure has two sets of substructures located on opposite sides of a transmission line. For example, one substructure is located on the first side of the transmission line, and the other substructure is located on the second side of the transmission line. Figure 6 As shown, the metal patches in the two substructures radiate signals on the upper and lower sides of the transmission line. The metal patches in the upper and lower substructures have an orthogonal edge. At the same time, in the extension direction of the transmission line, there is a first gap d1 between the connection points of the two substructures and the transmission line. That is to say, the two substructures are misaligned with the transmission line.

[0098] With a first gap between the two substructures, the phase delay of the signal when it is transmitted to the two substructures on the transmission line can be compensated, thereby ensuring circular polarization performance.

[0099] In this exemplary embodiment, the first spacing can be 1 / 40 to 1 / 30 of the working wavelength. For example, the first spacing can be 1 / 40, 1 / 38, 1 / 36, 1 / 35, 1 / 33, 1 / 32, or 1 / 30.

[0100] In this exemplary embodiment, the metal patch can be considered as being orthogonal to one side of the metal patch in the two substructures after being rotated a certain angle around the perpendicular line y around the transmission line, such as... Figure 6 As shown, the metal patch is a right triangle. The longer straight side of the right triangle is rotated by a certain angle β around the perpendicular line y of the transmission line. The rotation angle β can be determined based on the first spacing d1.

[0101] Of course, in some other exemplary embodiments, such as Figure 2 , Figure 4 As shown, when two sets of substructures of a leakage wave structure are located on opposite sides of a transmission line, there may be no gap between the connection points of the two substructures and the transmission line in the direction of the transmission line's extension. In this way, the two substructures can be connected at the same location on the transmission line, and circular polarization radiation can also be achieved.

[0102] In one exemplary embodiment, each substructure includes one metal patch, but may also include two metal patches. Specifically, refer to... Figure 7 As shown, Figure 7 A top plan view of another radial structure layer is shown, as follows: Figure 7 As shown, the substructure includes two metal patches along the extension direction of the transmission line, and the two metal patches in the same substructure have a second spacing d2 between them.

[0103] like Figure 7 As shown, a substructure includes two metal patches, which are identical in size and shape. In this case, a leakage structure includes a total of four metal patches, which are distributed in pairs on the upper and lower sides of the transmission line.

[0104] In this substructure, two metal patches have a second spacing in the direction of transmission line extension. In one example, this second spacing can be smaller than the spacing P between multiple leakage structures. Thus, a slit is formed between the two metal patches in the substructure, thereby increasing the radiation intensity of the circularly polarized signal.

[0105] In this case, since the metal patches of different substructures are orthogonal to each other at least by one edge, the orthogonal relationship between the four metal patches can be as follows:

[0106] In one example, the angle between two metal patches in a substructure and the transmission line is the same, so that the two metal patches in the same substructure can be parallel to each other. In this case, the corresponding edge of each metal patch in one substructure is orthogonal to the corresponding edge of any metal patch in the other substructure. For example, as shown... Figure 7 As shown, one of the two substructures is defined as the first substructure and the other as the second substructure. The first substructure includes a first metal patch 521 and a second metal patch 522, and the second substructure includes a third metal patch 523 and a fourth metal patch 524. The first and second metal patches are parallel, and the third and fourth metal patches are parallel. The edges L1 of the first and third metal patches are orthogonal, and the edges L1 of the second and fourth metal patches are orthogonal.

[0107] In this example, the second spacing between the two metal patches in each substructure of the same leaky wave structure is the same.

[0108] In this exemplary embodiment, the second spacing can be greater than the first spacing. That is, in a leaky wave structure, the spacing between the metal patches in the substructure can be greater than the spacing between the two substructures in the direction of the transmission line extension. This helps to ensure that the signals radiated from the two sets of substructures are phase-orthogonal, and at the same time can increase the intensity of the radiated signal.

[0109] In this exemplary embodiment, the second spacing can be 1 / 20 to 1 / 15 of the working wavelength. For example, the second spacing can be 1 / 20, 1 / 19, 1 / 17, 1 / 18, 1 / 16, or 1 / 15. Specifically, it can be any value between 1 / 20 and 1 / 15.

[0110] In this embodiment, the transmission line used in the radiating structure layer can be a microstrip line, a stripline, or a differential signal line. The leakage structure can have corresponding differences depending on the type of transmission line used.

