An antenna module and a manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

The application discloses an antenna module and a preparation method thereof. The antenna module comprises a waveguide structure and an antenna unit. The waveguide structure is provided with a groove, and the antenna unit is arranged in the groove. At least part of the bottom surface of the antenna unit directly contacts the bottom surface of the groove, and at least part of the side wall of the antenna unit is connected with the side wall of the groove through an adhesive layer. The antenna module and the preparation method thereof provided by the application can complete coupling without passing through an additional medium layer, thereby improving the antenna coupling efficiency. Meanwhile, the waveguide structure forms a cladding protection around the antenna unit in the circumferential direction, thereby avoiding the risk that the edge of the antenna unit is directly exposed to the outside and damaged, improving the product yield and reliability. In addition, the waveguide structure itself serves as a carrier and a positioning reference, and can be directly used for clamping and positioning during terminal assembly, without the need of additionally arranging an independent positioning structure, thereby reducing the number of parts and assembly procedures, and being beneficial to realizing the miniaturization design of the antenna module.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to an antenna module and its manufacturing method. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of low- and medium-Earth orbit (LEO) communication satellite systems, higher demands have been placed on satellite antenna technology. Electrically scanned antenna technology using materials such as liquid crystal as the medium has emerged to meet this need. With its low profile, absence of mechanical scanning structure, and significant cost advantages, it has become a strong competitor in the consumer electronics field and is currently one of the mainstream solutions to address the bottlenecks in LEO satellite communication, with huge potential market demand.

[0003] However, existing antenna modules suffer from problems such as high signal coupling loss and poor reliability. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides an antenna module and its fabrication method to solve problems such as limited coupling efficiency and poor reliability.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, an antenna module is provided, comprising: A waveguide structure having grooves provided thereon; An antenna element is disposed within the groove; at least a portion of the bottom surface of the antenna element is in direct contact with the bottom surface of the groove, and at least a portion of the sidewall of the antenna element is connected to the sidewall of the groove via an adhesive layer.

[0006] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing an antenna module is provided, comprising: A waveguide structure is provided, wherein a groove is provided on the waveguide structure; Provide antenna units; The antenna element is placed in the groove such that at least a portion of the bottom surface of the antenna element is in direct contact with the bottom surface of the groove; Adhesive is injected between the sidewall of the antenna element and the sidewall of the groove to form an adhesive layer.

[0007] The antenna module and its fabrication method provided in this invention embed the antenna unit into the groove of the waveguide structure, so that at least a portion of the bottom surface of the antenna unit is in direct contact with the bottom surface of the groove, and at least a portion of the sidewall of the antenna unit is fixedly connected to the sidewall of the groove through an adhesive layer. The radio frequency signal can be coupled without passing through an additional dielectric layer, thus improving the antenna coupling efficiency. At the same time, the waveguide structure forms a circumferential protective enclosure around the antenna unit embedded in the groove, avoiding the risk of the antenna unit's edges being directly exposed to the outside and damaged by impacts, thereby improving product yield and reliability. In addition, the waveguide structure itself serves as a carrier and positioning reference, and can be directly used for clamping and positioning during terminal assembly without the need for additional independent positioning structures, reducing the number of parts and assembly steps, which is conducive to the miniaturization design of the antenna module.

[0008] It should be understood that the description in this section is not intended to identify key or essential features of the embodiments of the present invention, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the invention. Other features of the invention will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0009] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0010] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the A-A' direction; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of an antenna module in related technologies; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of an antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an antenna unit provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 for Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the B-B' direction; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 for Figure 8A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the C-C' direction; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 13 for Figure 12 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the D-D' direction; Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 15 for Figure 14 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the E-E' direction; Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 19 for Figure 18 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the F-F' direction; Figure 20 for Figure 18 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the G-G' direction; Figure 21 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 22 This is a schematic diagram of a partial cross-sectional structure of an antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 23 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 24 for Figure 23 A magnified structural diagram at point H; Figure 25 for Figure 24 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the I-I' direction; Figure 26 This is a partial cross-sectional structural diagram of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 27 This is a partial cross-sectional structural diagram of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 28This is a partial cross-sectional structural diagram of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 29 This is a partial cross-sectional structural diagram of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 30 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 31 for Figure 30 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the J-J' direction; Figure 32 for Figure 30 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the K-K' direction; Figure 33 This is a schematic flowchart illustrating a method for fabricating an antenna module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0011] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0012] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this invention are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of the invention described herein can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the A-A' direction, as shown below. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the antenna module provided in this embodiment of the invention includes: Waveguide structure 10, with groove 101 provided on waveguide structure 10.

[0014] Antenna unit 11 is disposed in groove 101. At least part of the bottom surface 111 of antenna unit 11 is in direct contact with the bottom surface 1011 of groove 101. At least part of the side wall 112 of antenna unit 11 is connected to the side wall 1012 of groove 101 through adhesive layer 12.

[0015] Specifically, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the waveguide structure 10 is a supporting component of the antenna module. The waveguide structure 10 has a wiring structure inside, which forms a distribution network to distribute the externally fed radio frequency signal to each antenna element 11 step by step.

[0016] Antenna unit 11 is a component in the antenna module that realizes the function of transmitting and receiving radio frequency signals. In some embodiments, antenna unit 11 may include a phase shifter and a radiator. The radio frequency signal is fed into the phase shifter from the power divider network of the waveguide structure 10. After the phase is adjusted by the phase shifter, it is emitted outward by the radiator, but it is not limited to this.

[0017] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of an antenna module in related technologies, such as... Figure 3 As shown, in related technologies, the waveguide structure 10 is a planar structure, and an optically clear adhesive layer 12' (OCA) is used to directly attach the antenna element 11' to the surface of the waveguide structure 10' to achieve fixation between the antenna element 11' and the waveguide structure 10'.

[0018] However, the inventors discovered through research that since the waveguide structure 10' is usually made of a high-density material, the waveguide structure 10' has a large mass. When the antenna module is subjected to environmental stresses such as vibration, impact or temperature fluctuation, the optical adhesive layer 12' is prone to delamination or peeling, which leads to the failure of the antenna element 11' to be positioned and affects the reliability of the antenna module.

[0019] Furthermore, the optical adhesive layer 12' is located between the waveguide structure 10' and the antenna element 11'. When the radio frequency signal couples from the power divider network of the waveguide structure 10' to the phase shifter of the antenna element 11', it needs to pass through this dielectric layer, the optical adhesive layer 12'. The dielectric constant of the optical adhesive layer 12' is typically high, resulting in significant transmission loss of the radio frequency signal at the optical adhesive layer 12', thus reducing the coupling efficiency of the antenna element 11'. Simultaneously, the specifications of the optical adhesive layer 12' usually do not include dielectric constant test data under high-frequency conditions. During antenna design, it is impossible to accurately obtain the material properties of the optical adhesive layer 12' in the actual operating frequency band. This leads to a significant deviation between simulation results and actual product performance, which restricts the accuracy and reliability of antenna design.

[0020] Furthermore, in the bonding process between the antenna element 11' and the waveguide structure 10', a flush design is typically used to achieve a more regular outline, meaning the outer edge of the antenna element 11' is roughly flush with the outer edge of the waveguide structure 10' in the horizontal direction. However, in the actual bonding process, due to inherent tolerances in the alignment accuracy of the bonding equipment, and the flow deformation of the optical adhesive layer 12' under pressure during the pressing process, it is difficult for the edge of the antenna element 11' to be completely aligned with the edge of the waveguide structure 10'. When the edge of the antenna element 11' extends beyond the edge of the waveguide structure 10', this extended portion is suspended and is susceptible to external impacts or compression during module assembly or transportation, resulting in physical damage such as edge chipping and cracks, thus reducing production yield.

[0021] Meanwhile, the waveguide structure 10' only serves as a carrier for radio frequency signals, and its external structure does not integrate the functions of covering and protecting the antenna element 11' or positioning it for terminal assembly. When integrating the antenna module into a communication terminal (such as satellite antenna terminal equipment, base station equipment, or user terminal), it is necessary to design additional independent structural components (such as metal mounting brackets, plastic positioning frames, pressure blocks, or fixing clips) that are adapted to the shape of the antenna module for clamping, positioning, and fixing the antenna module. This increases the types and number of parts in the terminal and is not conducive to the miniaturization design of the antenna module.

[0022] Based on the above technical issues, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, a groove 101 is formed on the surface of the waveguide structure 10. The groove 101 is formed by a bottom surface 1011 and a side wall 1012. The bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101 can form a bearing surface that supports the antenna unit 11, and the side wall 1012 of the groove 101 can form a limiting surface that restricts the horizontal displacement of the antenna unit 11.

[0023] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the antenna element 11 is placed in the groove 101 so that the waveguide structure 10 can envelop the antenna element 11 from the bottom and sides in multiple directions. Taking the rectangular groove as an example, the bottom surface 1011 and the four side walls 1012 of the groove 101 form a five-sided envelopment of the antenna element 11.

[0024] Since the antenna unit 11 is embedded in the groove 101 of the waveguide structure 10, the sidewall of the waveguide structure 10 can form a circumferential physical covering and protection for the antenna unit 11, which can effectively avoid the risk of the edge of the antenna unit 11 being directly exposed to the outside and being damaged by bumps, thereby improving product yield and reliability.

[0025] Meanwhile, the envelope structure of the waveguide structure 10 gives the antenna module high overall structural strength. The sidewall and bottom structure of its groove 101 serve as the carrier and positioning reference of the antenna module. When assembling the antenna module into the communication terminal, the outer wall surface of the waveguide structure 10 can be used for clamping and positioning without the need for additional independent positioning structure components. This reduces the types and number of parts in the terminal, simplifies the assembly process, and is conducive to the miniaturization design of the antenna module.

[0026] This allows it to be directly assembled as an independent structural component, without the need for additional structural parts for positioning and fixing, which helps reduce the number of parts in the terminal system, lower material costs, and reduce assembly complexity.

[0027] Furthermore, at least a portion of the bottom surface 111 of the antenna element 11 is in direct contact with the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101. Direct contact means that no solid dielectric adhesive layer such as optical adhesive layer 12' is provided between the bottom surface 111 of the antenna element 11 and the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101, and the two are bonded or abutted in a physical contact manner.

[0028] Compared to the aforementioned related technologies that use an optical adhesive layer 12' for bonding, the present invention eliminates the optical adhesive layer 12' between the antenna element 11 and the waveguide structure 10, thereby eliminating the transmission loss caused by the optical adhesive layer 12' and improving the signal coupling efficiency between the antenna element 11 and the waveguide structure 10.

