Antenna unit

Abstract

One or more embodiments of the present disclosure provide an antenna unit. The antenna unit comprises a reflecting plate; the metasurface structure is arranged on one side of the reflecting plate; the metasurface structure comprises a plurality of first patch units which are periodically arranged; the radiation structure is arranged on one side, far away from the reflecting plate, of the metasurface structure; the radiation structure comprises a second dielectric substrate and two pairs of radiation units arranged on the second dielectric substrate, and the two pairs of radiation units are orthogonally arranged; in the direction perpendicular to the reflecting plate, a first distance is formed between the metasurface structure and the radiation structure, and a second distance is formed between the metasurface structure and the reflecting plate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to one or more embodiments in the technical field, and more particularly to an antenna element. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of information technology, the global demand for data transmission speed and volume has increased significantly. To meet this demand, the construction of 5G (5th Generation Mobile Communication Technology) systems is accelerating. 5G communication systems are designed for scenarios requiring high speed, large capacity, low latency, and low power consumption, which necessitates higher radiation gain for 5G base station antennas. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the purpose of this disclosure is to provide an antenna element to solve or partially solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0004] This disclosure provides an antenna element, including: Reflector; A metasurface structure is disposed on one side of the reflector; the metasurface structure includes a plurality of first patch units arranged periodically. A radiating structure is disposed on the side of the metasurface structure away from the reflector; the radiating structure includes two pairs of radiating units; In a direction perpendicular to the reflector, the metasurface structure has a first distance from the radiating structure and a second distance from the reflector.

[0005] The antenna unit disclosed herein improves the antenna's radiation gain while satisfying the antenna's low profile design by setting a metasurface structure between the reflector and the radiating structure. The metasurface structure has a first distance from the radiating structure and a second distance from the reflector in a direction perpendicular to the reflector. By adjusting the size of the first and second distances, the antenna's radiation gain can be effectively controlled to a certain extent, thereby meeting the different performance requirements of antenna radiation gain and coverage for different application scenarios of 5G communication systems, and thus improving the overall performance of the antenna. Attached Figure Description

[0006] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in one or more embodiments of this disclosure or the prior art, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only one or more embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0007] Figure 1A A schematic diagram of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0008] Figure 1B An example of a possible deployment scenario for a base station antenna is shown.

[0009] Figure 2 An exemplary schematic diagram of the internal architecture of a base station antenna provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0010] Figure 3A A schematic diagram of an exemplary antenna element is shown.

[0011] Figure 3B A schematic diagram of another exemplary antenna unit is shown.

[0012] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of an exemplary antenna unit provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0013] Figure 5A A top view of the antenna element provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0014] Figure 5B It shows Figure 5A The simulation results of the S-parameters of the antenna element shown are plotted in the specified operating frequency band.

[0015] Figure 5C It shows Figure 5A The simulation result curve of the antenna pattern of the antenna element at the specified operating frequency is shown.

[0016] Figure 6A A top view of another antenna element provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0017] Figure 6B It shows Figure 6A The simulation results of the S-parameters of the antenna element shown are plotted in the specified operating frequency band.

[0018] Figure 6C It shows Figure 6A The simulation result curve of the antenna pattern of the antenna element at the specified operating frequency is shown.

[0019] Figure 7 A top view of another antenna unit provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown. Figure 8A A top view of another antenna unit provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0020] Figure 8A A top view of another antenna element provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0021] Figure 8BIt shows Figure 8A The simulation results of the S-parameters of the antenna element shown are plotted in the specified operating frequency band.

[0022] Figure 8C It shows Figure 8A The simulation result curve of the antenna pattern of the antenna element at the specified operating frequency is shown.

[0023] Figure 9A A top view of another antenna unit provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0024] Figure 9B It shows Figure 9A The simulation results of the S-parameters of the antenna element shown are plotted in the specified operating frequency band.

[0025] Figure 9C It shows Figure 9A The simulation result curve of the antenna pattern of the antenna element at the specified operating frequency is shown.

[0026] Figure 10A A schematic diagram of the structure of another antenna unit provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0027] Figure 10B A schematic diagram of the structure of another antenna unit provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0028] Figure 10C It shows Figure 10A The simulation results of the S-parameters of the antenna element shown are plotted in the specified operating frequency band.

[0029] Figure 10D It shows Figure 10A The simulation result curve of the antenna pattern of the antenna element at the specified operating frequency is shown.

[0030] Figure 11A A top view of another antenna unit provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0031] Figure 11B It shows Figure 11A The simulation results of the S-parameters of the antenna element shown are plotted in the specified operating frequency band.

[0032] Figure 11C It shows Figure 11A The simulation result curve of the antenna pattern of the antenna element at the specified operating frequency is shown.

[0033] Figure 12A A top view of another antenna unit provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0034] Figure 12B It shows Figure 12AThe simulation results of the S-parameters of the antenna element shown are plotted in the specified operating frequency band.

[0035] Figure 12C It shows Figure 12A The simulation result curve of the antenna pattern of the antenna element at the specified operating frequency is shown.

[0036] Figure 13A A top view of another antenna unit provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0037] Figure 13B A cross-sectional view of an antenna element provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0038] Figure 13C It shows Figure 13A The simulation results of the S-parameters of the antenna element shown are plotted in the specified operating frequency band.

[0039] Figure 13D It shows Figure 13A The simulation result curve of the antenna pattern of the antenna element at the specified operating frequency is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0040] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this disclosure clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings.

[0041] It should be noted that, unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in one or more embodiments of this disclosure should have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. The terms "first," "second," and similar words used in one or more embodiments of this disclosure do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Terms such as "comprising" or "including" mean that the element or object preceding the word encompasses the elements or objects listed following the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. Terms such as "connected" or "linked" are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. Terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" are used only to indicate relative positional relationships; when the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0042] The terms “about,” “approximately,” or “approximately” as used in one or more embodiments of this disclosure include the stated values ​​and averages within an acceptable range of deviation from a particular value, wherein the acceptable range of deviation is determined by a person skilled in the art taking into account the measurement under discussion and the error associated with the measurement of the particular quantity (i.e., the limitations of the measurement system).

[0043] As used in one or more embodiments of this disclosure, the terms "parallel," "perpendicular," and "equal" include the described situation and situations that are similar to the described situation, within an acceptable deviation range, which is determined by those skilled in the art taking into account the measurement under discussion and the error associated with the measurement of a particular quantity (i.e., the limitations of the measurement system). For example, "parallel" includes absolute parallelism and approximate parallelism, where an acceptable deviation range for approximate parallelism may be, for example, within 5°; "perpendicular" includes absolute perpendicularity and approximate perpendicularity, where an acceptable deviation range for approximate perpendicularity may also be, for example, within 5°; "equal" includes absolute equality and approximate equality, where an acceptable deviation range for approximate equality may be, for example, a difference between the two equals being less than or equal to 5% of either one.

[0044] Figure 1A A schematic diagram of an exemplary communication system 100 provided according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0045] like Figure 1A As shown, the communication system 100 may include a communication device 102 and a terminal 104.

[0046] Optionally, the communication device 102 may be a base station or a base station system, and may further include a base station antenna 200, which is a connection device between the wireless network radio frequency front end and the terminal 104, mainly used to achieve cell coverage of wireless signals.

[0047] For example, the base station antenna 200 can be an information energy converter between the communication device 102 and the terminal 104. It can be used to convert the modulated radio frequency signal into electromagnetic wave energy for transmission, and to receive electromagnetic wave energy and effectively convert it into a radio frequency signal for transmission to the main device. Therefore, the communication device 102 can receive signals sent by the terminal 104 through the base station antenna 200, or send signals to the terminal 104 through the base station antenna 200.

[0048] The base station or base station system in this disclosure can be a base transceiver station (BTS) in a Global System of Mobile Communication (GSM) system or Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), a Node B (NB) in a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) system, an Evolutionary Node B (eNB or eNodeB) in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, a Next Generation Node Base Station (gNB) in a New Radio (NR) system, a radio controller in a Cloud Radio Access Network (CRAN) scenario, or a relay station, access point, vehicle-mounted equipment, wearable device, or network equipment in future networks, etc. This disclosure does not limit these aspects.

[0049] In this embodiment of the disclosure, terminal 104 may refer to user equipment, access terminal, user unit, user station, mobile station, mobile station, remote station, remote terminal, mobile device, user terminal, terminal equipment, wireless communication equipment, user agent, or user device. As an example and not a limitation, terminal 104 may be a cellular phone, cordless phone, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phone, Wireless Local Loop (WLL) station, or Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). It may be a handheld device with wireless communication capabilities, a computing device, or other processing device connected to a wireless modem. It may also be an in-vehicle device, wearable device, terminal equipment in a 5G network, or a terminal equipment in a future evolved Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), etc. This embodiment of the disclosure does not limit this.