[0111] In some exemplary embodiments, the transmission line can be a microstrip line, and the antenna element further includes a feed structure located at one end of the transmission line, the feed structure being coupled to the transmission line; the orthographic projections of the two sets of substructures on the second substrate are respectively located on opposite sides of the microstrip line, and correspondingly, in the clockwise direction starting from the feed structure, at least one side of the metal patches located in different substructures has an included angle of 90 degrees.

[0112] Please refer to Figure 8 As shown, Figure 8 A schematic plan view of another radiating structure layer is shown, as follows: Figure 8 As shown, the power supply structure can be located at one end of the transmission line. The power supply structure is used to feed electrical signals into the transmission line. Starting from the power supply structure, the angle between the orthogonal sides of the metal patches located on the upper and lower sides of the transmission line in the clockwise direction is 90 degrees.

[0113] In this example, since the transmission line is a microstrip line, the phase of the signal transmitted from the transmission line to the two substructures in the same drain structure is less than 90 degrees. Specifically, the phase difference is very small, such as 0 to 10 degrees. Then the orthogonal edge between the metal patches of the two substructures can be 90 degrees, so that the phase difference of the two substructures is about 90 degrees, thus forming a circularly polarized signal.

[0114] like Figure 8 As shown, in this case, the connection points of the two sets of substructures on both sides of the transmission line and the transmission line can be located at different positions on the transmission line. That is, there is a first gap between the connection points of the two sets of substructures and the transmission line to compensate for the phase difference between the two sets of substructures in the signal line coupling in the transmission line.

[0115] In some other exemplary embodiments, the transmission line may be a differential signal line, and the orthographic projections of the two sets of substructures on the second substrate are respectively located on opposite sides of the microstrip line. The two sets of substructures are respectively connected to different signal lines of the differential signal line. Accordingly, in the clockwise direction starting from the feed structure, there is at least one side between the metal patches located in the different substructures with an included angle of 270 degrees.

[0116] Please refer to Figure 9 As shown, Figure 9 A schematic plan view of another radiating structure layer is shown, as follows: Figure 9 As shown, the power supply structure can be located at one end of the transmission line. The power supply structure is used to feed electrical signals into the transmission line. Starting from the power supply structure, the angle between the orthogonal sides of the metal patches located on the upper and lower sides of the transmission line in the clockwise direction is 270 degrees.

[0117] In this example, the transmission line is a differential signal line, and the two sets of substructures are connected to different signal lines of the differential signal line respectively. Specifically, the orthographic projections of the two sets of substructures on the second substrate can be located on opposite sides of the differential signal line respectively.

[0118] Since the transmission line is a differential signal line, the phase difference between the signals transmitted on the differential signal line is 90 degrees. Since the two sets of substructures are connected to different signal lines of the differential signal line, the phase difference between the signals transmitted to the two sets of substructures in the same leakage wave structure is 90 degrees. In order to achieve circular polarization signal transmission, the phase difference between the signals radiated by the two sets of substructures must also be 90 degrees. Thus, the orthogonal edges between the metal patches of the two sets of substructures can form an angle of 270 degrees to form a circular polarization signal.

[0119] like Figure 9 As shown, in this case, the connection points of the two sets of substructures located on both sides of the transmission line and the transmission line can be located at the same position on the transmission line. For example, the connection points of the two sets of substructures and the transmission line are located on the same vertical line y of the differential signal line.

[0120] Using this example, differential signal lines make the antenna elements highly resistant to interference, easy to design for arraying, and achieve high gain and wide bandwidth.

[0121] In this exemplary embodiment, the differential signal line may include a first signal line 1511 and a second signal line 1512, wherein the first signal line and the second signal line may be located on the same side of the second substrate, for example, both located on the side of the second substrate closer to the first substrate.

[0122] In yet another exemplary embodiment, the first signal line and the second signal line may be located on opposite sides of the second substrate, wherein, correspondingly, one of the two sets of substructures is on the same layer as the first signal line, and the other substructure is on the same layer as the second signal line.

[0123] In this embodiment, please refer to Figure 10 As shown, a cross-sectional structural diagram of another antenna unit is presented, such as... Figure 10 As shown, the first signal line may be located on the side of the second substrate away from the first substrate, and the second signal line may be located on the side of the second substrate close to the first substrate; or, the first signal line may be located on the side of the second substrate close to the first substrate, and the second signal line may be located on the side of the second substrate away from the first substrate.