[0029] Furthermore, by eliminating the optical adhesive layer 12', the risk of antenna element 11 positioning failure due to the peeling of the optical adhesive layer 12' is also eliminated, improving the long-term reliability of the antenna module under environmental stresses such as vibration, shock and temperature fluctuation.

[0030] Furthermore, at least a portion of the sidewall 112 of the antenna unit 11 is connected to the sidewall 1012 of the groove 101 by an adhesive layer 12. The adhesive layer 12 is disposed in the gap between the sidewall 112 of the antenna unit 11 and the sidewall 1012 of the groove 101, and is used to reliably fix the antenna unit 11 in the groove 101 to prevent it from shifting during transportation and use.

[0031] In some embodiments, the adhesive layer 12 can be formed by a dispensing process. For example, after the antenna unit 11 is placed in the groove 101, adhesive is injected into the gap between the sidewall 112 of the antenna unit 11 and the sidewall 1012 of the groove 101. After the adhesive cures, the adhesive layer 12 is formed. The adhesive layer 12 serves to fix the antenna unit 11 and fills the gap between the antenna unit 11 and the groove 101, preventing external impurities from entering the groove 101 and providing further protection for the antenna unit 11.

[0032] It is understood that, in this embodiment of the invention, since the adhesive layer 12 is disposed between the sidewall 112 of the antenna unit 11 and the sidewall 1012 of the groove 101, rather than on the signal coupling path between the bottom surface 111 of the antenna unit 11 and the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101, the dielectric properties of the adhesive layer 12 will not affect the transmission of radio frequency signals, thus avoiding the additional losses introduced by the optical adhesive layer 12' in related technologies.

[0033] In some embodiments, the adhesive layer 12 may be a structural adhesive, specifically one or more of epoxy resin adhesives, acrylic adhesives, silicone adhesives or polyurethane adhesives. The above adhesives have high bonding strength and good environmental aging resistance after curing, and can firmly bond the sidewall 112 of the antenna unit 11 to the sidewall 1012 of the groove 101 as one unit, thereby ensuring the positioning reliability of the antenna unit 11 in the groove 101.

[0034] In some embodiments, the groove 101 can be formed by removing part of the material of the waveguide structure 10. For example, when the waveguide structure 10 is a metal waveguide, the groove 101 can be formed by hollowing out the metal block by machining methods (such as milling, drilling, wire cutting or electrical discharge machining). This method has high machining accuracy and strong dimensional controllability.

[0035] In some embodiments, the groove 101 is integrally formed during the molding of the waveguide structure 10. For example, the groove 101 is integrally formed during the molding of the waveguide structure 10 by a casting method (such as die casting, investment casting, etc.), which has the advantages of high production efficiency and low cost.

[0036] In some embodiments, the groove 101 can also be integrally formed by metal 3D printing, and the present invention does not specifically limit this.

[0037] In some embodiments, the contour shape of the groove 101 may match the outer contour of the antenna element 11 so as to accommodate and position the antenna element 11 within the groove 101. For example, as Figure 1 As shown, the antenna element 11 can have a rectangular outer contour when viewed from above. Correspondingly, the groove 101 can also have a rectangular opening shape corresponding to the rectangular outer contour when viewed from above, but it is not limited to this.

[0038] In summary, the antenna module provided by the embodiments of the present invention, by embedding the antenna unit into the groove of the waveguide structure, allows at least a portion of the bottom surface of the antenna unit to directly contact the bottom surface of the groove, and at least a portion of the sidewall of the antenna unit to be fixedly connected to the sidewall of the groove through an adhesive layer. This allows the radio frequency signal to be coupled without passing through an additional dielectric layer, improving antenna coupling efficiency. Simultaneously, the waveguide structure provides circumferential protection for the embedded antenna unit, preventing the edges of the antenna unit from being directly exposed to the outside and subject to impact damage, thus improving product yield and reliability. Furthermore, the waveguide structure itself serves as a carrier and positioning reference, allowing for direct clamping and positioning during terminal assembly without the need for additional independent positioning structures, reducing the number of parts and assembly steps, and facilitating the miniaturization of the antenna module design.

[0039] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of an antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 4 As shown, optionally, a support step 1013 is provided on the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101, the bottom surface 111 of the antenna unit 11 is in direct contact with the top surface of the support step, and there is an air gap 20 between the bottom surface 111 of the antenna unit 11 and the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101.

[0040] During the machining or casting process, the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101 of the waveguide structure 10 inevitably has some unevenness, with a flatness tolerance typically in the tens of micrometers. If the bottom surface 111 of the antenna element 11 is directly attached to the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101 over a large area, the actual contact occurs at the local protrusions of the bottom surface 1011, while the recessed areas of the bottom surface 1011 form irregular micro-gaps, affecting the signal coupling consistency and reducing the coupling efficiency.

[0041] In this embodiment, by providing a support step 1013 on the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101, the antenna unit 11 contacts the waveguide structure 10 only through the top surface of the support step 1013. The top surface area of ​​the support step 1013 is small, which makes it easy to obtain a high flatness accuracy through fine processing (such as grinding, polishing, etc.), thereby improving the flatness and stability of the antenna unit 11 placed in the groove 101.

[0042] Meanwhile, since the supporting step 1013 supports the antenna element 11, there is an air gap 20 between the bottom surface 111 of the antenna element 11 and the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101. The dielectric constant of air is approximately 1, which is much lower than the dielectric constant of the optical adhesive layer 12' in related technologies, and the dielectric loss of air is extremely low. Thus, when the radio frequency signal is coupled from the power divider network of the waveguide structure 10 to the phase shifter of the antenna element 11, the signal only needs to pass through this air gap 20. Compared to passing through the optical adhesive layer 12', this can significantly reduce dielectric loss and improve coupling efficiency.

[0043] Optional, such as Figure 4 As shown, the support step 1013 is connected to the side wall 1012 of the groove 101 and extends circumferentially along the groove 101.

[0044] Specifically, the support step 1013 can be a ring-shaped boss structure surrounding the bottom periphery of the groove 101. The ring-shaped boss extends horizontally from the side wall 1012 of the groove 101 into the interior of the groove 101 and protrudes from the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101.

[0045] By setting the support step 1013 as an annular structure connected to the side wall 1012 of the groove 101, when the antenna unit 11 is placed in the groove 101, the outer periphery of its bottom surface 111 can obtain continuous support, effectively preventing the antenna unit 11 from tilting due to insufficient local support, and ensuring the horizontality and positional stability of the antenna unit 11 in the groove 101.

[0046] Meanwhile, the annular support steps 1013 form a surrounding support for the bottom surface 111 of the antenna unit 11 from all sides, so that when the antenna unit 11 is subjected to external forces such as vibration or impact, the stress can be evenly transmitted to the waveguide structure 10 through the support steps 1013, avoiding stress concentration in a certain local area, which would cause cracks or damage to the antenna unit 11.

[0047] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an antenna unit provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 for Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the B-B' direction, as shown below. Figures 5-7 As shown, optionally, the antenna unit 11 includes a phase shifter 31 and a radiator 32 stacked sequentially on one side of the waveguide structure 10. The phase shifter 31 includes a first substrate 311 and a second substrate 312 disposed opposite to each other, and a plurality of phase shifting units 310 arranged in an array. The second substrate 312 is located between the first substrate 311 and the radiator 32. The phase shifting units 310 are located between the first substrate 311 and the second substrate 312. The phase shifting unit 310 includes a phase shifter trace 41 and a ground electrode layer 42 disposed opposite to each other, and an adjustable dielectric layer 40 located between the phase shifter trace 41 and the ground electrode layer 42. In the thickness direction of the first substrate 311, the support step 1013 does not overlap with the phase shifter trace 41, and the support step 1013 does not overlap with the radiator 32.

[0048] Specifically, such as Figures 5-7 As shown, the phase shifter 31 is used to adjust the phase of the radio frequency signal passing through the antenna unit 11.

[0049] In the phase shifter 31, the first substrate 311 and the second substrate 312 are disposed opposite to each other, forming a cavity space between them to accommodate the phase shifting unit 310. The first substrate 311 is the lower substrate of the phase shifter 31 (close to the waveguide structure 10), and the second substrate 312 is the upper substrate of the phase shifter 31 (close to the radiator 32).

[0050] The phase shifting unit 310 is located between the first substrate 311 and the second substrate 312. Multiple phase shifting units 310 are arranged in an array (e.g., an M×N matrix arrangement, where M and N are both positive integers) in the plane between the first substrate 311 and the second substrate 312. Each phase shifting unit 310 can be driven independently or in groups to achieve independent phase adjustment of radio frequency signals at different positions.

[0051] In some embodiments, the first substrate 311 and the second substrate 312 may be glass substrates. Glass substrates have good dimensional stability, high surface flatness, and low high-frequency dielectric loss, which can meet the requirements of the phase shifter 31 for substrate flatness and dielectric performance. At the same time, glass substrates have good compatibility with existing display panel manufacturing processes, which facilitates the precision processing of metal patterns such as phase shifter traces 41 and ground electrode layers 42 on large-area substrates, and is conducive to realizing high-density array arrangement and large-scale mass production of phase shifting units 310.

[0052] In other embodiments, at least one of the first substrate 311 and the second substrate 312 may also be made of other insulating substrate materials, such as quartz substrate, ceramic substrate, or flexible polymer substrate (such as polyimide, PET, etc.). Those skilled in the art can make adaptive selections based on factors such as the antenna's operating frequency band, manufacturing cost, mechanical strength, and flexibility requirements. The embodiments of the present invention do not specifically limit this.

[0053] In the phase shifting unit 310, the phase shifter trace 41 and the ground electrode layer 42 are arranged opposite each other in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first substrate 311, forming a gap between them to accommodate the adjustable dielectric layer 40. The adjustable dielectric layer 40 fills the gap between the phase shifter trace 41 and the ground electrode layer 42. When the radio frequency signal is transmitted between the phase shifter trace 41 and the ground electrode layer 42, the dielectric constant of the adjustable dielectric layer 40 determines the propagation speed and phase change of the radio frequency signal.

[0054] like Figure 7 As shown, the phase shifter trace 41 can be disposed on the side surface of the first substrate 311 facing the second substrate 312, and the ground electrode layer 42 can be disposed on the side surface of the second substrate 312 facing the first substrate 311, but is not limited thereto.

[0055] In some embodiments, the phase shifter trace 41 can be formed on the surface of the first substrate 311 using a metal material (such as copper, aluminum, gold or their alloys) through processes such as deposition, photolithography, and etching. Its pattern can be set as a straight line, a broken line, a square shape or other suitable microstrip line structure according to the antenna design requirements, so as to realize the transmission and phase adjustment of radio frequency signals.