[0050] Figure 1B A schematic diagram of an exemplary communication device 102 provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0051] like Figure 1BAs shown, in some embodiments, the communication device 102 may include a base station antenna 200, a transceiver 1022, and a baseband processing unit 1024. The base station antenna 200 may be an analog beamforming antenna, a digital beamforming antenna, or a next-generation beamforming antenna, such as a hybrid beamforming (HBF) antenna system constructed using both analog and digital beamforming antennas. The transceiver 1022 may be connected to the antenna port 202 of the base station antenna 200. Thus, the base station antenna 200 can receive signals to be transmitted from the transceiver 1022 through its antenna port 202 and radiate the signals through its antenna elements, or transmit received signals received by the antenna elements of the base station antenna 200 to the transceiver 1022. In addition, the base station antenna 200 can also be integrated with the transceiver 1022 in the same device, such as an active antenna unit (AAU).

[0052] For example, the transceiver 1022 can be a remote radio frequency unit or a radio frequency module, and the baseband processing unit 1024 can be a baseband unit. In this case, the baseband unit can be used to process the baseband signal to be transmitted and transmit it to the remote radio frequency unit, or to receive the received signal sent by the remote radio frequency unit (i.e., the baseband signal obtained after the radio frequency signal received by the base station antenna 200 during signal reception has been converted and processed by the remote radio frequency unit) and process it. The remote radio frequency unit can convert the baseband signal to be transmitted sent by the baseband unit into a transmit radio frequency signal (including performing necessary signal processing on the baseband signal to be transmitted, such as signal amplification), and then transmit the transmit radio frequency signal to the base station antenna 200 through the antenna port 202 of the base station antenna 200, whereby the base station antenna 200 radiates the transmit radio frequency signal. Alternatively, the remote radio frequency unit can also receive the receive radio frequency signal sent by the antenna port 202 of the base station antenna 200, convert it into a receive baseband signal, and then transmit it to the baseband unit.

[0053] It should be understood that Figure 1B The diagram only illustrates the connection between one transceiver 1022 and one antenna port 202 of the base station antenna 200. In other alternative embodiments, the base station antenna 200 may have at least two antenna ports 202, and the transceiver 1022 may also have at least two, wherein each antenna port may be connected to one transceiver 1022, and multiple transceivers 1022 may be connected to the same baseband processing unit 1024.

[0054] Figure 1B One possible deployment scenario for the base station antenna 200 is also illustrated.

[0055] like Figure 1B As shown, this deployment scenario may include a fixed pole 1026 (also called a mounting pole), an antenna adjustment bracket 1028, a feed line 1030, a connector seal (not shown in the figure), and a grounding device 1032. The fixed pole 1026 can be fixedly connected to one end of the base station antenna 200 near the antenna port 202, while the fixed pole 1026 can be movably connected to the other end of the base station antenna 200 away from the antenna port 202 via the antenna adjustment bracket 1028. Thus, the position of the base station antenna 200 can be adjusted via the antenna adjustment bracket 1028. A feed line 1030 extends from the antenna port 202 of the base station antenna 200 to connect to the transceiver 1022. The feed line 1030 can also extend to a grounding conduit 1034 to connect to the grounding device 1032. The connections between the antenna port 202 and the feed line 1030, and between the feed line 1030 and the grounding conduit 1034, can be sealed using connector seals.

[0056] It should be understood that Figure 1B The deployment of a base station antenna 200 including only one antenna is shown. In other scenarios, the base station antenna 200 may also include multiple antennas installed around the fixed pole 1026. The installation positions of the multiple antennas may be the same or different. When the installation positions are different, the multiple antennas can form their own different beam coverage ranges.

[0057] Figure 2 An exemplary schematic diagram of the internal architecture of a base station antenna provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0058] like Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the base station antenna 200 may include an antenna array 204, a phase shifter 2062, a drive network 2066 or a calibration network, a combiner 2064 or a oscillator and an antenna radome 208.

[0059] The antenna array 204 may further include multiple antenna elements 2042.

[0060] Antenna array 204 can be composed of multiple antenna elements 2042 arranged according to a certain geometric pattern to form an array structure, wherein the multiple antenna elements 2042 operate through a common feed network. Depending on the arrangement of the antenna elements, antenna array 204 can be classified as a linear array or a planar array.

[0061] refer to Figure 2As shown, a linear array is an antenna array composed of multiple separate antenna elements whose centers are arranged in a straight line. Linear arrays can be divided into uniform linear arrays and non-uniform linear arrays. A uniform linear array means that the distance between adjacent antenna elements is equal, and the excitation phase difference between adjacent antenna elements is constant. A non-uniform linear array means that the distance between adjacent antenna elements is not equal, and each antenna element is excited according to a different advance phase law. A planar array means that all antenna elements that make up the antenna array are located on the same plane. According to the distribution of antenna elements in the antenna array and the shape of the overall outline of the antenna array, planar arrays can be divided into rectangular arrays (including square arrays), circular arrays (including ring arrays), and elliptical arrays.

[0062] Continue to refer to Figure 2 The antenna array 204 receives or transmits radio frequency signals through the feed network 206, which consists of a phase shifter 2062, a transmission network 2066, and a combiner 2064.

[0063] The power supply network 206 is a crucial component of the base station antenna 200. It connects the antenna port 202 and the antenna element 2042, forming a signal transmission path and enabling functions such as impedance matching and amplitude / phase allocation. The main function of the power supply network is to transmit high-frequency current from the transceiver 1022 to the antenna element 2042, or vice versa. More specifically, the power supply network 206 is used to feed signals to the antenna element 2042 with a specific amplitude and phase, or to transmit wireless signals received from the antenna element 2042 to the signal processing unit of the communication device 102 through the antenna port 202 with a specific amplitude and phase.

[0064] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the power supply network 206 may further include a phase shifter 2062.

[0065] Phase shifter 2062 is a device used to change the feed phase and amplitude of each antenna element 2042 in antenna array 204. Phase shifter 2062 can change the phase difference of antenna elements 2042, causing the vertical beam of base station antenna 200 to form a specific downtilt angle, thereby flexibly changing the beam coverage. Phase shifter 2062 is part of feed network 206, which may also include a power divider (not shown) and phase shifters connected to each branch of the power divider.

[0066] In some embodiments, the feed network 206 and the antenna array 204 can be housed within a radome 208. The radome 208 possesses excellent electromagnetic wave penetration characteristics in terms of electrical performance and can withstand the effects of harsh external environments in terms of mechanical performance. Isolating these components from the external environment through the radome 208 helps protect these components from electromagnetic interference, foreign objects, and harsh external environments. The antenna port 202 can be located outside the radome 208 to facilitate connection with the transceiver 1022.

[0067] Figure 3A An exemplary cross-sectional structural diagram of an antenna element is shown.

[0068] An antenna element is a component that converts electrical energy into electromagnetic wave energy and radiates it, or receives electromagnetic wave energy and converts it back into electrical energy. The antenna element is also the basic unit that makes up an antenna array. Antenna elements can also be called antenna vibrators, dipoles, etc.

[0069] like Figure 3A As shown, the antenna unit 2042 may include a reflector 301 and a radiating structure 302 disposed on one side of the reflector 301.

[0070] The reflector 301 can be used to support other structures and electrical networks in the antenna element 2042 and serves to constrain orientation. The reflector can also be referred to as a floor, base plate, antenna panel, or metal reflector. The reflector can be a metal plate and can have an electrical effect on the antenna. For example, the reflector can be used to improve the receiving sensitivity of the antenna signal by reflecting and focusing the antenna signal at the receiving point, thereby enhancing the antenna's receiving and transmitting capabilities. The reflector can also block and shield interference from electromagnetic waves originating from the back of the reflector (in the direction opposite to the antenna's radiation direction), thus enhancing the antenna's directivity.

[0071] The radiating structure 302 can be used for signal radiation and reception. The radiating structure may further include radiating elements (e.g., radiating arms, metal patches, etc.).

[0072] like Figure 3A As shown, the radiating structure 302 in the antenna unit 2042 can be placed on the front of the reflector 301. The reflector 301 can reflect and focus the antenna signal incident on the front of the reflector 301 onto the receiving point of the radiating part 302, thereby improving the receiving sensitivity of the antenna signal and enhancing the antenna's receiving capability.

[0073] In contrast to the radiating structure 302, other electrical components in the antenna element 2042 (such as the components in the feed network 206) can be located on the back of the reflector 301. In this way, the reflector 301 can also block or shield the radio waves emitted from other electrical components on its back, thereby reducing the interference of other radio waves on the received signal.