[0124] In this configuration, the two sets of substructures are connected to the first signal line and the second signal line respectively. The metal patches in the two sets of substructures are on the same layer as the first signal line and the second signal line respectively. For example, the metal patches in one set of substructures are on the same layer as the first signal line, and the metal patches in the other set of substructures are on the same layer as the second signal line.

[0125] In this example, starting from the power supply structure, in its clockwise direction, there is at least one side between the orthogonal projections of the metal patches in different substructures onto the second substrate with an angle of 270 degrees.

[0126] In this example, the differential signal lines are not coplanar. Therefore, the spacing between the signal lines needs to be smaller than when two signal lines are coplanar, which reduces the overall structural size of the antenna element. Furthermore, since the differential signal lines are fabricated on both sides of the second substrate, it increases the difficulty of fabrication.

[0127] In some exemplary embodiments, at least one perforated slit 16 may be formed on the metal patch 52.

[0128] Please refer to Figure 11 As shown, several planar schematic diagrams illustrate the creation of perforated slots in metal patches, such as... Figure 11 As shown, one or more cutouts can be made on the metal patch. Compared to making a single cutout, the gap size is smaller when multiple cutouts are made. The shape of the cutouts can be the same as the shape of the metal patch, thus making the cutouts polygons with the same number of sides as the metal patch. For example, if the metal patch is triangular, then the cutouts will also be triangular. In this example, more specifically, as shown... Figure 11 As shown in (a), the interior angles of the perforated slits can have the same degree measure as the interior angles of the metal patch. More specifically, as... Figure 11 As shown in (b), the degree of each interior angle of the cutout gap can be different from that of each interior angle of the metal patch, or they can be partially the same.

[0129] In another example, such as Figure 11 As shown in (c), the shape of the cutout can differ from the shape of the metal patch. Specifically, the cutout can be a circular, elliptical, or other shape with curved edges. Alternatively, in another example, such as... Figure 11 As shown in (d), the cutouts are also polygonal, but they differ from the number of sides of the metal patch. For example, the cutouts are quadrilaterals, while the metal patch is a triangle.

[0130] In this exemplary embodiment, when both the cutout and the metal patch are polygonal, the cutout can have at least one side parallel to the side of the metal patch, such as... Figure 11 As shown in (a), the three sides of the cutout are parallel to the three sides of the metal patch, or, as... Figure 11 As shown in (b), the two sides of the cutout are parallel to the two sides of the metal patch.

[0131] In particular, creating perforated slots in the metal patch can improve the radiation efficiency of the antenna element, such as increasing the radiation gain.

[0132] In some exemplary embodiments, the dielectric layer in the antenna element can be a dielectric layer with an adjustable dielectric constant. This allows the dielectric constant of the dielectric layer to change with the applied voltage, thereby altering the main beam direction of the antenna element. Thus, at a fixed frequency, the main beam of the antenna element can change with the dielectric constant of the dielectric layer, achieving a fixed-frequency scanning function. This gives the antenna element fixed-frequency beam scanning characteristics.

[0133] In this exemplary embodiment, the dielectric layer can be liquid crystal or graphene. PDLC (polymer dispersed liquid crystal) can be used to improve the phase-shifting response time.

[0134] Taking liquid crystal as the dielectric layer as an example, the thickness of the liquid crystal layer has a certain impact on the coupling strength. The thickness of the liquid crystal layer should not be too large. In this exemplary embodiment, the thickness of the liquid crystal layer can be 8.6 μm. Different types of liquid crystals have different adjustable dielectric constants. In practice, a suitable liquid crystal can be selected according to the required dielectric constant.

[0135] In some exemplary embodiments, taking glass as the first substrate and the second substrate, liquid crystal as the dielectric layer, and indium tin oxide as the radiating structure layer as an example, the process of fabricating the above-mentioned antenna element can be as follows:

[0136] S1. Glass cutting, which yields the first substrate and the second substrate;

[0137] S2. Glass chemical cleaning, which removes dirt from the surface;

[0138] S3. Sputter ITO onto a piece of glass, i.e., the first electrode;

[0139] S4. On another piece of glass, metal coating, metal exposure, and metal pattern detection and measurement are performed sequentially to obtain the radiation structure layer;

[0140] S5. Align the two pieces of finished glass.