[0056] In some embodiments, the ground electrode layer 42 can also be formed on the surface of the second substrate 312 using a metal material through a similar process. It can be a conductive layer that covers the entire surface or a conductive layer with a specific opening pattern, providing an RF reference ground for the phase shifter trace 41.

[0057] The adjustable dielectric layer 40 is a dielectric material layer whose dielectric constant can change under the action of an external electric field. The adjustable dielectric layer 40 can change its dielectric constant according to the magnitude of the bias voltage applied between the phase shifter trace 41 and the ground electrode layer 42, so as to adjust the phase of the radio frequency signal passing through the phase shifter unit 310.

[0058] In some embodiments, the dielectric constant of the tunable dielectric layer 40 changes under the action of an applied bias voltage. The bias voltage is applied between the phase shifter trace 41 and the ground electrode layer 42, and the dielectric constant of the tunable dielectric layer 40 is changed by establishing an electric field between the two, thereby adjusting the phase of the radio frequency signal passing through the phase shifter unit 310.

[0059] Specifically, when a bias voltage is applied, this bias voltage forms an electric field on both sides of the tunable dielectric layer 40 through the phase shifter trace 41 and the ground electrode layer 42. Under the action of this electric field, the dielectric constant of the tunable dielectric layer 40 changes. When the radio frequency signal propagates between the phase shifter trace 41 and the ground electrode layer 42, its propagation speed is related to the dielectric constant of the tunable dielectric layer 40. The change in the dielectric constant causes a change in the propagation speed of the radio frequency signal, thereby changing the phase of the radio frequency signal after passing through the phase shifter unit 310. By adjusting the magnitude of the bias voltage, the dielectric constant of the tunable dielectric layer 40 can be continuously adjusted, thereby achieving continuous adjustment of the phase of the radio frequency signal, and ultimately realizing the beam scanning function of the antenna.

[0060] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7 As shown, the tunable dielectric layer 40 can be a liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal material exhibits dielectric anisotropy; its molecular orientation can be deflected under an applied electric field, thus exhibiting different dielectric constants. Liquid crystal materials possess a wide dielectric tuning range, low millimeter-wave band loss, and good compatibility with existing liquid crystal display technologies.

[0061] In other embodiments, the tunable dielectric layer 40 may also be made of other electrically tunable dielectric materials, such as barium strontium titanate (BST) ceramic thin film, ferroelectric polymer, etc., as long as its dielectric constant can change reversibly under the action of an applied electric field. The embodiments of the present invention do not make specific limitations in this regard.

[0062] Furthermore, such as Figure 7 As shown, the radiator 32 is positioned above the phase shifter 31 (on the side away from the waveguide structure 10). The radiator 32 is used to radiate the radio frequency signal after phase adjustment by the phase shifter 31. Specifically, after the radio frequency signal is coupled from the power divider network of the waveguide structure 10 to the antenna element 11, it undergoes phase shifting processing by the phase shifter 31 and radiation emission by the radiator 32 in sequence, thereby achieving phase adjustment and spatial radiation of the signal.

[0063] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7 As shown, the radiator 32 can be a radiating patch (e.g., a metal patch) disposed on the third substrate 33. The radiating patches are arranged in an array, and the position of each radiating patch corresponds to the position of the phase shifting unit 310 below, so as to realize the coupling and radiation emission of the signal from the phase shifting unit 310 to the radiator 32.

[0064] In some embodiments, the third substrate 33 may be made of an insulating dielectric material, such as a glass substrate or a printed circuit board (PCB), to enable the antenna to have higher radiation efficiency, but is not limited thereto.

[0065] In some embodiments, the radiating patch is a pattern of a conductive metal layer disposed on the surface of the third substrate 33. The radiating patch may be made of conductive metals such as copper, aluminum, silver, and gold or their alloys, and may be formed on the side surface of the third substrate 33 facing away from the phase shifter 31 (i.e., the upper surface of the third substrate 33) by processes such as deposition, photolithography, and etching. This embodiment of the invention does not specifically limit the application of this method.

[0066] In some embodiments, the shape of the radiating patch can be rectangular, circular, annular, cross-shaped, or other regular or irregular shapes according to antenna design requirements. Each radiating patch is at least partially aligned with the corresponding phase-shifting unit 310 below it in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the first substrate 311. The radio frequency signal, whose phase is adjusted by the phase-shifting unit 310, is transmitted to the radiating patch through the coupling between the phase shifter trace 41 and the radiating patch, and is radiated into free space by the radiating patch. By corresponding the position of each radiating patch to the position of the corresponding phase-shifting unit 310, the radiation phase of each radiating patch can be independently controlled by the corresponding phase-shifting unit 310, thereby realizing the electronic scanning function of the antenna beam.

[0067] It should be noted that the specific structure of the radiator 32 and the size and arrangement of the radiating patches can be optimized according to the performance indicators such as the antenna's operating frequency band, polarization mode, and beam scanning range. This embodiment of the invention does not impose specific limitations on these aspects.

[0068] In some embodiments, the third substrate 33 and the second substrate 312 of the phase shifter 31 can be the same substrate, that is, the radiating patch can be directly disposed on the side surface of the second substrate 312 facing away from the first substrate 311. In this case, the second substrate 312 serves as both the upper substrate of the phase shifter 31 and the radiating medium substrate of the radiator 32, which is beneficial to reduce the thickness and number of parts of the antenna unit 11 and realize the lightweight design of the antenna module.

[0069] In other embodiments, such as Figure 5 and Figure 7 As shown, the third substrate 33 and the second substrate 312 can also be independently set substrates. In the process of preparing the antenna module, a radiator 32 can be formed on the third substrate 33 and a ground electrode layer 42 can be formed on the second substrate 312. Then, the third substrate 33 and the second substrate 312 are bonded together with adhesive 34. Thus, the radiator 32 and the ground electrode layer 42 can be prepared without setting a double-sided conductive metal layer on a substrate, thereby reducing the difficulty of the production process and improving the production efficiency.

[0070] In some embodiments, since the dielectric constant of the adhesive 34 is greater than that of air, the adhesive 34 and the radiator 32 are not overlapped along the thickness direction of the third substrate 33, which can reduce the dielectric loss of the radio frequency signal between the third substrate 33 and the second substrate 312, thereby improving the radiation efficiency of the antenna module.

[0071] In some embodiments, the adhesive 34 is disposed in the outer peripheral region between the third substrate 33 and the second substrate 312, extending along the edge of the third substrate 33 and surrounding it in a square shape, but is not limited thereto.

[0072] In this embodiment, in the thickness direction of the first substrate 311 (i.e., the direction perpendicular to the plane where the antenna element 11 is located, i.e., the stacking direction of the antenna element 11), the support step 1013 does not overlap with the phase shifter trace 41, and the support step 1013 does not overlap with the radiator 32.

[0073] In this context, "no overlap" means that, in the thickness direction of the first substrate 311, there is no overlapping area between the orthographic projection of the supporting step 1013 and the orthographic projection of the phase shifter trace 41, and there is also no overlapping area between the orthographic projection of the supporting step 1013 and the orthographic projection of the radiator 32. In this case, the position of the supporting step 1013 on the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101 corresponds to a blank or non-functional area in the antenna element 11 that does not have the phase shifter trace 41 and the radiator 32.

[0074] Understandably, since the support step 1013 is a structure protruding from the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101 (made of the same material as the waveguide structure 10, such as metal), if it overlaps with the phase shifter trace 41 or the radiator 32 in the thickness direction of the first substrate 311, the support step 1013 will couple and interfere with the electric field distribution between the phase shifter trace 41 and the ground electrode layer 42, changing the phase adjustment characteristics of the phase shifter unit 310. Simultaneously, the support step 1013 may also reflect or block the radiation field of the radiator 32, affecting the radiation direction and gain of the antenna unit 11, leading to antenna performance degradation. Therefore, by placing the support step 1013 in a region that does not overlap with either the phase shifter trace 41 or the radiator 32, the adverse effects of the support step 1013 on the RF performance and radiation performance of the antenna unit 11 can be effectively avoided, ensuring that the operating performance of the antenna unit 11 is not interfered with by the support structure.

[0075] In some embodiments, the orthographic projection of the support step 1013 in the thickness direction of the first substrate 311 can be located in the interval region between two adjacent phase shifting units 310. Since there is usually a certain gap between adjacent phase shifting units 310 (i.e., a blank area without metal traces and radiating patches), this area does not participate in the transmission and radiation of radio frequency signals. By placing the support step 1013 below this area, effective support for the antenna unit 11 can be achieved without affecting the antenna performance.

[0076] In other embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, the orthographic projection of the supporting step 1013 can also be located in the non-functional area at the edge of the antenna element 11, which can also achieve the avoidance effect.

[0077] It is understood that the position and number of the supporting steps 1013 on the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101 can be reasonably determined according to the arrangement of the phase shifting units 310 in the antenna unit 11, the pattern design of the phase shifter traces 41, and the distribution of the radiating patches of the radiator 32. It is only necessary to ensure that the supporting steps 1013 do not overlap with the phase shifter traces 41 and the radiator 32 in the thickness direction of the first substrate 311. This embodiment of the invention does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0078] Optionally, the thickness of the air gap is less than or equal to 50 μm.

[0079] Specifically, such as Figure 5 As shown, the height of the supporting step 1013 (the distance between the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101 and the top surface of the supporting step 1013) is no greater than 50 μm, ensuring that the distance between the bottom surface 111 of the antenna element 11 and the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101 is kept below 50 μm. This allows the thickness of the air gap 20 to be greater than the flatness tolerance of the bottom surface 1011, ensuring that the bottom surface 111 of the antenna element 11 will not make unintended contact with the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101, thereby enabling the antenna element 11 to be stably placed on the top surface of the supporting step 1013, achieving a flat placement.

[0080] Meanwhile, by controlling the thickness of the air gap 20 to within 50 μm, the transmission path of the radio frequency signal in the air can be made as short as possible, thereby controlling the dielectric loss and path loss within an acceptable range and ensuring the efficiency of the coupling of the radio frequency signal from the power divider network of the waveguide structure 10 to the phase shifting unit 310.

[0081] It should be noted that the thickness of the air gap 20 is not limited to 50μm, and its specific value can be adjusted appropriately according to the actual processing accuracy, antenna operating frequency band and coupling efficiency requirements.

[0082] For example, when the machining precision is high, the thickness of the air gap 20 can be set to 30μm, 40μm or smaller to further shorten the RF signal coupling distance and improve antenna performance.

[0083] If the processing accuracy of the waveguide structure 10 is low, the thickness of the air gap 20 can be appropriately increased to 60μm, 80μm or even larger in order to compensate for the larger flatness tolerance. Those skilled in the art can reasonably set the thickness of the air gap 20 according to the actual process conditions and antenna performance requirements, as long as the thickness is greater than the flatness tolerance of the waveguide structure 10 and does not affect the antenna performance.