[0074] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3B As shown, antenna element 2042 may further include metasurface structure 303. Metasurface can refer to an artificial layered material with a thickness less than the wavelength, which can be regarded as a two-dimensional counterpart of metamaterial. The amplitude, phase, polarization and other characteristics of electromagnetic waves can be controlled through subwavelength structural units.

[0075] When electromagnetic wave energy passes through the metasurface structure 303, the metasurface structure 303 can regulate the electromagnetic wave energy. For example, it can effectively regulate the characteristics of electromagnetic wave energy such as polarization, amplitude, phase, polarization mode and propagation mode to achieve electromagnetic wave energy gain, thereby improving the radiation gain of antenna element 2042 and meeting the communication requirements of base station antenna 200 in some application scenarios of 5G communication system.

[0076] For example, the metasurface structure 303 can be a transmissive metasurface used to partially reflect and transmit electromagnetic waves radiated by the radiating structure 302. It can form a resonant cavity (e.g., a Fabry-Perot resonant cavity) with the reflector 301. When the electromagnetic waves of the radiating structure irradiate the metasurface structure 303, a portion of the electromagnetic waves will be reflected to form a reflected wave. This reflected wave will resonate in the resonant cavity. During the resonance process, each time the reflected wave reaches the metasurface structure 303, a portion of the electromagnetic waves will directly pass through the metasurface structure 303. Due to the resonance of the reflected wave, the intensity of the transmitted electromagnetic wave is enhanced each time, thereby increasing the gain of the base station antenna 200.

[0077] In some embodiments, refer to Figure 3B The radiating structure 302 is disposed on one side of the reflector 301; the metasurface structure 303 is disposed on the side of the radiating structure 302 away from the reflector 301. At this time, the resonant cavity formed by the metasurface structure 303 and the reflector 301 can be used to adjust the beamwidth and radiation intensity of the electromagnetic wave, thereby improving the radiation gain of the antenna element 2042.

[0078] The radiation gain of the base station antenna 200 is related to the length of the resonant cavity. In other words, the radiation gain requirements for different application scenarios can be met by adjusting the distance between the metasurface structure 303 and the reflector 301.

[0079] Furthermore, since improving antenna gain depends on the antenna's concentration and directional radiation of electromagnetic wave energy, increasing antenna gain also enhances its directivity to some extent. This means that with the increase in radiation gain, the radiation angle of the electromagnetic wave beam decreases, and the antenna's radiation range also narrows. In other words, the higher the antenna's radiation gain, the narrower the radiation range. That is, to ensure a wide radiation range, a certain amount of radiation gain must be sacrificed; conversely, to ensure a high radiation gain, a certain amount of radiation range width must be sacrificed. Therefore, by adjusting the distance between the metasurface structure 303 and the reflector 301 (i.e., the length of the resonant cavity), different performance requirements for radiation gain and coverage range can be accommodated, adapting to different application scenarios.

[0080] However, compared to traditional antenna devices, the addition of a metasurface structure 303 on the side of the radiating structure 302 away from the reflector 301 undoubtedly increases the profile height of the base station antenna 200, making it difficult to meet the low profile design requirements of 5G communication systems.

[0081] Therefore, in some embodiments, the metasurface structure 303 can be disposed on the same layer as the reflector 301, or the metasurface structure layer 3031 can be stacked on one side of the reflector 301, so as to control the electromagnetic waves while reflecting them, thereby improving the radiation gain of the base station antenna 200 without affecting the profile height.

[0082] For example, the metasurface structure 303 can be a reflective metasurface used to partially reflect the electromagnetic waves radiated by the radiating structure 302. It can adjust the radiation performance such as the electromagnetic wave beamwidth and radiation intensity while reflecting the electromagnetic waves, thereby improving the gain of the base station antenna 200.

[0083] However, the inventors of this disclosure have discovered that the radiation gain of technical solutions where the metasurface structure 303 is disposed in the same layer as the reflector 301, or where the metasurface structure layer 3031 is stacked on one side of the reflector 301, is related to the structural parameters such as the shape, size, and material of the metasurface structure 303. These structural parameters can only be adjusted during the fabrication stage of the metasurface structure 303. In other words, although this technical solution meets the design requirements for a low profile, it is difficult to flexibly adjust for different application scenarios with varying requirements for radiation gain and coverage.

[0084] In other words, the relevant technologies have difficulty simultaneously meeting the design requirements of 5G communication systems for low antenna profiles, as well as the requirement for flexible adjustment of performance to meet the needs of different application scenarios.

[0085] Therefore, as Figure 4As shown, in some embodiments, the metasurface structure 303 is disposed on one side of the reflector 301; the radiating structure 302 is disposed on the side of the metasurface structure 303 away from the reflector 301. In a direction perpendicular to the reflector 301, the metasurface structure 303 has a first distance h1 with the radiating structure 302 and a second distance h2 with the reflector 301. In other words, the metasurface structure 303 is disposed between the reflector 301 and the radiating structure 302, and has a certain distance from both. Thus, without adjusting the construction parameters of the metasurface structure 303, the radiation gain can be controlled simply by adjusting the size of the first distance h1 and the second distance h2. This adjustment can be achieved during the antenna assembly stage, greatly reducing the difficulty of adjustment when facing different gain requirements in different application scenarios. Furthermore, the metasurface structure 303, disposed between the reflector 301 and the radiating structure 302, does not increase the antenna's profile height, while simultaneously meeting the low profile design requirements.

[0086] Figure 5A A top view of an exemplary antenna unit 2042 provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0087] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5A As shown, the metasurface structure 303 may include a plurality of first patch units 30311, which may be arranged periodically. The arrangement may include radial arrangement, staggered arrangement, etc., and this disclosure does not limit this. For example, Figure 5A The image shows a first patch unit 30311. Array.

[0088] Optionally, the first patch unit 30311 can be made of a single metal material. For example, it can be made of a single metal material such as gold, silver, or copper to ensure that the first patch unit 30311 has high conductivity. It is understood that the first patch unit 30311 can also be made of an alloy material, and this disclosure does not limit it.

[0089] Optionally, the size of the first patch unit 30311 can be in the nanometer, micrometer, millimeter and centimeter range to adapt to the various operating frequency bands of the base station antenna 200, and this disclosure does not limit it.

[0090] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5A As shown, the first patch unit 30311 may include two intersecting branches.

[0091] Optionally, the shape of the orthographic projection of the first patch unit 30311 onto the reflector 301 can also be a circle, a square, or other shapes, and this disclosure does not limit this.

[0092] In developing this disclosure, the inventors conducted comparative experiments on a first scheme where the first patch unit 30311 includes two intersecting branches and a second scheme where the orthographic projection of the first patch unit 30311 onto the reflector 301 is circular (or square). Through simulation experiments, the inventors discovered that, with the same number of first patch units 30311 deployed on a dielectric substrate of the same size, the first scheme achieves greater gain. In other words, if the first and second schemes are to achieve the same gain, the area of ​​the dielectric substrate in the second scheme needs to be increased to accommodate more first patch units 30311 or to increase the area of ​​the first patch units 30311. That is, by employing the first patch unit 30311 including two intersecting branches, the layout of the antenna unit 2042 can be more compact, thereby allowing for a more compact layout of the base station antenna 200.

[0093] Figure 6A A top view of yet another exemplary antenna element 2042 provided in this disclosure embodiment is shown.

[0094] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6A As shown, the metasurface structure 303 may further include a plurality of second patch units 30312, which are arranged around the periphery of the periodically arranged plurality of first patch units 30311. The orthographic projections of the plurality of second patch units 30312 on the reflector 301 do not overlap at least partially with the orthographic projections of the radiating unit 304 on the reflector 301; the area of ​​the orthographic projection of a single second patch unit 30312 on the reflector 301 is larger than the area of ​​the orthographic projection of a single first patch unit 30311 on the reflector 301. For example, Figure 6A In the first patch unit 30311 The array is surrounded by 26 second patch units 30312. The orthographic projection of the second patch unit 30312 on the reflector 301 does not overlap with the orthographic projection of the radiation unit 304 on the reflector 301. The area of ​​the orthographic projection of a single second patch unit 30312 on the reflector 301 is larger than that of a single first patch unit 30311.

[0095] In the process of realizing this disclosure, the inventors discovered through simulation experiments that, compared to the antenna element 2042 in the metasurface structure 303 which only includes multiple periodically arranged first patch elements 30311, when the orthographic projection of the second patch element 30312 on the reflector 301 does not overlap with the orthographic projection of the radiating element 304 on the reflector 301 at least partially, a greater gain can be obtained by arranging multiple second patch elements 30312 with larger orthographic projection areas on the reflector 301 around the first patch element 30311.