[0141] S6. Glass is laminated and liquid crystal is injected;

[0142] S7. Cut the antenna unit to obtain the antenna element, then measure its dimensions and check whether the product is qualified.

[0143] Below are several exemplary antenna elements for brief illustration. It should be noted that the following examples do not represent limitations on the structure of the antenna elements. In practice, the following examples can be combined as a whole or disassembled and combined separately:

[0144] Example #1

[0145] Please refer to Figure 12and combined Figure 1 As shown, Figure 12 A planar schematic diagram of the radiating structure of the antenna element in Example #1 is shown, as follows: Figure 12 and Figure 1 As shown, the antenna element in this example includes:

[0146] First substrate;

[0147] The second substrate is disposed opposite to the first substrate;

[0148] The liquid crystal layer is located between the first substrate and the second substrate;

[0149] An electrode layer, located on the side of the first substrate near the second substrate, is grounded and formed by indium tin oxide sputtering; and,

[0150] A radiating structure layer, located on the second substrate, includes a transmission line and a plurality of drain structures connected to the transmission line and periodically arranged along the extension direction of the transmission line; wherein the transmission line is a microstrip line, and the drain structure includes two sets of substructures, each substructure including two right-angled triangular metal patches, and the hypotenuses of the metal patches in different substructures are orthogonal, so that the right-angled triangles on the transmission line generate vertical radiating apertures.

[0151] In this example, the transmission line and the leakage structure can be formed using metallic copper, and the specific formation process can be referred to step S4 above.

[0152] In this example, two sets of substructures are located on opposite sides of the transmission line. The two metal patches in each set are identical in shape and size and are parallel to each other. The vertices of the four metal patches in the leakage structure, with their smallest acute angles, are connected to the transmission line. The two sets of substructures have a first spacing d1 along the extension direction of the transmission line, typically approximately 1 / 40 to 1 / 30 of the operating wavelength. The two metal patches in each set have a second spacing d2 along the extension direction of the transmission line, typically approximately 1 / 20 to 1 / 15 of the operating wavelength. The two straight sides of the right-angled triangular metal patch have dimensions Lc and Wc, where the longer straight side Lc is typically approximately 1 / 15 to 1 / 10 of the dielectric wavelength, and the shorter straight side Wc is typically approximately 1 / 30 to 1 / 20 of the dielectric wavelength.

[0153] The periodic spacing between the leakage structures is P, and the period P is typically about 1 / 5 of the dielectric wavelength. The width W of the transmission line can be determined according to the microstrip line 50-ohm impedance matching calculation formula, and the bus length of the transmission line is determined according to the radiation requirements.

[0154] This example #1 includes 30 leakage wave structures for simulation analysis. The simulation results can be found by referring to... Figures 13-18 As shown, Figures 13-18In this context, DK1, DK2, and DK4 represent different dielectric constants of the liquid crystal, i.e., different liquid crystal states.

[0155] like Figure 13 As shown, the reflection coefficient S11 of the liquid crystal-based leaky antenna is illustrated. Figure 13 As can be seen, within the operating frequency band of 11GHz-13GHz, the reflection coefficient is less than -10dB under different liquid crystal states, which proves that the antenna has a good radiation effect in this frequency band.

[0156] like Figure 14 As shown, the axial ratio of a liquid crystal-based leaky antenna is illustrated. Figure 14 As shown, within the operating frequency band of 11GHz-13GHz, the axial ratio of the antenna is below 3dB under different liquid crystal states, indicating that the antenna has good circular polarization characteristics.

[0157] like Figure 15 As shown, the radiation efficiency of the liquid crystal-based leaky antenna is illustrated. It can be seen that within the operating frequency band, the radiation efficiency of the antenna is above 90% under different liquid crystal states, indicating that the leaky antenna has good radiation efficiency.

[0158] Figure 16 and Figure 17 The far-field radiation patterns of a liquid crystal-based leaky antenna at 11 GHz and 12 GHz are presented. At the operating frequency of 11 GHz, the main beam direction of the leaky antenna changes from θ = 20° to θ = 41° as the dielectric constant of the liquid crystal changes. At the operating frequency of 12 GHz, the main beam direction of the leaky antenna changes from θ = 42° to θ = 65° as the dielectric constant of the liquid crystal changes. It can be seen that by applying a bias voltage to change the state of the liquid crystal, the fixed-frequency scanning characteristic of the beam is achieved.