[0084] Optional, such as Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, there is an adhesive gap 50 between the sidewall 112 of the antenna element 11 and the sidewall 1012 of the groove 101, and the adhesive layer 12 fills the adhesive gap 50.

[0085] Specifically, such as Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the adhesive gap 50 refers to the horizontal gap reserved between the sidewall 112 of the antenna unit 11 and the sidewall 1012 of the groove 101 after the antenna unit 11 is placed into the groove 101. By setting the adhesive gap 50 between the sidewall 112 and the sidewall 1012, space can be provided for the adhesive, so that the adhesive can flow into the gap by injection during the glue injection process, and form the adhesive layer 12 after curing, thereby achieving the bonding and fixing between the antenna unit 11 and the waveguide structure 10. At the same time, the reserved adhesive gap 50 also helps to avoid the situation where the antenna unit 11 cannot be smoothly placed into the groove 101 due to the dimensional tolerances of the antenna unit 11 and the groove 101 during the processing, thereby improving the fault tolerance of the assembly and the production efficiency.

[0086] The width of the adhesive gap 50 can be set according to actual needs. If the adhesive gap 50 is too small, the adhesive will have difficulty flowing in smoothly, which may result in uneven filling of the adhesive layer 12 and affect the bonding strength. If the adhesive gap 50 is too large, the antenna element 11 may be horizontally offset in the groove 101, affecting the alignment accuracy, and will also increase the amount of adhesive used and the curing time.

[0087] In some embodiments, the width of the adhesive gap 50 can be 1 mm to 3 mm, such as 1 mm, 1.5 mm or 2 mm. Within this range, it can ensure good flow, filling and curing effect of the adhesive, and effectively control the horizontal position accuracy of the antenna unit 11 in the groove 101.

[0088] It should be noted that the adhesive gap 50 and the air gap 20 can be spatially connected or isolated from each other.

[0089] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, if the support step 1013 is a ring structure continuously arranged along the circumference of the groove 101, the ring support step 1013 can effectively separate the air gap 20 and the adhesive gap 50, preventing the injected adhesive from flowing into the air gap 20 through the gap, and avoiding the adhesive from flowing into the signal coupling area and affecting the antenna performance.

[0090] In some other embodiments, if the supporting step 1013 is a structure of spaced protrusions, the adhesive may flow into the air gap 20 through the gaps between the protrusions. In this case, the risk of adhesive flowing into the air gap 20 can be reduced by controlling the amount and speed of adhesive injection. This embodiment of the present invention does not make specific limitations in this regard.

[0091] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 8 As shown, optionally, the adhesive gap 50 is continuously arranged along the circumference of the antenna element 11.

[0092] Specifically, such as Figure 8 As shown, the adhesive gap 50 extends continuously around the antenna element 11 (e.g., the four sides of a rectangular outline) to form an annular gap surrounding the entire outer peripheral sidewall 112 of the antenna element 11.

[0093] In this process, by setting the adhesive gap 50 to extend continuously along the circumference of the antenna unit 11, the adhesive can flow along the extension direction of the adhesive gap 50 and gradually fill the entire annular adhesive gap 50 after injection, so that each sidewall 112 of the antenna unit 11 can be bonded and fixed to the sidewall 1012 of the groove 101 through the adhesive layer 12, thereby achieving uniform circumferential fixation of the antenna unit 11 and avoiding displacement or loosening of the antenna unit 11 under vibration or impact environment due to insufficient local adhesive strength.

[0094] Meanwhile, the continuous adhesive gap 50 allows the adhesive to form a continuous adhesive layer 12 around the outer circumference of the antenna unit 11 after curing. This continuous adhesive layer 12 forms a sealing structure at the joint between the antenna unit 11 and the waveguide structure 10, which can effectively prevent external water vapor, dust and other pollutants from entering the antenna module through the gap between the antenna unit 11 and the groove 101, thereby improving the sealing and reliability of the antenna module.

[0095] It is understood that the adhesive gap 50 is continuously arranged along the circumference of the antenna element 11, and it is not required that the width of the adhesive gap 50 at each position be strictly equal. In actual processing, due to the dimensional tolerances of the antenna element 11 and the groove 101, the width of the adhesive gap 50 at each position can vary within a certain range. It is only necessary to ensure that the adhesive can flow continuously along the circumference and fill the entire gap. This embodiment of the invention does not make specific limitations in this regard.

[0096] Figure 9 for Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the C-C' direction, as shown below. Figure 9 As shown, optionally, the angle θ1 between the sidewall 1012 of the groove 101 and the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101 is an obtuse angle.

[0097] Specifically, such as Figure 9 As shown, the included angle θ1 refers to the angle between the plane containing the side wall 1012 of the groove 101 and the plane containing the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101, which faces the inner space of the groove 101. When the included angle θ1 is an obtuse angle, the opening size of the groove 101 is larger than its bottom size, that is, the groove 101 has an flared shape that is larger at the top and smaller at the bottom.

[0098] In this embodiment, the included angle θ1 between the sidewall 1012 and the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101 is set to an obtuse angle, which is beneficial for the assembly and placement of the antenna unit 11. During the process of placing the antenna unit 11 into the groove 101, the flared groove 101 guides the antenna unit 11. Even if there is a certain horizontal deviation in the placement of the antenna unit 11, as the antenna unit 11 slides down along the inclined sidewall 1012, the inclined sidewall 1012 guides the antenna unit 11 to gradually move towards the center of the groove 101, ultimately ensuring that the antenna unit 11 accurately lands on the supporting step 1013.

[0099] Meanwhile, setting the included angle θ1 between the sidewall 1012 and the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101 to an obtuse angle facilitates the flow and filling of the adhesive. The sidewall 1012 of the groove 101 gradually slopes outward from the bottom towards the opening, causing the adhesive gap 50 between the sidewall 112 of the antenna element 11 and the sidewall 1012 of the groove 101 to exhibit a narrower lower section and a wider upper section along the thickness direction of the antenna element 11. During the adhesive injection process, the wider upper section and narrower lower section of the adhesive gap 50 facilitates the smooth downward flow of the adhesive from the wider upper section under gravity, and also allows air bubbles to escape from the narrower lower section upward, thereby improving the filling density of the adhesive layer 12 and reducing the impact of residual air bubbles on the bonding strength.

[0100] In some embodiments, the included angle θ1 can be set to 95° to 150°, such as 100°, 110°, 120°, or 135°. If the included angle θ1 is too large (e.g., close to 180°), the sidewall 1012 approaches the horizontal direction, significantly increasing the opening size of the groove 101, leading to an increase in the overall size of the waveguide structure 10, which is detrimental to the miniaturization of the antenna module. If the included angle θ1 is too small (e.g., close to 90° or less than 90°), the guiding effect and the filling effect of the adhesive are not significant. Therefore, setting the included angle θ1 within the obtuse angle range of 95° to 150° achieves both good assembly guiding and filling effects while avoiding adverse effects on the miniaturization of the antenna module.

[0101] In some embodiments, the sidewall 1012 of the groove 101 can be a straight inclined plane, which is simple to process and easy to implement.

[0102] In other embodiments, the sidewall 1012 may also be configured as a multi-segment structure with an arc surface or a step, wherein the inclination angle of at least a portion of the area is an obtuse angle relative to the bottom surface 1011, which can also achieve the above-mentioned guiding and glue filling effects. The embodiments of the present invention do not specifically limit this.

[0103] Optional, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, a plurality of glue injection grooves 103 are provided on the side wall 1012 of the groove 101. The plurality of glue injection grooves 103 are distributed at intervals along the circumference of the antenna unit 11, and a glue-containing gap 50 is formed between the glue injection grooves 103 and the side wall 112 of the antenna unit 11.

[0104] The glue injection groove 103 is a structure formed by a local recess on the side wall 1012 of the groove 101. Specifically, it can be understood that the side wall 1012 of the groove 101 is further recessed away from the antenna element 11 at a specific position relative to the surrounding side wall area, thereby forming a larger glue-containing space at that position.

[0105] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the glue injection grooves 103 are distributed circumferentially along the antenna element 11. That is, the glue injection grooves 103 are not continuously arranged along the side wall 1012 of the groove 101, but are distributed at multiple predetermined positions at certain intervals in the circumferential direction. This arrangement eliminates the need for a continuous, large-width glue-accepting gap in the entire circumferential direction, which can effectively reduce the amount of adhesive used and lower material costs.

[0106] Meanwhile, the glue injection tank 103 provides a convenient injection port for glue injection operations. During the glue injection process, operators or automated glue injection equipment can align the glue injection needle with the position of the glue injection tank 103 to inject glue. After the adhesive is injected from the glue injection tank 103, it gradually diffuses along the glue-containing gap 50 under the action of capillary action and gravity, eventually filling the entire glue-containing gap 50 to form the adhesive layer 12. The large space of the glue injection tank 103 can accommodate the glue injection needle, avoiding collision between the needle and the antenna unit 11, and also facilitating the rapid injection and diffusion of the adhesive.

[0107] In addition, since the adhesive is mainly confined within the adhesive gap 50 formed by the injection groove 103, the flow path of the adhesive is shorter and the filling speed is faster, making it less likely to overflow. This effectively prevents the adhesive from overflowing onto the functional surface of the antenna unit 11 or into the air gap 20, ensuring the radiation performance and signal coupling performance of the antenna unit 11.

[0108] In some embodiments, a plurality of injection grooves 103 may be evenly distributed along the circumference of the antenna unit 11, with approximately equal spacing between each injection groove 103. This results in a relatively consistent bonding strength of the adhesive layer 12 at various locations on the sidewalls of the antenna unit 11. When the antenna unit 11 is subjected to environmental stresses such as vibration or temperature changes, the uniform bonding strength ensures that the sidewalls of the antenna unit 11 are subjected to uniform stress, preventing displacement of the antenna unit 11 due to insufficient local bonding strength. This, in turn, ensures the positioning accuracy and reliability of the antenna unit 11 within the groove 101.

[0109] Optional, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, at least one glue injection groove 103 is provided at at least two opposite sidewalls 1012 of the groove 101.

[0110] Specifically, the glue injection grooves 103 are arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the groove 101, which can make the opposite sides of the antenna unit 11 obtain a more balanced bonding strength and avoid misalignment or tilting due to glue injection on one side.