[0096] On the one hand, such as Figure 6A As shown, the projected area of ​​the second patch unit 30312 on the reflector 301 is larger than that of the first patch unit 30311 on the reflector 301, which can further increase the reflective area of ​​the metasurface structure 303, thereby improving the reflectivity of electromagnetic waves; on the other hand, as Figure 6A and Figure 8A As shown, the orthographic projection of the second patch unit 30312 on the reflector 301 does not overlap or only partially overlaps with the orthographic projection formed by the radiating unit 304 on the reflector 301. This can also reduce the electromagnetic coupling and near-field blocking effect between the second patch unit 30312 and the radiating unit 304, thereby mitigating the negative impact of reflected electromagnetic waves on radiation performance and thus improving antenna gain.

[0097] In other words, the radiation gain of antenna element 2042 can be further improved by setting the second patch unit 30312.

[0098] Figure 5B for Figure 5A The simulation results curve of the S-parameters of the antenna element 2042 in the specified operating frequency band are shown.

[0099] like Figure 5B As shown, Figure 5A The antenna element 2042 shown has an input reflection coefficient (S11) of less than -15dB in the frequency range of 2.57-2.67GHz and an output reflection coefficient (S22) of less than -15dB in the frequency range of 2.58-2.69GHz.

[0100] Figure 5C for Figure 5A The simulation result curve of the antenna pattern of the antenna element 2042 at a specified operating frequency is shown.

[0101] like Figure 5C As shown, Figure 5A The antenna element 2042 shown has a peak gain of 7.54 dBi at a frequency of 2.6 GHz.

[0102] Figure 6B For Figure 6A The simulation results curve of the S-parameters of the antenna element 2042 in the specified operating frequency band are shown.

[0103] like Figure 6B As shown, Figure 6A The antenna element 2042 shown has an input reflection coefficient (S11) of less than -15dB in the frequency range of 2.57-2.67GHz and an output reflection coefficient (S22) of less than -15dB in the frequency range of 2.58-2.69GHz.

[0104] Figure 6C for Figure 6A The simulation result curve of the antenna pattern of the antenna element 2042 at a specified operating frequency is shown.

[0105] like Figure 6C As shown, Figure 6A The antenna element 2042 shown has a peak gain of 7.61 dBi at a frequency of 2.6 GHz.

[0106] In comparison, Figure 5A The antenna element 2042 shown and Figure 6A The antenna element 2042 shown differs only in the arrangement of the patch elements in the metasurface structure 303. Specifically, Figure 5A The metasurface structure 303 of the antenna element 2042 shown includes only a plurality of periodically arranged first patch elements 30311, each first patch element 30311 including two intersecting branches. Figure 6A The metasurface structure 303 of the antenna element 2042 shown includes a plurality of periodically arranged first patch elements 30311 and a plurality of second patch elements 30312 arranged around the first patch elements 30311. The first patch elements 30311 include two intersecting branches on the reflector 301. The orthographic projection of the second patch elements 30312 on the reflector 301 is circular. The area of ​​the second patch elements 30312 is larger than that of the first patch elements 30311. The orthographic projection of the second patch elements 30312 on the reflector 301 does not overlap with the orthographic projection formed by the radiating element 304 on the reflector 301.

[0107] However, at the same frequency of 2.6GHz, Figure 6A The peak gain of the antenna element 2042 shown is significantly higher than that of the antenna. Figure 5A The peak gain of the antenna element 2042 is shown. This demonstrates that by arranging multiple second patch elements 30312 around the first patch element 30311, the gain of the antenna element 2042 can be further improved.

[0108] Alternatively, the second patch unit 30312 can also be made of a single metal material. For example, it can be made of a single metal material such as gold, silver, or copper to ensure that the second patch unit 30312 has high conductivity.

[0109] Optionally, the first patch unit 30311 may also be made of an alloy material, which is not limited in this disclosure.

[0110] Optionally, the first patch unit 30311 and the second patch unit 30312 can be made of the same metal or alloy material to ensure the consistency of the regulation of the first patch unit 30311 and the second patch unit 30312.

[0111] Optionally, the size of the second patch unit 30312 can be in the nanometer, micrometer, millimeter and centimeter range to adapt to the various operating frequency bands of the base station antenna 200, and this disclosure does not limit it.

[0112] In some embodiments, the shape formed by the orthographic projection of the second patch unit 30312 onto the reflector 301 may be different from the shape formed by the orthographic projection of the first patch unit 30311 onto the reflector 301. For example, it may be a square, a circle, etc.

[0113] In other embodiments, such as Figure 7 As shown, the shape formed by the orthographic projection of the second patch unit 30312 onto the reflector 301 can also be the same as the shape formed by the orthographic projection of the first patch unit 30311 onto the reflector 301. That is, the second patch unit 30312 also includes two intersecting branches. This disclosure does not limit this. While improving the radiation gain of the antenna unit 2042, it also makes the construction of the metasurface unit more flexible, thereby adapting to more application scenarios.

[0114] For example, such as Figure 6A As shown, the orthographic projection of the second patch unit 30312 onto the reflector 301 can be circular. Alternatively, as... Figure 7 As shown, the second patch unit 30312 includes two intersecting branches. (Continue referring to...) Figure 7 Both the second patch unit 30312 and the first patch unit 30311 include two intersecting branches, and the second patch unit 30312 has a larger orthogonal projection area on the reflector 301.

[0115] In some embodiments, the shape of the orthographic projection of the second patch unit 30312 onto the reflector 301 can also be square.

[0116] Figure 8A A top view of another exemplary antenna unit 2042 provided in this disclosure embodiment is shown.

[0117] Figure 8A In the antenna element 2042 shown, the metasurface structure 303 includes a first patch element 30311 and a second patch element 30312. The first patch element 30311 includes two intersecting branches, and the projection of the second patch element 30312 onto the reflector 301 is square.

[0118] Figure 8B for Figure 8A The simulation results of the scattering parameters (S-parameters) of the antenna element 2042 in the specified operating frequency band are shown in the figure.

[0119] like Figure 8B As shown, Figure 8A The antenna element 2042 shown has an input reflection coefficient (S11) of less than -15dB in the frequency range of 2.57-2.67GHz and an output reflection coefficient (S22) of less than -15dB in the frequency range of 2.58-2.69GHz.

[0120] Figure 8C for Figure 8A The simulation result curve of the antenna pattern of the antenna element 2042 at a specified operating frequency is shown.

[0121] like Figure 8C As shown, Figure 8A The antenna element 2042 shown has a peak gain of 7.59 dBi at a frequency of 2.6 GHz.

[0122] In comparison, Figure 6A The antenna element 2042 shown and Figure 8A The antenna element 2042 shown differs only in the arrangement of the patch elements in the metasurface structure 303. Specifically, Figure 6A and Figure 8A The metasurface structure 303 of the antenna element 2042 shown includes a plurality of periodically arranged first patch elements 30311 and a plurality of second patch elements 30312 arranged around the first patch elements 30311. The difference is that... Figure 6A The first patch unit 30311 of the antenna unit 2042 shown includes two intersecting branches, and the shape of the orthographic projection of the second patch unit 30312 on the reflector 301 is circular. Figure 8A The first patch unit of the antenna element 2042 shown includes two intersecting branches, and the shape of the orthographic projection of the second patch unit 30312 on the reflector 301 is square.

[0123] At a frequency of 2.6 GHz, Figure 6A The peak gain of the antenna element 2042 shown is slightly higher than Figure 8A The peak gain of the antenna element 2042 shown illustrates that, with the same number of second patch elements, when the diameter of the circle of the orthographic projection of the second patch element 30312 onto the reflector 301 is equal to the side length of the square of the orthographic projection of the first patch element 30311 onto the reflector 301, a circular orthographic projection of the second patch element 30312 onto the reflector 301 results in higher radiation gain. In other words, Figure 6A The antenna element 2042 shown is compared to Figure 8AThe antenna element 2042 shown can achieve better radiation gain. The second patch can be circular to obtain higher radiation gain. Alternatively, the shape of the second patch element 30312 can be flexibly set to a square or other shapes depending on the application scenario.

[0124] In some embodiments, the plurality of second patch units 30312 can form at least two rings of surrounding structure around the plurality of periodically arranged first patch units 30311, thereby making the construction of the metasurface unit more flexible and adaptable to more application scenarios. For example, Figure 9A In the first patch unit 30311 The array is surrounded by 44 second patch units 30312, which form a two-ring surround structure.