[0159] Figure 18 The far-field radiation patterns of a liquid crystal-based leaky antenna at different frequencies and under different liquid crystal states are presented. Figure 18 It can be seen that the main beam of the leaky wave antenna not only has the function of scanning with frequency variation, but also has the function of changing the main beam of the antenna with the change of the dielectric constant of the liquid crystal at a fixed frequency, thus realizing the function of fixed frequency scanning.

[0160] Example #2

[0161] Please refer to Figure 19 and combined Figure 1 As shown, Figure 19 A planar schematic diagram of the radiating structure of the antenna element in Example #1 is shown, as follows: Figure 19 and Figure 1As shown, the antenna element in this example differs from that in Example #1 in that the transmission lines in the radiating structure layer are differential signal lines, and the two sets of substructures are respectively connected to two signal lines in the differential signal lines. Furthermore, in the clockwise direction starting from the feed structure, the included angle between the hypotenuses of the metal patches located in different substructures is 270 degrees.

[0162] The antenna elements in this example are highly resistant to interference, easy to array, and can achieve high gain and wide bandwidth.

[0163] Example #3

[0164] Please refer to Figure 19 and combined Figure 10 As shown, the antenna element in this example differs from that in Example #2 in that the two signal lines of the differential signal line are located on opposite sides of the second substrate.

[0165] In addition to being highly resistant to interference, easy to design for arraying, and capable of achieving high gain and wide bandwidth, the antenna element in this example also increases the difficulty of fabricating the device.

[0166] Example #4

[0167] Please refer to Figure 20 and combined Figure 1 As shown, the metal patch in this example is a right triangle. The other antenna elements are different from those in Example #1. Each substructure group includes a metal patch. Both substructure groups are located on the same side of the transmission line, and the hypotenuses of the two metal patches in a leaky structure are orthogonal.

[0168] Example #5

[0169] Please refer to Figure 21 and combined Figure 1 As shown, the metal patch in this example is a right triangle. The other antenna elements are different from those in Example #4, except that the metal patch has a hollowed-out slit.

[0170] Of course, the openwork gaps can also be created in Examples #1-Example #4.

[0171] Example #6

[0172] The antenna element in this example can replace the dielectric layer in any of the antenna elements in Examples #1-#5 with graphene.

[0173] In one embodiment, an array antenna is also provided, comprising the plurality of antenna elements arranged in an array. Please refer to... Figure 22 As shown, a schematic diagram of the planar structure of the array antenna is presented, such as... Figure 22As shown, the radiating structure layers of multiple antenna elements can be arranged in an array, and multiple antenna elements can be fed by the same feed source or by different feed sources.

[0174] Figure 22 Only one 1x4 linear array configuration is given, using the antenna elements of Example #1. However, in practice, it is not limited to this array configuration. The array configuration and number of array elements should be changed according to communication requirements and communication environment. Furthermore, it is not limited to the antenna elements in Examples #1 to #6 above.

[0175] In one embodiment, an antenna device is also provided, comprising the plurality of antenna elements, or comprising the array antenna described above.

[0176] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other.

[0177] Finally, it should be noted that in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0178] The above provides a detailed description of an antenna element, array antenna, and antenna device provided by this disclosure. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this disclosure. The descriptions of the above embodiments are only for the purpose of helping to understand the methods and core ideas of this disclosure. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the ideas of this disclosure. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this disclosure.

[0179] Other embodiments of this disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This disclosure is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this disclosure that follow the general principles of this disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this disclosure are indicated by the following claims.

[0180] It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this disclosure is limited only by the appended claims.

[0181] The terms "an embodiment," "embodiment," or "one or more embodiments" as used herein mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of this disclosure. Furthermore, please note that the examples of the phrase "in one embodiment" do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment.

[0182] Numerous specific details are set forth in the specification provided herein. However, it will be understood that embodiments of this disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known methods, structures, and techniques have not been shown in detail so as not to obscure the understanding of this specification.