[0111] In some embodiments, for the rectangular antenna element 11 and its matching rectangular groove 101, injection grooves 103 can be provided on all four sidewalls 1012 to allow adhesive to be injected simultaneously or sequentially from all sides of the antenna element 11. After curing, the adhesive layer 12 forms an adhesive fixation in all four directions of the antenna element 11, so that the antenna element 11 receives a fixing force uniformly applied from all sides within the groove 101, which helps to constrain the antenna element 11 to the central area of ​​the groove 101 and prevent it from shifting in the horizontal plane.

[0112] In some embodiments, two or more injection grooves 103 may be provided on each sidewall 1012. For example, two injection grooves 103 may be provided on each of the four sidewalls 1012 of the rectangular groove 101, so that the total number of injection grooves 103 reaches eight; or, three injection grooves 103 may be provided on each sidewall 1012, so that the total number reaches twelve. The plurality of injection grooves 103 on each sidewall 1012 are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the sidewall 1012. With this arrangement, the adhesive in the plurality of injection grooves 103 on each sidewall 1012 forms multi-point bonding after curing, which increases the total bonding area and bonding strength of the adhesive layer 12 on the sidewall 1012, and can improve the fixation reliability of the antenna element 11 in the groove 101.

[0113] It should be noted that the specific number of glue injection grooves 103 on each sidewall 1012 can be reasonably selected according to the size, weight and bonding strength requirements of the antenna unit 11, and the embodiments of the present invention do not impose specific limitations on this.

[0114] Furthermore, when multiple glue injection grooves 103 are provided on each sidewall 1012, for example, two glue injection grooves 103 are provided on each sidewall, the glue injection grooves 103 can be further dispersed in the length direction of each sidewall 1012, so that the adhesive layer 12 is more evenly distributed along each sidewall 1012.

[0115] In some embodiments, the number of injection grooves 103 on each sidewall 1012 may be the same to improve the uniformity of the adhesive layer 12 and the fixing stability of the antenna unit 11.

[0116] In other embodiments, if the fixing strength requirement is high on one side of the antenna unit 11 (for example, the side closer to the driving circuit board is subjected to greater force), more glue injection grooves 103 can be provided on that side, while fewer glue injection grooves 103 can be provided on other sides to achieve differentiated fixing design. The embodiments of the present invention do not make specific limitations in this regard.

[0117] It is understood that the number and specific distribution of the injection grooves 103 can be determined based on the size and shape of the antenna element 11 and the injection process parameters. When the size of the antenna element 11 is large, more injection grooves 103 can be provided (for example, 2 to 3 injection grooves 103 can be provided on each side of the rectangular groove 101); when the size of the antenna element 11 is small, fewer injection grooves 103 can be provided (for example, 1 injection groove 103 can be provided on each side of the rectangular groove 101). This embodiment of the invention does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0118] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 10 As shown, optionally, the wall surface of the glue injection groove 103 opposite to the antenna element 11 is a flow guiding slope 1031, and the angle θ2 between the flow guiding slope 1031 and the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101 is an obtuse angle.

[0119] Specifically, such as Figure 10 As shown, the glue injection groove 103 is a flared structure formed by a partial recess in the side wall 1012 of the groove 101. It has a wall surface opposite to the side wall 112 of the antenna element 11, which is the flow guiding slope 1031. When the included angle θ2 is an obtuse angle, the flow guiding slope 1031 gradually slopes outward from the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101 towards the opening direction (i.e., it slopes away from the antenna element 11), so that the opening size of the glue injection groove 103 is larger than its bottom size, forming a flared shape that is larger at the top and smaller at the bottom.

[0120] The guide slope 1031 can guide the adhesive during the glue injection process. Specifically, when the adhesive is injected from the opening above the glue injection tank 103, the adhesive flows downward along the guide slope 1031. Since the guide slope 1031 is inclined away from the antenna element 11, the adhesive can enter the glue-containing gap 50 between the glue injection tank 103 and the side wall 112 of the antenna element 11 more smoothly during the flow process, which helps the adhesive to quickly fill the entire glue-containing gap 50 and improve the glue injection efficiency.

[0121] Meanwhile, the design of the guide slope 1031 also helps air bubbles to escape from the adhesive, reducing air bubble defects in the adhesive layer 12 after curing, thereby ensuring the bonding strength of the adhesive layer 12.

[0122] In some embodiments, the included angle θ2 can be set to 100° to 150°, such as 110°, 120°, or 135°, to obtain a good flow guiding effect. If the included angle θ2 is too small, the inclination angle of the flow guiding slope 1031 is insufficient, making it difficult to achieve an effective flow guiding effect; if the included angle θ2 is too large, the flow guiding slope 1031 is too gentle, which may cause the glue injection groove 103 to occupy too much space, affecting the sidewall strength of the waveguide structure 10. Therefore, setting the included angle θ2 within the range of 100° to 150° can achieve both a good flow guiding effect and maintain the structural strength of the waveguide structure 10.

[0123] In some embodiments, the guide slope 1031 can be an inclined plane, which is simple to process and easy to implement.

[0124] In other embodiments, the flow guiding slope 1031 can also be an arc surface, which can also achieve the flow guiding function. The specific shape of the flow guiding slope 1031 is not limited in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0125] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 11 As shown, optionally, the antenna module also includes a flexible circuit board 60, which is electrically connected to the antenna unit 11. The flexible circuit board 60 and the injection groove 103 do not overlap in the thickness direction of the antenna unit 11.

[0126] Specifically, the flexible circuit board 60 can be a chip-on-film (COF) film. COF films have advantages such as small size, thinness, light weight, and flexibility, which can meet the requirements of antenna modules for thinness and high-density integration.

[0127] like Figure 11 As shown, one end of the flexible circuit board 60 is bonded to the phase shifter 31 of the antenna unit 11 (e.g., the stepped portion of the first substrate 311), and the other end extends to the outside of the waveguide structure 10 to transmit the driving signal (e.g., the bias voltage signal) from the external driving circuit board to the phase shifter trace 41 and the ground electrode layer 42, so as to control the dielectric constant of the adjustable dielectric layer 40 and realize the phase shifting function.

[0128] In this embodiment, by ensuring that the orthographic projection of the flexible circuit board 60 in the thickness direction of the antenna unit 11 does not overlap with the orthographic projection of the glue injection groove 103, it can be ensured that the glue injection groove 103 will not be blocked by the flexible circuit board 60 during the glue injection process, thereby ensuring that the glue injection needle can be smoothly aligned with the glue injection groove 103 for glue injection. At the same time, this avoidance arrangement can also prevent the adhesive from contaminating the bonding area of ​​the flexible circuit board 60 during the glue injection process, and prevent the adhesive from having an adverse effect on the bending performance and electrical connection reliability of the flexible circuit board 60 after curing.

[0129] It should be noted that the aforementioned non-overlapping means that, in the direction perpendicular to the plane where the antenna element 11 is located, the orthographic projection area of ​​the flexible circuit board 60 and the orthographic projection area of ​​the glue injection groove 103 do not overlap. The flexible circuit board 60 and the glue injection groove 103 can be staggered in the thickness direction of the antenna element 11. For example, the glue injection groove 103 can be located on the side wall 1012 of the groove 101 at a different position than the protrusion position of the flexible circuit board 60, or at a different position on the same side wall, to avoid overlapping in the thickness direction. Those skilled in the art can determine the specific location of the glue injection groove 103 based on the wiring layout of the antenna element 11, the lead-out direction of the flexible circuit board 60, and the distribution position of the glue injection groove 103; however, this embodiment of the invention does not impose specific limitations on these aspects.

[0130] Optional, such as Figures 1-10 As shown, the waveguide structure 10 also includes a wall 70 disposed around the groove 101, the inner surface of the wall 70 forming the sidewall 1012 of the groove 101. The top surface 701 of the wall 70 is not lower than the bottom surface 111 of the antenna element 11, and not higher than the top surface of the antenna element 11.

[0131] The wall 70 is the upright part of the waveguide structure 10 located around the groove 101. Its inner surface directly faces the sidewall 112 of the antenna element 11 and forms the sidewall 1012 of the groove 101. The top surface 701 of the wall 70 refers to the end face of the wall 70 at the end away from the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101.

[0132] In this embodiment, by setting the top surface 701 of the wall 70 to be no lower than the bottom surface 111 of the antenna unit 11 and no higher than the top surface of the antenna unit 11, the wall 70 can at least partially cover the antenna unit 11 in the direction perpendicular to the plane where the antenna unit 11 is located (i.e., in the thickness direction of the antenna unit 11). When the bottom surface 111 of the antenna unit 11 is in direct contact with the top surface of the supporting step 1013, the antenna unit 11 is embedded inside the groove 101, and the wall 70 surrounds the antenna unit 11 from the side. The fact that the top surface 701 of the wall 70 is no lower than the bottom surface 111 of the antenna unit 11 ensures that the wall 70 covers at least the area from the bottom surface 111 to below the top surface over the entire thickness range of the antenna unit 11. This allows the wall 70 to withstand the external force first when the antenna module is subjected to lateral impact, protecting the edge of the antenna unit 11 and preventing damage to the edge of the antenna unit 11 from direct force.

[0133] Meanwhile, the top surface 701 of the wall 70 is not higher than the top surface of the antenna unit 11, which avoids the wall 70 forming a protruding structure on the waveguide structure 10 and increasing the overall thickness of the antenna module. It also avoids the wall 70 blocking or interfering with the radiation performance of the antenna unit 11.

[0134] In some embodiments, the top surface 701 of the wall 70 can be approximately flush with the top surface of the antenna unit 11 (i.e., the height of the top surface 701 is substantially the same as the height of the top surface of the antenna unit 11) to obtain a flat surface and a greater degree of lateral protection.

[0135] In some other embodiments, the top surface 701 of the wall 70 may be slightly lower than the top surface of the antenna unit 11, so as to facilitate the inspection or cleaning of the upper surface of the antenna unit 11 in subsequent processes. This embodiment of the invention does not specifically limit this.

[0136] It is understood that the wall 70 extends continuously around the groove 101, and the height of its top surface 701 can be kept consistent at each position, or different heights can be set at different positions according to actual needs (for example, the height can be reduced at the placement of the process port to facilitate assembly). This embodiment of the invention does not make specific limitations in this regard.

[0137] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 13 for Figure 12 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the D-D' direction, as shown below. Figure 12 and Figure 13 As shown, optionally, the waveguide structure 10 includes multiple grooves 101 arranged in an array, and multiple antenna elements 11 are placed one-to-one in the multiple grooves 101.

[0138] Specifically, such as Figure 12 and Figure 13 As shown, multiple grooves 101 are arranged in an array (e.g., an M-row × N-column matrix arrangement, where M and N are both positive integers) in the plane of the waveguide structure 10. Each groove 101 contains a corresponding antenna element 11, which is fixed to the corresponding groove 101 by an adhesive layer 12. Multiple antenna elements 11 together form an antenna array to realize beam scanning and signal transmission and reception functions.