[0125] In the process of realizing this disclosure, the inventors discovered through simulation experiments that the formation of one or more rings of the second patch unit 30312 has little impact on the radiation gain performance of the antenna unit 2042. Therefore, the structure of the metasurface unit can be set more flexibly according to different application scenarios without worrying about the impact on the performance of the antenna unit 2042.

[0126] Figure 9B for Figure 9A The simulation results curve of the S-parameters of the antenna element 2042 in the specified operating frequency band are shown.

[0127] like Figure 9B As shown, Figure 9A The antenna element 2042 shown has an input reflection coefficient (S11) of less than -15dB in the frequency range of 2.57-2.68GHz and an output reflection coefficient (S22) of less than -15dB in the frequency range of 2.59-2.70GHz.

[0128] Figure 9C for Figure 9A The simulation result curve of the antenna pattern of the antenna element 2042 at a specified operating frequency is shown.

[0129] like Figure 9C As shown, Figure 9A The antenna element 2042 shown has a peak gain of 7.60 dBi at a frequency of 2.6 GHz.

[0130] In comparison, Figure 9A The antenna element 2042 shown and Figure 6A The antenna element 2042 shown differs only in the arrangement of the patch elements in the metasurface structure 303. Specifically, Figure 9A and Figure 6AThe metasurface structure 303 of the antenna element 2042 shown includes a plurality of periodically arranged first patch elements 30311 and a plurality of second patch elements 30312 arranged around the first patch elements 30311. The difference is that... Figure 9A The first patch unit 30311 of the antenna unit 2042 shown includes two intersecting branches, and the shape of the orthographic projection of the second patch unit 30312 on the reflector 301 is circular, forming a ring-shaped structure. Figure 9A The first patch unit 30311 of the antenna unit 2042 shown includes two intersecting branches, and the shape of the second patch unit 30312 projected onto the reflector 301 is circular, forming a two-ring surround structure.

[0131] At a frequency of 2.6 GHz, Figure 9A The peak gain of the antenna element 2042 shown is... Figure 6A The peak gain of the antenna element 2042 shown is approximately equal to that of the antenna element 2042. This indicates that the number of turns of the surround structure formed by the second patch element 30312 has a limited impact on the radiation gain performance of the antenna element 2042. When the second patch element 30312 forms a multi-turn surround structure, it can achieve the same radiation gain effect. The number of turns of the surround structure formed by the second patch element 30312 can be flexibly set according to different application scenarios.

[0132] Optionally, the multiple second patches may form a multi-ring (e.g., 3 rings, 4 rings, etc.) surrounding structure around the multiple periodically arranged first patch units 30311, and this disclosure does not limit this.

[0133] In some embodiments, the metasurface structure 303 further includes a first dielectric substrate 30313, which provides physical support for the patch unit (e.g., the first patch unit 30311) in the metasurface structure 303 and controls the electromagnetic wave propagation speed by adjusting the dielectric constant, thereby affecting the antenna electrical size and resonant frequency.

[0134] Optionally, a plurality of first patch units 30311 of the metasurface structure 303 are disposed on the first dielectric substrate 30313, and the dielectric substrate carries the first patch units 30311 in the metasurface structure 303.

[0135] Optionally, a plurality of second patch units 30312 of the metasurface structure 303 are also disposed on the first dielectric substrate 30313, and the dielectric substrate carries the first patch unit 30311 and the second patch unit 30312 in the metasurface structure 303.

[0136] Optionally, the first dielectric substrate 30313 may be made of glass fiber reinforced epoxy resin laminate material (FlameRetardant 4, abbreviated as FR4). The first dielectric substrate 30313 made of FR4 material has a dielectric constant of 4.4 and a loss tangent of 0.02.

[0137] Optionally, the first dielectric substrate 30313 may also be a commonly used PCB substrate such as a polytetrafluoroethylene glass fiber substrate, a phenolic paper layer substrate, or a phenolic glass cloth layer substrate, or it may be made of rigid materials such as quartz or glass with low microwave loss. This disclosure does not limit the choice of substrate.

[0138] For example, the metasurface structure 303 includes a first dielectric substrate 30313 and a plurality of first patch units 30311 periodically arranged on the first dielectric substrate 30313.

[0139] For example, the metasurface structure 303 includes a first dielectric substrate 30313, a plurality of first patch units 30311 periodically arranged on the first dielectric substrate 30313, and a plurality of second patch units 30312 disposed around the plurality of first patch units 30311.

[0140] In some embodiments, a first dielectric substrate 30313 and a patch unit (e.g., a first patch unit 30311) disposed on the first dielectric substrate 30313 constitute a metasurface structure layer 3031, and the first dielectric substrate 30313 is used to support the patch unit (e.g., the first patch unit 30311) disposed on the first dielectric substrate 30313.

[0141] For example, the metasurface structure 303 may include a metasurface structure layer 3031, which includes a first dielectric substrate 30313 and a plurality of first patch units 30311 periodically arranged on the first dielectric substrate 30313.

[0142] For example, the metasurface structure 303 includes a metasurface structure layer 3031, the metasurface structure layer 3031 includes a first dielectric substrate 30313 and a plurality of first patch units 30311 periodically arranged on the first dielectric substrate 30313, and a plurality of second patch units 30312 disposed around the plurality of first patch units 30311.

[0143] In some embodiments, the metasurface structure 303 may further include multiple metasurface structure layers 3031. By adding metasurface structure layers 3031 to the metasurface structure 303, the number of patch elements can be increased, thereby improving the gain performance of the antenna element 2042.

[0144] Optionally, each metasurface structure layer 3031 includes a first dielectric substrate 30313 and a plurality of first patch units 30311 periodically arranged on the first dielectric substrate 30313.

[0145] Optionally, at least one metasurface structure layer 3031 may further include a plurality of second patch units 30312 disposed around a plurality of first patch units 30311, thereby improving the radiation gain performance of the at least one metasurface layer.

[0146] For example, such as Figure 6A As shown, the metasurface structure 303 includes multiple metasurface structure layers 3031. Each metasurface structure layer 3031 includes a first dielectric substrate 30313, multiple first patch units 30311 periodically arranged on the first dielectric substrate 30313, and multiple second patch units 30312 disposed around the multiple first patch units 30311. By setting the structure of each metasurface layer to be the same, the control effect on radiation gain can be guaranteed.

[0147] In the process of realizing this disclosure, the inventors discovered through simulation experiments that by setting multiple metasurface structure layers 3031 in the metasurface structure 303, the radiation gain of the antenna element 2042 can be further improved.

[0148] Figure 10A A cross-sectional view of yet another exemplary antenna element 2042 provided in an embodiment of this disclosure is shown.

[0149] Figure 10A In the antenna unit 2042 shown, the metasurface structure 303 includes a plurality of metasurface structure layers 3031, each metasurface structure layer 3031 including a first dielectric substrate 30313 and a plurality of periodically arranged first patch units 30311 disposed on the first dielectric substrate 30313.

[0150] In some embodiments, the plurality of first patch units 30311 in each metasurface structure layer 3031 are arranged in the same manner, and the positions of the plurality of first patch units 30311 in different metasurface structure layers 3031 correspond one-to-one.

[0151] In some embodiments, each metasurface structure layer 3031 may further include a plurality of second patch units 30312 disposed around a plurality of first patch units 30311. The plurality of first patch units 30311 and the plurality of second patch units 30312 in each metasurface structure layer 3031 are arranged in the same manner, and the positions of the plurality of first patch units 30311 and second patch units 30312 in different metasurface structure layers 3031 correspond one-to-one.

[0152] In some embodiments, such as Figure 10A As shown, multiple metasurface structure layers 3031 are bonded together.

[0153] Through simulation experiments, the inventors discovered that, with a fixed first spacing h1 between the metasurface structure 303 and the radiating element 302, the more layers of the metasurface structure 3031, the better the gain of the antenna element 2042. Conversely, with a fixed number of metasurface structure layers 3031 and a first spacing h1 greater than 0.5 mm between the metasurface structure 303 and the radiating element 302, a smaller first spacing h1 results in a better gain for the antenna element 2042. In other words, the gain of the antenna element 2042 is influenced by the number of metasurface structure layers 3031 in the metasurface structure 303 and the first spacing h1 between the metasurface structure 303 and the radiating element 302.

[0154] In other embodiments, such as Figure 10B As shown, there is a third spacing h3 between adjacent metasurface structure layers 3031.

[0155] Through simulation experiments, the inventors discovered that the gain effect of antenna element 2042 is also affected by the third spacing h3 between adjacent metasurface structure layers 3031 in metasurface structure 303. Specifically, when the first spacing h1 between metasurface structure 303 and radiating element 302 and the number of metasurface structure layers 3031 remain unchanged, the smaller the third spacing h3 between adjacent metasurface structure layers 3031, the better the gain effect of antenna element 2042 (the gain effect is optimal when the third spacing h3 is 0, i.e., when the metasurface structure layers are bonded together).