[0183] In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses should not be construed as limiting the claims. The word "comprising" does not exclude the presence of elements or steps not listed in the claims. The word "a" or "an" preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. This disclosure can be implemented by means of hardware comprising a plurality of different elements and by means of a suitably programmed computer. In a unit claim enumerating a plurality of means, several of these means may be embodied by the same item of hardware. The use of the words first, second, and third, etc., does not indicate any order. These words may be interpreted as names.

[0184] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this disclosure, and are not intended to limit them. Although this disclosure has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure.

Claims

1. An antenna element, characterized in that, include: First substrate; The second substrate is disposed opposite to the first substrate; A dielectric layer is located between the first substrate and the second substrate; An electrode layer is located on the side of the first substrate closer to the second substrate; and, A radiating structure layer, located on the second substrate, includes a transmission line and a plurality of leakage structures connected to the transmission line and periodically arranged along the extension direction of the transmission line. The leakage structure includes two sets of substructures, each substructure including at least one polygonal metal patch, and at least one side of the metal patches located in different substructures is orthogonal to each other.

2. The antenna element according to claim 1, characterized in that, The multiple metal patches in the same leakage structure have the same shape and size, and the vertices of the metal patches are connected to the transmission line; The vertices where the metal patches located in different substructures are connected to the transmission line have the same interior angle.

3. The antenna element according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The orthographic projection of the metal patch onto the second substrate is a triangle; wherein one vertex of the metal patch is connected to the transmission line.

4. The antenna element according to claim 3, characterized in that, The orthographic projection of the metal patch onto the second substrate comprises a right-angled triangle; Among them, there are at least two orthogonal hypotenuses between the metal patches located in different substructures.

5. The antenna element according to claim 4, characterized in that, The length of one of the two right-angled sides of the metal patch is 1 / 15 to 1 / 10 of the working wavelength, and the length of the other right-angled side is 1 / 30 to 1 / 20 of the working wavelength.

6. The antenna element according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The two sets of substructures are located on the same side of the transmission line, and the two sets of substructures are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the perpendicular line of the transmission line. In this configuration, the two orthogonal sides of the metal patches in different substructures form a right triangle with the transmission line.

7. The antenna element according to claim 1, characterized in that, The two sets of substructures are located on opposite sides of the transmission line, and in the extension direction of the transmission line, the two sets of substructures have a first gap between their orthogonal projections on the second substrate.

8. The antenna element according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first spacing is 1 / 40 to 1 / 30 of the working wavelength.

9. The antenna element according to claim 7, characterized in that, The substructure includes two metal patches, and a second spacing is provided between the two metal patches in the same substructure along the extension direction of the transmission line.

10. The antenna element according to claim 9, characterized in that, The second spacing is greater than the first spacing and less than the spacing between the leakage wave structures.

11. The antenna element according to claim 1, characterized in that, The antenna unit also includes a feeding structure located at one end of the transmission line, the feeding structure being coupled to the transmission line; The transmission line is a microstrip line, and the orthographic projections of the two sets of substructures on the second substrate are located on opposite sides of the microstrip line. In a clockwise direction starting from the power supply structure, at least one side of the metal patches in different substructures has an included angle of 90 degrees.

12. The antenna element according to claim 1, characterized in that, The antenna unit also includes a feeding structure located at one end of the transmission line, the feeding structure being coupled to the transmission line; The transmission line includes a differential signal line. The orthographic projections of the two sets of substructures on the second substrate are located on opposite sides of the microstrip line. The two sets of substructures are connected to different signal lines of the differential signal line. In a clockwise direction starting from the feed structure, at least one side of the metal patches located in different substructures has an included angle of 270 degrees.

13. The antenna element according to claim 11, characterized in that, The differential signal line includes a first signal line and a second signal line, which are located on opposite sides of the second substrate, respectively. In this configuration, one of the two sets of substructures is on the same layer as the first signal line, and the other substructure is on the same layer as the second signal line.

14. The antenna element according to claim 1, characterized in that, The metal patch has at least one hollowed-out gap.

15. The antenna element according to claim 1, characterized in that, The dielectric layer is a dielectric layer with an adjustable dielectric constant.

16. An array antenna, characterized in that, It includes a plurality of antenna elements as described in any one of claims 1-15, wherein the plurality of antenna elements are arranged in an array.

17. An antenna device, characterized in that, It includes the antenna element as described in any one of claims 1-15; or, it includes the array antenna as described in claim 16.

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