[0139] In this embodiment, by integrating multiple antenna elements 11 onto the same waveguide structure 10, compared to the scheme where each antenna element 11 is equipped with a separate waveguide structure 10, the number of parts in the antenna module can be significantly reduced, the assembly complexity can be reduced, and the overall outline size of the antenna array can be reduced, which is beneficial to realizing the miniaturization design of the antenna module.

[0140] Meanwhile, the array arrangement of multiple grooves 101 and multiple antenna elements 11 ensures that the relative positions of each antenna element 11 are guaranteed by the processing accuracy of the grooves 101 on the waveguide structure 10, resulting in high consistency. This helps to ensure the consistency of phase and amplitude between channels in the antenna array, thereby improving the overall radiation performance and beam scanning accuracy of the antenna array.

[0141] It is understood that the specific arrangement of the multiple grooves 101 (e.g., number of rows, number of columns, spacing between grooves, etc.) can be designed according to the performance indicators such as the aperture size, gain requirements, and beam scanning range of the antenna array. This embodiment of the invention does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0142] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 15 for Figure 14 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the E-E' direction, as shown below. Figure 14 and Figure 15 As shown, optionally, the waveguide structure 10 also includes a wall 70 disposed around the groove 101, the inner surface of which forms the sidewall 1012 of the groove 101. The wall 70 includes an inner wall 71 and an outer wall 72, the inner wall 71 being located between two adjacent grooves 101, and the outer wall 72 being located on the outer periphery of the array formed by the plurality of grooves 101. The thickness of the inner wall 71 is less than or equal to the thickness of the outer wall 72.

[0143] Specifically, when the waveguide structure 10 is provided with multiple arrayed grooves 101, the wall portion shared between two adjacent grooves 101 is the inner wall 71, which spatially separates the two adjacent grooves 101; while the wall portion located at the outermost edge of the entire groove array is the outer wall 72, which surrounds the outer perimeter of the entire groove array.

[0144] The thickness of the inner wall 71 refers to the horizontal distance between the sidewalls 1012 of two adjacent grooves 101, that is, the thickness of the partition wall between the two grooves 101. The thickness of the outer wall 72 refers to the horizontal distance between the sidewall 1012 of the outermost groove 101 and the outer edge of the waveguide structure 10.

[0145] In this embodiment, by setting the thickness of the inner wall 71 to be less than or equal to the thickness of the outer wall 72, the spacing between two adjacent grooves 101 can be minimized, i.e., the spacing between two adjacent antenna elements 11, while ensuring the overall structural strength of the waveguide structure 10. A smaller spacing between antenna elements 11 helps reduce the overall footprint of the antenna array and improves the aperture utilization rate of the antenna array. The outer wall 72, which protects the internal antenna elements 11 and provides a positioning reference for terminal assembly, has a relatively large thickness. This ensures the mechanical strength of the waveguide structure 10 in the edge region and prevents damage during transportation due to excessively thin edge walls.

[0146] In some embodiments, the thickness of the inner wall 71 can be set to 1mm to 5mm, such as 2mm, 3mm, or 4mm, to minimize the spacing between antenna elements 11 while ensuring sufficient structural strength between adjacent grooves 101. The thickness of the outer wall 72 can be set to 3mm to 10mm, such as 5mm, 6mm, or 8mm, to ensure sufficient structural strength on the outer periphery of the waveguide structure 10. Of course, the above values ​​are merely illustrative examples, and those skilled in the art can make reasonable settings according to the actual antenna array size, structural strength requirements, and manufacturing process. This embodiment of the invention does not impose specific limitations in this regard.

[0147] It is understood that the aforementioned thickness refers to the minimum dimension of the wall 70 in the horizontal direction. For the inner wall 71, its thickness is the spacing between two adjacent grooves 101; for the outer wall 72, its thickness is the horizontal distance from the outermost sidewall of the groove 101 to the outer edge of the waveguide structure 10. In some embodiments, the thickness of the inner wall 71 may be less than the thickness of the outer wall 72 to reduce the spacing between antenna elements 11; in other embodiments, the thickness of the inner wall 71 may also be equal to the thickness of the outer wall 72 to simplify the manufacturing process and avoid stress concentration or deformation caused by differences in wall thickness in different areas during manufacturing. This embodiment of the invention does not specifically limit this.

[0148] Optional, such as Figure 14 and Figure 15 As shown, the waveguide structure 10 also includes a wall 70 surrounding the groove 101, the inner surface of which forms the sidewall 1012 of the groove 101. The wall 70 includes an inner wall 71 and an outer wall 72. The inner wall 71 is located between two adjacent grooves 101, and the outer wall 72 is located on the outer periphery of the array formed by the plurality of grooves 101. The height of the inner wall 71 is less than or equal to the height of the outer wall 72.

[0149] Specifically, such as Figure 14 and Figure 15 As shown, the height of wall 70 refers to the dimension of wall 70 in the direction perpendicular to the bottom surface 1011 of groove 101, that is, the distance between the bottom surface 1011 of groove 101 and the top surface of wall 70. The height of inner wall 71 is the extension height of the shared wall between two adjacent grooves 101 in the thickness direction, and the height of outer wall 72 is the extension height of the outer peripheral wall in the thickness direction.

[0150] The width of the wall 70 (i.e., the thickness of the inner wall 71) must simultaneously meet the requirements of structural support strength and antenna performance during the design process. The lower the height of the inner wall 71, the smaller the lateral stress it bears, and the lower the structural strength requirement for the wall width. Therefore, a lower inner wall 71 allows for a smaller width while meeting the support strength requirements, which helps to reduce the spacing between adjacent antenna elements 11 and improve array integration.

[0151] The outer wall 72 is located on the outer periphery of the entire groove array. Its height is relatively high, which can provide sufficient lateral protection for the antenna elements 11 on the outer periphery, while providing sufficient structural strength for the waveguide structure 10.

[0152] In some embodiments, the height of the inner wall 71 is lower than the height of the outer wall 72. The height of the inner wall 71 can be independently optimized according to the isolation requirements between adjacent antenna elements 11, without being limited by the requirements of peripheral protection.

[0153] In other embodiments, the height of the wall 71 can also be equal to the height of the outer wall 72, that is, the height of each wall 70 is consistent. This can simplify the processing technology of the waveguide structure 10 (for example, all walls 70 can be processed in one milling), which is beneficial to reducing manufacturing costs. The embodiments of the present invention do not specifically limit this.

[0154] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 16 As shown, optionally, the waveguide structure 10 also includes a wall 70 surrounding the groove 101, the inner surface of which forms the sidewall 1012 of the groove 101. The wall 70 includes an inner wall 71 located between adjacent grooves 101 and an outer wall 72 located around the periphery of the groove array. An adhesive gap 50 is provided between the sidewall 112 of the antenna element 11 and the sidewall 1012 of the groove 101, and the adhesive layer 12 fills the adhesive gap 50. A connecting channel 80 is provided on the inner wall 71, and the adhesive gaps 50 of two adjacent grooves 101 are connected through the connecting channel 80.

[0155] Among them, such as Figure 16As shown, the connecting channel 80 refers to a through hole or slot opened in the inner wall 71, penetrating the inner wall 71, which spatially connects the adhesive-containing gaps 50 of two adjacent grooves 101. By setting the connecting channel 80, during the adhesive injection process, the adhesive can be injected from the adhesive injection groove 103 of one groove 101 and then flow into the adhesive-containing gaps 50 of adjacent grooves 101 through the connecting channel 80, thereby achieving simultaneous adhesive filling of multiple grooves 101 using a few adhesive injection grooves 103. Compared to the scheme of injecting adhesive into each adhesive injection groove 103 one by one, the setting of the connecting channel 80 can reduce the number of operations in the adhesive injection process, simplify the adhesive injection process, and improve production efficiency.

[0156] Meanwhile, the connecting channel 80 allows the adhesive in the adhesive gap 50 between adjacent grooves 101 to communicate with each other before curing, making the amount of adhesive filling in each groove 101 more balanced, thereby ensuring that each antenna unit 11 obtains a more consistent bonding and fixing effect in each groove 101.

[0157] In some embodiments, the connecting channel 80 can be located near the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101 in the inner wall 71, or in the middle or near the top of the inner wall 71, as long as it can connect the adhesive gap 50 of two adjacent grooves 101.

[0158] In some embodiments, the cross-sectional shape of the connecting channel 80 can be circular, rectangular, elliptical or other shapes, and its size can ensure that the adhesive can flow smoothly without significantly affecting the structural strength of the inner wall 71.

[0159] Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 17 As shown, optionally, the adhesive gap 50 between two adjacent grooves 101 and the connecting channel 80 connecting them are of the same structure. Specifically, the inner wall 71 between two adjacent grooves 101 does not have an independent connecting channel 80; instead, the adhesive gaps 50 between the two adjacent grooves 101 are directly connected in space, so that the connected area simultaneously serves as both the adhesive gap 50 for each of the two grooves 101 and the connecting channel 80 connecting them. It can be understood that the sidewall 1012 areas of two adjacent grooves 101 are interconnected in the horizontal direction through partial slotting or overall height reduction of the inner wall 71, forming a continuous shared space. This shared space, together with the sidewall 112 of the two adjacent antenna elements 11, encloses the adhesive gap 50, and this shared space itself serves as the connecting channel 80 connecting the two grooves 101.

[0160] This design simplifies the mold design or machining process of the waveguide structure 10, reducing manufacturing costs. At the same time, the flow path of the adhesive in the integrated connected space is smoother, without additional corners or diameter reduction structures, avoiding the problem of increased flow resistance or blockage caused by the small size of the connecting channel 80. This facilitates the rapid and uniform distribution of the adhesive between adjacent grooves 101, improving the injection efficiency and filling quality.

[0161] Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 19 for Figure 18 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the F-F' direction. Figure 20 for Figure 18 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the G-G' direction. Figure 21 This is a schematic diagram of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 18 and Figure 21 As shown, optionally, the waveguide structure 10 includes a wall 70 disposed around the groove 101, the inner surface of the wall 70 forming the sidewall 1012 of the groove 101. A placement process opening 90 is provided on the wall 70, and the height of the wall 70 at the placement process opening 90 is lower than the height of the wall 70 at locations other than the placement process opening 90.