[0156] It should be noted that the third spacing h3 between multiple metasurface structure layers 3031 can be the same or different, and this disclosure does not limit it.

[0157] Figure 10C for Figure 10A The simulation results curve of the S-parameters of the antenna element 2042 in the specified operating frequency band are shown.

[0158] like Figure 10C As shown, Figure 10A The input reflection coefficient (S11) of the antenna element 2042 shown is less than -15dB in the frequency range of 2.45-2.54GHz; the output reflection coefficient (S22) is less than -15dB in the frequency range of 2.45-2.55GHz.

[0159] Figure 10D for Figure 10A The simulation result curve of the antenna pattern of the antenna element 2042 at a specified operating frequency is shown.

[0160] like Figure 10D As shown, Figure 10A The antenna element 2042 shown has a peak gain of 7.64 dBi at a frequency of 2.6 GHz.

[0161] In comparison, Figure 6A The antenna element 2042 shown and Figure 10A The antenna element 2042 shown differs only in the number of layers in the metasurface structure layer 3031. Specifically, Figure 6A and Figure 10A Each metasurface structure layer 3031 of the antenna element 2042 shown includes a first dielectric substrate 30313 and a plurality of periodically arranged first patch units 30311 disposed on the first dielectric substrate 30313. Second patch units 30312 are arranged around the periphery of the first patches, forming a ring structure. The first patch unit 30311 includes two intersecting branches, and the projection shape of the second patch unit 30312 onto the reflector 301 is square. The difference lies in... Figure 6A The antenna element 2042 shown includes only one metasurface structure layer 3031; Figure 10A The antenna element 2042 shown includes multiple metasurface structure layers 3031.

[0162] At a frequency of 2.6 GHz, Figure 10A The peak gain of the antenna element 2042 shown is significantly higher than that of the antenna. Figure 6A The peak gain of the antenna element 2042 is shown. This demonstrates that increasing the number of metasurface structure layers 3031 in the metasurface structure 303 can further improve the radiation gain of the antenna element 2042.

[0163] Optionally, multiple metasurface structure layers 3031 are stacked to further ensure the control effect of radiation gain of antenna element 2042.

[0164] In some embodiments, the radiating structure 302 further includes two pairs of radiating elements 3021, which are orthogonally placed to achieve the dual polarization effect of the antenna element 2042.

[0165] Optionally, the radiating structure 302 may further include a second dielectric substrate 3023 for carrying a plurality of radiating units 3021 in the radiating structure 302. For example, the radiating structure 302 includes a second dielectric substrate 3023 and two pairs of radiating units 3021 disposed on the second dielectric substrate 3023.

[0166] Optionally, the second dielectric substrate 3023 may be made of glass fiber reinforced epoxy resin laminate material (FlameRetardant 4, abbreviated as FR4). The first dielectric substrate 30313 made based on FR4 material has a dielectric constant of 4.4 and a dielectric loss tangent of 0.02.

[0167] Optionally, the second dielectric substrate 3023 may also be a commonly used PCB substrate such as a polytetrafluoroethylene glass fiber substrate, a phenolic paper layer substrate, or a phenolic glass cloth layer substrate, or it may be a rigid material such as a substrate with low microwave loss, such as quartz or glass. This disclosure does not limit the choice of substrate.

[0168] In some embodiments, the orthographic projection of the radiating element 3021 onto the reflector 301 is annular or other shapes, which are not limited in this disclosure. The perimeter of each radiating element 3021 is equal to ensure the radiation gain effect of the antenna element 2042 and at the same time simplify the fabrication of the antenna element 2042.

[0169] In some embodiments, the half-circumference of the radiating element 3021 is one-quarter to one-half of the wavelength corresponding to the center frequency of the antenna element 2042, thereby ensuring the radiation gain effect of the antenna element 2042.

[0170] For example, the half-circumference of the radiating element 3021 can be 1 / 4, 1 / 3, 1 / 2, etc., of the wavelength corresponding to the center frequency of the antenna element 2042, and this disclosure does not limit it.

[0171] For example, when the operating frequency band of the base station antenna 200 is 1.7GHz~2.7GHz, its center frequency is 2.2GHz, and the corresponding wavelength is λ, which is approximately 136 mm. In this case, the half-circumference of the radiating element 3021 can be 1 / 4λ, that is, 34 mm.

[0172] Optionally, the shape of the orthographic projection of the radiating element 3021 onto the reflector 301 can be a rectangular ring, a rectangular ring with chamfered corners, or a circular ring. This not only improves the radiation gain of the antenna element 2042 but also makes the construction of the metasurface element more flexible, thus adapting to more application scenarios.

[0173] For example, the shape of the orthographic projection of the radiating element 3021 onto the reflector 301 can be as follows: Figure 6A The rectangular ring shown.

[0174] For example, the shape of the orthographic projection of the radiating element 3021 onto the reflector 301 can also be as follows: Figure 11A The rectangular ring shown has a chamfered corner.

[0175] In realizing this disclosure, the inventors discovered through simulation experiments that although changing the shape of the radiating element 3021 may lead to changes in the radiation gain performance of the antenna element 2042, the change is still controllable, and the shape of the radiating element 3021 can be flexibly set for different application scenarios. Meanwhile, when the perimeter of the radiating element 3021 remains unchanged, the radiation gain performance of the antenna element 2042 will not change significantly.

[0176] Figure 11A A top view of yet another exemplary antenna element 2042 provided in this disclosure embodiment is shown.

[0177] Figure 11A In the antenna element 2042 shown, the shape of the orthographic projection of the radiating element 3021 onto the reflector 301 is a rectangular ring.

[0178] Figure 11B for Figure 11A The simulation results curve of the S-parameters of the antenna element 2042 in the specified operating frequency band are shown.

[0179] like Figure 11B As shown, Figure 11A The antenna element 2042 shown has an input reflection coefficient (S11) of less than -15dB in the frequency range of 2.57-2.68GHz and an output reflection coefficient (S22) of less than -15dB in the frequency range of 2.58-2.69GHz.

[0180] Figure 11C for Figure 11A The simulation result curve of the antenna pattern of the antenna element 2042 at a specified operating frequency is shown.

[0181] like Figure 11C As shown, Figure 11A The antenna element 2042 shown has a peak gain of 7.58 dBi at a frequency of 2.6 GHz.

[0182] In comparison, Figure 6A The antenna element 2042 shown and Figure 11A The antenna element 2042 shown differs only in the shape of the orthographic projection of the radiating element 3021 onto the reflector 301. The difference lies in... Figure 6A The shape of the orthographic projection of the radiating element 3021 onto the reflector 301 shown is a rectangular ring. Figure 11A The shape of the orthographic projection of the radiation unit 3021 on the reflector 301 is a rectangular ring with chamfered corners.

[0183] At a frequency of 2.6 GHz, Figure 11A The peak gain of the antenna element 2042 shown is slightly lower than Figure 6AThe peak gain of the antenna element 2042 shown.

[0184] In some embodiments, the area of ​​the third region covered by the orthographic projection of the periodically arranged plurality of first patch units 30311 on the reflector 301 is greater than or equal to the area of ​​the fourth region covered by the orthographic projection of at least one radiation unit 3021 on the reflector 301, and the orthographic projection of at least one radiation unit 3021 on the reflector 301 is located in the third region.

[0185] In other embodiments, the area of ​​the fifth region covered by the orthographic projections formed on the reflector 301 by a plurality of periodically arranged first patch units 30311 and a plurality of second patch units 30312 is greater than or equal to the area of ​​the fourth region covered by the orthographic projection formed on the reflector 301 by at least one radiating unit 3021, and the orthographic projection formed on the reflector 301 by at least one radiating unit 3021 is located within the fifth region. This design achieves better radiation gain.

[0186] In some embodiments, the antenna unit 2042 may further include a plurality of parasitic patches 3022, which are disposed on the side of the second dielectric substrate 3023 away from the reflector 301 and are symmetrical about the center of the radiating structure 302. The radiating unit 3021 is disposed on the side of the second dielectric substrate 3023 facing the reflector 301. The plurality of parasitic patches 3022 and the plurality of radiating units 3021 are disposed in a one-to-one correspondence.

[0187] The parasitic patch 3022 can generate a reverse current in the sidelobe direction of the base station antenna 200 through electromagnetic coupling, thereby effectively suppressing the sidelobe and confining the electromagnetic wave energy in the main lobe direction, thus improving the gain of the base station antenna 200.

[0188] By utilizing the metasurface structure 303 and parasitic patch 3022 of antenna element 2042, on the one hand, the characteristic of the metasurface structure 303 to enhance radiated energy can be taken advantage of, allowing the beam of antenna element 2042 to converge and improving the radiation gain; on the other hand, the directing characteristics of the parasitic patch 3022 can be used to further compress the beamwidth of antenna element 2042 and improve the directivity of radiated energy. Therefore, through the synergistic effect of the metasurface structure 303 and the parasitic patch 3022, the radiation gain of antenna element 2042 can be improved.

[0189] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6AAs shown, multiple parasitic patches 3022 are symmetrically arranged around a central axis with respect to the arrangement of corresponding multiple radiating units 3021. That is, for any parasitic patch 3022, there is one radiating unit 3021. The aforementioned radiating units 3021 belong to a pair of radiating units, and the two radiating units 3021 in this pair are arranged in a target arrangement, with the parasitic patches symmetrically arranged around this target arrangement as a central axis.

[0190] In some embodiments, the distance between the center point of the parasitic patch 3022 and the center point of the radiating structure 302 is less than the distance between the center point of the corresponding radiating unit 3021 and the center point of the radiating structure 302. That is, the parasitic patch 3022 is located close to the center of the radiating unit 3021.

[0191] Through simulation experiments, the inventors discovered that when the orthographic projection of the parasitic patch 3022 on the reflector 301 does not overlap with the orthographic projection of the feed stub 304 (including the bifurcation segment and the straight segment) on the reflector, the smaller the distance between the center point of the parasitic patch 3022 and the center point of the radiating structure 302, the better the gain effect of the antenna element 2042.

[0192] Optionally, the parasitic patch 3022 can be made of a single metallic material. For example, it can be made of a single metallic material such as gold, silver, or copper to ensure that the first patch unit 30311 has high conductivity.

[0193] Alternatively, the parasitic patch 3022 may also be made of alloy material, which is not limited in this disclosure.

[0194] Optionally, the shape of the parasitic patch 3022 projected onto the reflector 301 can be a square, a circle, or other shapes, and this disclosure does not limit this. The shape of the parasitic patch 3022 can be flexibly set according to the needs of different application scenarios.

[0195] In the process of realizing this disclosure, the inventors discovered through simulation experiments that the shape of the parasitic patch 3022 has little impact on the radiation gain performance of the antenna element 2042. Therefore, the shape of the parasitic patch 3022 can be set more flexibly according to different application scenarios without worrying about the impact on the performance of the antenna element 2042.

[0196] Figure 12A A top view of yet another exemplary antenna element 2042 provided in this disclosure embodiment is shown.

[0197] Figure 12A In the antenna element 2042 shown, the parasitic patch 3022 has a circular shape as its orthographic projection onto the reflector 301.

[0198] Figure 12Bfor Figure 12A The simulation results curve of the S-parameters of the antenna element 2042 in the specified operating frequency band are shown.

[0199] like Figure 12B As shown, Figure 12A The antenna element 2042 shown has an input reflection coefficient (S11) of less than -15dB in the frequency range of 2.57-2.68GHz and an output reflection coefficient (S22) of less than -15dB in the frequency range of 2.58-2.69GHz.

[0200] Figure 12C for Figure 12A The simulation result curve of the antenna pattern of the antenna element 2042 at a specified operating frequency is shown.

[0201] like Figure 12C As shown, Figure 12A The antenna element 2042 shown has a peak gain of 7.58 dBi at a frequency of 2.6 GHz.

[0202] In comparison, Figure 6A The antenna element 2042 shown and Figure 12A The antenna element 2042 shown differs only in the shape of the parasitic patch 3022 projected onto the reflector 301. The difference lies in... Figure 6A The parasitic patch 3022 shown is square in shape when projected onto the reflector 301. Figure 12A The shape of the parasitic patch 3022 projected onto the reflector 301 is circular.

[0203] At a frequency of 2.6 GHz, Figure 12A The peak gain of the antenna element 2042 shown is slightly lower than Figure 6A The peak gain of the antenna element 2042 is shown. The shape of the parasitic patch 3022 can be set more flexibly according to different application scenarios without worrying about the impact on the performance of the antenna element 2042.

[0204] Optionally, the shapes of the multiple parasitic patches 3022 of the radiating element 3021 can be kept consistent to reduce the fabrication difficulty of the antenna element 2042.

[0205] Optionally, the multiple parasitic patches 3022 of the radiation unit 3021 may not have the same shape, provided that the area is equal.

[0206] In some embodiments, the area of ​​the parasitic patch 3022 can be one-third to two-thirds of the area surrounding the outer periphery of the radiating element 3021, so as to ensure the radiation gain effect of the antenna element 2042.

[0207] In some embodiments, antenna element 2042 may further include a feeding structure (e.g., a balun). The feeding structure is used to connect radiating structure 302 and feeding network 206 to transmit electrical signals transmitted by feeding network 206 to radiating structure 302 and to transmit signals received by radiating structure 302 to feeding network 206.

[0208] Optionally, such as Figure 5A As shown, each pair of radiating elements 3021 corresponds to a feed stub 304. The feed stub 304 is disposed on the side of the second dielectric substrate 3023 away from the reflector 301, and each feed stub is communicatively coupled to its corresponding radiating element 3021. For example, the radiating structure 302 includes two radiating elements 3021, thus the feed structure includes two feed stubs 304, each corresponding to a pair of radiating elements 3021, and the two feed stubs 304 are communicatively coupled to their respective radiating elements 3021. This enables signal transmission between the radiating structure 302 and the feed network 206.

[0209] As mentioned above, in some embodiments, each radiating element 3021 corresponds to a parasitic patch 3022, and each pair of radiating elements 3021 corresponds to a feed stub 304. It can be understood that each feed stub 304 corresponds to two parasitic patches 3022.

[0210] Optionally, the orthographic projection of the feed stub 304 on the reflector 301 does not overlap with the orthographic projection of the corresponding parasitic patch 3022 on the reflector 301, so as to avoid affecting the performance of the radiating element 3021.

[0211] Optionally, such as Figure 5A As shown, the orthographic projection of the feed stub 304 onto the reflector 301 is Y-shaped. The Y-shaped feed stub 304 includes a bifurcation segment and a straight segment. The bifurcation segment is the upper half of the Y-shaped feed stub, and the straight segment is the lower half. The orthographic projection of the bifurcation segment onto the reflector 301 at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of one of the corresponding pair of radiating elements 3021 onto the reflector 301. The orthographic projection of the straight segment onto the reflector 301 at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the other of the corresponding pair of radiating elements 3021 onto the reflector 301. For example, Figure 5AThe orthographic projection of the bifurcation segment of one feed stub 304 on the reflector 301 at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the upper right corner of one of the corresponding pair of radiating units 3021 on the reflector 301, and the orthographic projection of the straight segment of the feed stub 304 on the reflector 301 at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the lower left corner of one of the corresponding pair of radiating units 3021 on the reflector 301; the orthographic projection of the bifurcation segment of the other feed stub 304 on the reflector 301 at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the upper left corner of one of the corresponding pair of radiating units 3021 on the reflector 301, and the orthographic projection of the straight segment of the feed stub 304 on the reflector 301 at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the lower right corner of one of the corresponding pair of radiating units 3021 on the reflector 301. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG8, the periphery of the reflector 301 further includes a metal baffle 305, which extends toward the metasurface structure 303 along a direction perpendicular to the reflector 301.

[0212] In the process of realizing this disclosure, the inventors discovered through simulation experiments that setting a metal baffle 305 extending toward the metasurface structure 303 in a direction perpendicular to the reflector 301 around the reflector 301 can further improve the radiation gain of the antenna element 2042.

[0213] Figure 13A A top view of yet another exemplary antenna element 2042 provided in this disclosure embodiment is shown.

[0214] Figure 13A In the antenna element 2042 shown, a metal baffle 305 extending towards the metasurface structure 303 along a direction perpendicular to the reflector 301 is disposed around the reflector 301. Figure 13B As shown, the height h3 of the metal baffle 305 in the direction perpendicular to the reflector 301 can be less than or equal to the thickness t1 of the reflector 301.

[0215] Figure 13C for Figure 13A The simulation results curve of the S-parameters of the antenna element 2042 in the specified operating frequency band are shown.

[0216] like Figure 13C As shown, Figure 13A The antenna element 2042 shown has an input reflection coefficient (S11) of less than -15dB in the frequency range of 2.55-2.67GHz and an output reflection coefficient (S22) of less than -15dB in the frequency range of 2.56-2.68GHz.