[0162] Among them, such as Figure 18 and Figure 19 As shown, a placement opening 90 is provided on the wall 70. The height of the wall 70 at the placement opening 90 is lower than the height of the rest of the wall 70 (i.e., areas not at the placement opening 90). Specifically, at the location of the placement opening 90, the top surface of the wall 70 is partially cut off, forming a recessed notch area, making the height of the wall 70 at this location less than the height of the rest of the wall 70. This recessed notch provides clearance for the assembly of the antenna unit 11. During the process of placing the antenna unit 11 into the groove 101, the operator's fingers or the gripper of the automated robotic arm can reach into the groove 101 through the placement opening 90, thereby conveniently placing the antenna unit 11 in the predetermined position within the groove 101. This effectively avoids obstructing operation due to the excessive height of the wall 70, improving the ease and efficiency of assembling the antenna unit 11.

[0163] Optional, such as Figures 18-20 As shown, the height of the wall 70 at the placement of the process port 90 is lower than or equal to the height of the bottom surface 111 of the antenna unit 11.

[0164] By setting the height of the wall 70 at the placement process port 90 to be lower than or equal to the height of the bottom surface 111 of the antenna unit 11, during the process of placing the antenna unit 11 into the groove 101, the operator's fingers or the gripper of the automated robot can be completely unobstructed by the wall 70 and directly lower the antenna unit 11 from above the placement process port 90 to the predetermined position in the groove 101, which can increase the assembly operation space and improve the convenience and efficiency of assembly.

[0165] In some embodiments, such as Figure 20 As shown, when the height of the wall 70 at the placement port 90 is lower than the height of the bottom surface 111 of the antenna unit 11, the operator can easily insert their fingers or grippers into the bottom of the antenna unit 11 for support during placement.

[0166] Figure 22 This is a partial cross-sectional structural diagram of an antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 22 As shown, for example, when the height of the wall 70 at the placement port 90 is equal to the height of the bottom surface 111 of the antenna unit 11, the bottom surface of the placement port 90 is flush with the bottom surface 111 of the antenna unit 11. This provides sufficient clearance for assembly operations and facilitates observation and adjustment of the levelness of the antenna unit 11 after placement.

[0167] Understandably, the height of the wall 70 at the process port 90 should not be too low, so as not to affect the structural strength and support capacity of the wall 70 at that location.

[0168] In some embodiments, the height of the wall 70 at the process port 90 can be set to be within the range of 0mm to 10mm below the height of the bottom surface 111 of the antenna unit 11, so as to ensure the operating space while taking into account the structural strength. The embodiments of the present invention do not make specific limitations in this regard.

[0169] Optional, such as Figures 18-20 As shown, the placement process port 90 includes a first placement process port 91 and a second placement process port 92, which are respectively disposed on the walls 70 on opposite sides of the antenna module.

[0170] Specifically, such as Figures 18-20As shown, the first placement port 91 and the second placement port 92 are located on opposite sides of the antenna module in the horizontal direction, and are roughly opposite each other in position. During the process of placing the antenna unit 11 into the groove 101, the operator can use both hands to reach into the first placement port 91 and the second placement port 92 respectively, simultaneously clamping the antenna unit 11 from both sides and smoothly placing it into the groove 101. This symmetrical arrangement of the placement ports 90 on both sides ensures that the antenna unit 11 is subjected to balanced force during assembly, making it less prone to misalignment and improving assembly accuracy and efficiency.

[0171] In automated assembly scenarios, the first placement process port 91 and the second placement process port 92 can provide clearance space for the two grippers of the automated robot, enabling the robot to simultaneously grip the antenna unit 11 from both sides, achieving stable automated placement, and improving production efficiency and assembly consistency.

[0172] In some embodiments, such as Figure 18 As shown, the first placement process port 91 and the second placement process port 92 can be respectively set at the middle position of two opposite side walls of the antenna module in the horizontal direction, so that the antenna unit 11 is subjected to balanced force during placement.

[0173] Optional, such as Figure 18 As shown, the glue injection groove 103, the placement process port 90, and the flexible circuit board 60 do not overlap each other in the thickness direction of the antenna unit 11. That is, the orthographic projections of the glue injection groove 103, the placement process port 90, and the flexible circuit board 60 do not overlap. By setting the glue injection groove 103, the placement process port 90, and the flexible circuit board 60 to avoid each other in the thickness direction, it can be ensured that the functional structures do not interfere with each other during assembly and process operations.

[0174] It is understood that the specific placement positions of the glue injection groove 103, the process placement port 90, and the flexible circuit board 60 on the waveguide structure 10 can be reasonably arranged according to the size, shape, and process operation space requirements of the antenna unit 11. This embodiment of the invention does not impose specific limitations on this.

[0175] Figure 23 This is a schematic diagram of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 24 for Figure 23 Enlarged structural diagram at point H Figure 25 for Figure 24 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the I-I' direction, as shown below. Figures 23-25As shown, optionally, the waveguide structure 10 is provided with a first alignment structure 13, the antenna element 11 includes a light-transmitting area 14, the light-transmitting area 14 covers the first alignment structure 13 along the thickness direction of the antenna element 11, and the antenna element 11 is provided with a second alignment structure 15 corresponding to the first alignment structure 13 in the light-transmitting area 14.

[0176] Specifically, such as Figures 23-25 As shown, the first alignment structure 13 is a positioning mark set on the waveguide structure 10. It can be a structure with a specific shape or position, such as a protrusion, depression, engraving or printed mark formed on the surface of the waveguide structure 10, such as a cross mark, a rectangle, a circle mark or an L-shaped mark.

[0177] The light-transmitting area 14 refers to the area in the antenna element 11 that allows light to pass through. Its orthographic projection in the thickness direction of the antenna element 11 covers the first alignment structure 13, so that when viewed from above the antenna element 11, the first alignment structure 13 is visible through the light-transmitting area 14.

[0178] The second alignment structure 15 is a positioning mark set on the antenna element 11. Its shape and position correspond to the first alignment structure 13. For example, it can be a scale line, a cross mark, or a rectangle.

[0179] During the alignment process of placing the antenna unit 11 within the groove 101, an optical inspection device (such as a CCD camera) can be used to take pictures from above the antenna unit 11. Since the light-transmitting area 14 allows light to pass through, the optical inspection device can simultaneously capture the second alignment structure 15 on the antenna unit 11 and the first alignment structure 13 on the waveguide structure 10 exposed through the light-transmitting area 14. By calculating the relative positional deviation between the first alignment structure 13 and the second alignment structure 15, the position of the antenna unit 11 can be adjusted in real time until the relative positional relationship between the first alignment structure 13 and the second alignment structure 15 meets the preset alignment accuracy requirements (e.g., their centers coincide or the deviation is within the allowable range). This achieves high-precision alignment between the antenna unit 11 and the waveguide structure 10, ensuring the placement accuracy of the antenna unit 11 within the groove 101, and thus ensuring the signal coupling accuracy and consistency between the antenna unit 11 and the power divider network in the waveguide structure 10.

[0180] In some embodiments, the number of first alignment structures 13 can be multiple. For example, two, three, or four first alignment structures 13 can be provided at different positions on the waveguide structure 10. Correspondingly, the same number of second alignment structures 15 can be provided on the antenna element 11. The design of multiple alignment structures can improve alignment accuracy and alignment reliability, and avoid alignment failure due to the obstruction or difficulty in identification of a single alignment structure. The embodiments of the present invention do not specifically limit this.

[0181] Figure 26 This is a partial cross-sectional structural diagram of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 6 , Figure 7 , Figures 23-26 As shown, optionally, the antenna unit 11 includes a phase shifter 31 and a radiator 32 stacked sequentially on one side of the waveguide structure 10. The phase shifter 31 includes a first substrate 311 and a second substrate 312 disposed opposite to each other, and a plurality of phase shifting units 310 arranged in an array. The second substrate 312 is located between the first substrate 311 and the radiator 32. The phase shifting units 310 are located between the first substrate 311 and the second substrate 312. The phase shifting unit 310 includes a phase shifter trace 41 and a ground electrode layer 42 disposed opposite to each other, and an adjustable dielectric layer 40 located between the phase shifter trace 41 and the ground electrode layer 42. In the thickness direction of the first substrate 311, the light-transmitting region 14 does not overlap with the phase shifter trace 41, and the light-transmitting region 14 does not overlap with the radiator 32.

[0182] Here, "no overlap" means that, in the thickness direction of the first substrate 311, there is no overlap between the orthographic projection of the light-transmitting region 14 and the orthographic projection of the phase shifter trace 41, and there is also no overlap between the orthographic projection of the light-transmitting region 14 and the orthographic projection of the radiator 32. Specifically, the position of the light-transmitting region 14 in the antenna element 11 corresponds to a blank area or non-functional area in the antenna element 11 that does not have the phase shifter trace 41 and the radiator 32. This area can be located between two adjacent phase shifting elements 310 or at the edge of the antenna element 11.

[0183] In this embodiment, by setting the light-transmitting area 14 to not overlap with either the phase shifter trace 41 or the radiator 32, it can be ensured that light incident from above the antenna element 11 can smoothly pass through the light-transmitting area 14 and reach the first alignment structure 13 on the waveguide structure 10. This allows the optical detection device to simultaneously observe the first alignment structure 13 and the second alignment structure 15, achieving high-precision optical alignment. If the light-transmitting area 14 overlaps with the phase shifter trace 41 or the radiator 32, the metallic phase shifter trace 41 or the radiator 32 will block the light, preventing the first alignment structure 13 from being observed and thus hindering optical alignment.

[0184] In addition, the light-transmitting area 14 is located in the non-functional area, which will not adversely affect the phase shifting function of the phase shifter trace 41 and the radiation function of the radiator 32 in the antenna element 11, ensuring that the radio frequency performance and radiation performance of the antenna element 11 are not affected by the alignment structure.

[0185] In some embodiments, the light-transmitting area 14 can be a blank area that already exists in the antenna unit 11 (e.g., the interval area between adjacent phase shifting units 310), without the need to set additional openings or apertures, and the optical alignment function can be achieved solely by relying on the light transmittance of the original structure.

[0186] In other embodiments, if there is light-shielding material in some layers of the antenna element 11, light-transmitting openings or through holes can be provided at the corresponding positions to form a light-transmitting area 14. This embodiment of the invention does not specifically limit this.

[0187] Optional, such as Figure 25 and Figure 26 As shown, a light-transmitting opening 420 is provided on the ground electrode layer 42, and the light-transmitting opening 420 covers the light-transmitting area 14 along the thickness direction of the first substrate 311.

[0188] Specifically, such as Figure 25 and Figure 26 As shown, the ground electrode layer 42 is a conductive metal layer disposed on the surface of the second substrate 312 facing the first substrate 311, and its material is an opaque metal material (such as copper, aluminum, silver, etc.). Since the ground electrode layer 42 is a conductive layer disposed on the entire surface or a large area, if an opening structure is not provided at the corresponding position, the ground electrode layer 42 will block light, so that the light incident from above the antenna element 11 cannot pass through the ground electrode layer 42 to reach the first alignment structure 13 on the waveguide structure 10, thereby failing to achieve optical alignment.