[0217] Figure 13D for Figure 13A The simulation result curve of the antenna pattern of the antenna element 2042 at a specified operating frequency is shown.

[0218] like Figure 13D As shown, Figure 13A The antenna element 2042 shown has a peak gain of 7.68 dBi at a frequency of 2.6 GHz.

[0219] In comparison, Figure 6A The antenna element 2042 shown and Figure 13A The antenna element 2042 shown differs only in the arrangement of the reflector 301. The difference lies in... Figure 6A The reflector 301 shown does not have a metal baffle 305 around its perimeter. Figure 13A A metal baffle 305 extending toward the metasurface structure 303 in a direction perpendicular to the reflector 301 is provided around the reflector 301.

[0220] At a frequency of 2.6 GHz, Figure 13A The peak value of antenna element 2042 shown is significantly higher than that of antenna element 2042. Figure 6A The peak gain of the antenna element 2042 shown is illustrated. The gain of the antenna element 2042 can be further improved by setting a metal baffle 305 around the reflector 301.

[0221] Optionally, the height h3 of the metal baffle 305 can be 2-10 mm. For example, the height h3 of the metal baffle 305 can be 3 mm, 6 mm or 8 mm.

[0222] In some embodiments, the spacing between the metasurface structure 303 and the radiating structure 302 is greater than 0.5 mm. This design achieves better radiation gain.

[0223] Those skilled in the art should understand that the discussion of any of the above embodiments is merely exemplary and is not intended to imply that the scope of this disclosure (including the claims) is limited to these examples; within the framework of this disclosure, the technical features of the above embodiments or different embodiments can also be combined, the steps can be implemented in any order, and there are many other variations of different aspects of one or more embodiments of this disclosure as described above, which are not provided in detail for the sake of brevity.

[0224] Additionally, to simplify the description and discussion, and to avoid obscuring one or more embodiments of this disclosure, the provided drawings may or may not show well-known power / ground connections to integrated circuit (IC) chips and other components. Furthermore, the apparatus may be shown in block diagram form to avoid obscuring one or more embodiments of this disclosure, and this also takes into account the fact that the details of implementation of these block diagram apparatuses are highly dependent on the platform on which one or more embodiments of this disclosure will be implemented (i.e., such details should be fully understood by those skilled in the art). While specific details (e.g., circuitry) are set forth to describe exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that one or more embodiments of this disclosure may be implemented without these specific details or with variations thereof. Therefore, these descriptions should be considered illustrative rather than limiting.

[0225] Although this disclosure has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, many substitutions, modifications, and variations of these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. For example, other memory architectures (e.g., dynamic RAM (DRAM)) may be used with the embodiments discussed.

[0226] This disclosure includes one or more embodiments intended to cover all such substitutions, modifications, and variations falling within the broad scope of the appended claims. Therefore, any omissions, modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of one or more embodiments of this disclosure should be included within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

Claims

1. An antenna element, comprising: Reflector; A metasurface structure is disposed on one side of the reflector; the metasurface structure includes a plurality of first patch units arranged periodically. A radiating structure is disposed on the side of the metasurface structure away from the reflector; the radiating structure includes a second dielectric substrate and two pairs of radiating units disposed on the second dielectric substrate, the two pairs of radiating units being orthogonally arranged; In a direction perpendicular to the reflector, the metasurface structure has a first distance from the radiating structure and a second distance from the reflector.

2. The antenna element as described in claim 1, wherein, The first patch unit includes two intersecting branches.

3. The antenna element as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein, The metasurface structure further includes a plurality of second patch units; the plurality of second patch units are arranged around the periphery of the periodically arranged plurality of first patch units; The orthographic projections formed by the plurality of second patch units on the reflector plate do not at least partially overlap with the orthographic projections formed by the two pairs of radiating units on the reflector plate; The area of ​​the orthographic projection of a single second patch unit on the reflector is greater than the area of ​​the orthographic projection of a single first patch unit on the reflector.

4. The antenna element according to claim 3, wherein, The shape of the orthographic projection of the second patch unit on the reflector is the same as the shape of the orthographic projection of the first patch unit on the reflector, or... The shape of the orthographic projection of the second patch unit on the reflector is different from the shape of the orthographic projection of the first patch unit on the reflector.

5. The antenna element as described in claim 3, wherein, The plurality of second patch units form at least two rings around the periphery of the plurality of periodically arranged first patch units.

6. The antenna element as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The metasurface structure includes multiple metasurface structure layers, each metasurface structure layer including a first dielectric substrate and multiple first patch units periodically arranged on the first dielectric substrate; the multiple metasurface structure layers are bonded together, or there is a third spacing between two adjacent metasurface structure layers.

7. The antenna element as claimed in claim 6, wherein, The plurality of first patch units in each of the metasurface structure layers are arranged in the same manner, and the positions of the plurality of first patch units in different metasurface structure layers correspond one-to-one; or, Each of the metasurface structure layers includes a plurality of second patch units disposed around a plurality of first patch units. The plurality of first patch units and the plurality of second patch units in each of the metasurface structure layers are arranged in the same manner, and the positions of the plurality of first patch units and the plurality of second patch units in different metasurface structure layers correspond one-to-one.

8. The antenna element as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The two pairs of radiating units are disposed on the side of the second dielectric substrate facing the reflector. The radiating structure also includes a plurality of parasitic patches, which are disposed on the side of the second dielectric substrate away from the reflector and are symmetrical about the center of the radiating structure. The plurality of parasitic patches are disposed in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of radiating units.

9. The antenna element as claimed in claim 8, wherein, The area of ​​the first region covered by the orthographic projections formed by the plurality of parasitic patches on the reflector is greater than or equal to the area of ​​the second region covered by the orthographic projections formed by the plurality of parasitic patches on the reflector, and the orthographic projections formed by the plurality of parasitic patches on the reflector are located within the second region.

10. The antenna element as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The shape of the orthographic projection of the radiating element onto the reflector is annular; and / or, the perimeter of each radiating element is equal. And / or, the half-circumference of the radiating element is one-quarter to one-half of the wavelength corresponding to the center frequency of the antenna element.

11. The antenna element as claimed in claim 8, wherein, The antenna element further includes a feeding structure comprising two feeding stubs disposed on the side of the second dielectric substrate away from the reflector; each of the two feeding stubs corresponds to a pair of radiating elements, and each feeding stub is communicatively coupled to its corresponding radiating element; and / or, The orthographic projection of the feed stub on the reflector does not overlap with the orthographic projection of the corresponding parasitic patch on the reflector; and / or, The orthographic projection of the feed branch on the reflector is Y-shaped. The Y-shaped feed branch includes a bifurcation segment and a straight segment. The orthographic projection of the bifurcation segment on the reflector at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of one of the corresponding pair of radiating elements on the reflector. The orthographic projection of the straight segment on the reflector at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the other of the corresponding pair of radiating elements on the reflector.

12. The antenna element as claimed in claim 11, wherein, The parasitic patches are symmetrically arranged around the central axis of the arrangement direction of the corresponding radiating units, and / or, The distance between the center point of the parasitic patch and the center point of the radiating structure is less than the distance between the center point of the corresponding radiating element and the center point of the radiating structure, and the orthographic projection of the parasitic patch on the reflector plate and the orthographic projection of the feed stub on the reflector plate do not overlap at least partially, and / or, The parasitic patch's orthographic projection onto the reflector is square or circular, and / or... The area of ​​the parasitic patch is one-third to two-thirds of the area surrounding the outer periphery of the radiating unit.

13. The antenna element as claimed in claim 1, wherein, A metal baffle is provided around the reflector, and the metal baffle extends toward the metasurface structure in a direction perpendicular to the reflector. The height of the metal baffle in the direction perpendicular to the reflector is less than or equal to the thickness of the reflector.

14. The antenna element as claimed in claim 13, wherein, The height of the metal baffle in the direction perpendicular to the reflector is 2-10 mm.

15. The antenna element as claimed in claim 3, wherein, The first distance between the metasurface structure and the radiating structure is greater than 0.5 mm; and / or, The area of ​​the third region covered by the orthographic projections formed by the periodically arranged plurality of first patch units on the reflector is greater than or equal to the area of ​​the fourth region covered by the orthographic projections formed by the two pairs of radiating units on the reflector, and the orthographic projections formed by the two pairs of radiating units on the reflector are located within the third region; or, the area of ​​the fifth region jointly covered by the orthographic projections formed by the periodically arranged plurality of first patch units and the plurality of second patch units on the reflector is greater than or equal to the area of ​​the fourth region covered by the orthographic projections formed by the two pairs of radiating units on the reflector, and the orthographic projections formed by the two pairs of radiating units on the reflector are located within the fifth region.

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