[0189] In this embodiment, by providing a light-transmitting opening 420 on the ground electrode layer 42, and making the light-transmitting opening 420 cover the light-transmitting region 14 in the thickness direction of the first substrate 311 (that is, the orthogonal projection range of the light-transmitting opening 420 at least includes the orthogonal projection range of the light-transmitting region 14), light can pass through the light-transmitting opening 420 on the ground electrode layer 42 to reach the first alignment structure 13 on the waveguide structure 10, so that the optical detection device can capture the image of the first alignment structure 13 and realize optical alignment.

[0190] The shape and size of the light-transmitting opening 420 can be set according to the shape and size of the first alignment structure 13. In some embodiments, the light-transmitting opening 420 can be a circular opening, a rectangular opening, or an opening of other shapes corresponding to the shape of the first alignment structure 13 on the ground electrode layer 42. The embodiments of the present invention do not make specific limitations on this, as long as the first alignment structure 13 is not blocked by the ground electrode layer 42 within the field of view of the optical detection device.

[0191] In some embodiments, the projected area of ​​the light-transmitting opening 420 in the thickness direction of the first substrate 311 can be greater than or equal to the projected area of ​​the light-transmitting region 14, so as to ensure that light can pass through the ground electrode layer 42 without obstruction. At the same time, the edge of the light-transmitting opening 420 maintains a certain distance from the phase shifter trace 41 and the radiator 32 to avoid affecting the radio frequency performance of the antenna element 11. During the manufacturing process, the light-transmitting opening 420 can be formed together with the patterning process of the ground electrode layer 42 without the need for additional steps.

[0192] Figure 27 This is a partial cross-sectional structural diagram of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 27 As shown, optionally, the antenna unit 11 also includes a third substrate 33, which is located between the phase shifter 31 and the radiator 32. The third substrate 33 is provided with a light-transmitting hole 330, which covers the light-transmitting area 14 along the thickness direction of the third substrate 33.

[0193] Specifically, such as Figure 27 As shown, the third substrate 33 is a dielectric substrate disposed between the phase shifter 31 and the radiator 32. Since the third substrate 33 itself may be an opaque material (such as a PCB substrate), or although it is a transparent material, the metal layer or circuit layer disposed on it will block the light. If a light-transmitting structure is not disposed at the corresponding position on the third substrate 33, the light cannot pass through the third substrate 33 to reach the first alignment structure 13 on the waveguide structure 10.

[0194] In this embodiment, by providing a light-transmitting aperture 330 on the third substrate 33, and making the light-transmitting aperture 330 cover the light-transmitting region 14 in the thickness direction of the third substrate 33 (that is, the orthogonal projection range of the light-transmitting aperture 330 at least includes the orthogonal projection range of the light-transmitting region 14), light can pass through the light-transmitting aperture 330 on the third substrate 33 to reach the first alignment structure 13 on the waveguide structure 10, so that the optical detection device can capture the image of the first alignment structure 13 and realize optical alignment.

[0195] In some embodiments, the light-transmitting through-hole 330 can be a circular through-hole, a rectangular through-hole, or a through-hole of other shapes that penetrates the third substrate 33, and can be formed by mechanical drilling, laser drilling, stamping, or etching.

[0196] In some embodiments, the projected area of ​​the light-transmitting aperture 330 in the thickness direction of the first substrate 311 can be greater than or equal to the projected area of ​​the light-transmitting region 14, so as to ensure that light can pass through the third substrate 33 without obstruction. At the same time, the edge of the light-transmitting aperture 330 is kept at a certain distance from the metal patterns such as radiating patches on the third substrate 33 to avoid affecting the radiation performance of the antenna element 11.

[0197] It is understood that when the third substrate 33 is a glass substrate and its surface is not covered with a metal pattern at the corresponding position, the third substrate 33 itself is transparent. In this case, there is no need to provide a light-transmitting hole 330, and light can pass through simply by relying on the light transmittance of the glass substrate itself. However, when the third substrate 33 is an opaque substrate (such as a PCB) or its surface is covered with a metal layer at the corresponding position, a light-transmitting hole 330 is required to ensure the passage of light. This embodiment of the invention does not specifically limit this.

[0198] Optional, such as Figure 26 and Figure 27 As shown, the second alignment structure 15 is located in the same film layer as at least one of the phase shifter trace 41, the ground electrode layer 42, and the radiator 32.

[0199] In this context, "located in the same film layer" means that at least one of the second alignment structure 15, the phase shifter trace 41, the ground electrode layer 42, or the radiator 32 is formed from the same conductive material layer using the same patterning process. For example, such as Figure 26 and Figure 27 As shown, when the second alignment structure 15 and the phase shifter trace 41 are located on the same film layer, both are disposed on the surface of the first substrate 311 facing the second substrate 312, and are formed in the same process step using the same metal material. Since the phase shifter trace 41 is located on the surface of the first substrate 311 and is relatively close to the waveguide structure 10, the distance between the second alignment structure 15 and the first alignment structure 13 is relatively small during alignment. This helps to reduce alignment errors caused by parallax in the thickness direction and improves alignment accuracy.

[0200] In other embodiments, depending on the specific antenna unit 11 structure and manufacturing convenience, the second alignment structure 15 may be disposed on the film layer where the ground electrode layer 42 is located or the film layer where the radiator 32 is located. The embodiments of the present invention do not specifically limit this.

[0201] Figure 28 This is a partial cross-sectional structural diagram of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 28 As shown, by way of example, when the second alignment structure 15 and the ground electrode layer 42 are located in the same film layer, both are disposed on the side surface of the second substrate 312 facing the first substrate 311.

[0202] Figure 29 This is a partial cross-sectional structural diagram of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 29 As shown, by way of example, when the second alignment structure 15 and the radiator 32 are located in the same film layer, both are disposed on the same surface of the third substrate 33.

[0203] In this embodiment, by placing the second alignment structure 15 on the same film layer as at least one of the phase shifter trace 41, ground electrode layer 42, or radiator 32, the second alignment structure 15 can be formed together using the patterning process of the existing functional film layer in the antenna unit 11, without the need to add a separate film layer structure. This simplifies the manufacturing process of the antenna unit 11, reduces manufacturing costs, and avoids the adverse effects on the thickness of the antenna unit 11 caused by adding an extra film layer.

[0204] Figure 30 This is a schematic diagram of another antenna module provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 31 for Figure 30 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the J-J' direction, as shown below. Figure 30 and Figure 31 As shown, optionally, a connecting structure 17 is provided on the outer wall of the waveguide structure 10.

[0205] The connecting structure 17 is a mechanical connecting component installed on the outer wall of the waveguide structure 10. It is used to fix the waveguide structure 10 to other components (such as drive circuit boards, terminal structural components or mounting brackets, etc.), thereby realizing the positioning and installation of the antenna module in the communication terminal and the integration and fixing of peripheral components such as drive circuit boards.

[0206] The specific form of the connection structure 17 can be selected according to the actual connection method and usage requirements. For example, as Figure 31 As shown, the connection structure 17 can be a threaded hole opened on the outer wall of the waveguide structure 10, and the drive circuit board or other structural components can be locked and fixed to the waveguide structure 10 by screws or bolts.

[0207] In some embodiments, the connection structure 17 may also be a buckle, slot, positioning post, positioning hole, welding boss or bonding plane or other structure provided on the outer wall of the waveguide structure 10. Those skilled in the art can set it according to the actual assembly method and fixing strength requirements. The embodiments of the present invention do not make specific limitations in this regard.

[0208] In this embodiment, by directly setting the connection structure 17 on the waveguide structure 10, the waveguide structure 10 itself can be used as a carrier and mounting reference to directly integrate and fix peripheral components such as the drive circuit board onto the waveguide structure 10 without the need for additional independent mounting brackets or positioning frames. This reduces the number of parts and assembly steps of the antenna module, which is beneficial for achieving miniaturized design of the antenna module.

[0209] It is understood that the connection structure 17 is disposed on the outer wall of the waveguide structure 10, that is, located on the outer surface of the waveguide structure 10. It is isolated from the power divider network inside the waveguide structure 10 and will not affect the transmission of radio frequency signals. During the manufacturing process, the connection structure 17 can be integrally formed with the waveguide structure 10 (e.g., formed together by casting, machining or 3D printing), or it can be formed after the waveguide structure 10 is formed by subsequent processing (e.g., drilling, tapping, etc.). This embodiment of the invention does not specifically limit this.

[0210] Optional, such as Figure 30 and Figure 31 As shown, the waveguide structure 10 includes a waveguide body 18 and a wall 70 located on one side of the waveguide body 18. The waveguide body 18 and the wall 70 together enclose a groove 101, with a portion of the surface of the waveguide body 18 forming the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101, and the inner surface of the wall 70 forming the sidewall 1012 of the groove 101. A connecting structure 17 is located on the sidewall 181 of the waveguide body 18.

[0211] Specifically, such as Figure 30 and Figure 31 As shown, the waveguide body 18 is the base portion of the waveguide structure 10 located below the groove 101, and a power divider network cavity (not shown) for transmitting radio frequency signals is formed inside it. The wall 70 extends upward from the upper surface of the waveguide body 18, and the upper surface of the waveguide body 18 and the inner surface of the wall 70 together enclose the groove 101. The portion of the upper surface of the waveguide body 18 surrounded by the wall 70 constitutes the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101, and the inner surface of the wall 70 constitutes the sidewall 1012 of the groove 101.

[0212] like Figure 30 and Figure 31 As shown, the connecting structure 17 is disposed on the side wall 181 of the waveguide body 18, that is, on the outer peripheral side of the waveguide body 18. It is spatially offset from the groove 101 and the wall 70, so that it does not affect the placement and fixation of the antenna element 11 in the groove 101, nor does it affect the function of the wall 70 in covering and protecting the antenna element 11. At the same time, as the thickest part of the entire waveguide structure 10, the waveguide body 18 has sufficient structural strength in its side wall 181 to accommodate the connecting structure 17 (such as threaded holes, positioning holes, etc.), which can provide reliable connection strength and support stability.

[0213] In this embodiment, by providing a connection structure 17 on the side wall 181 of the waveguide body 18, external components such as the drive circuit board and terminal structural components can be directly fixed to the side of the waveguide structure 10, making full use of the thickness direction space of the waveguide body 18, which is beneficial to reduce the size of the antenna module in the thickness direction and realize the thin design of the antenna module.

[0214] It is understood that the connection structure 17 can be disposed on one side wall 181 of the waveguide body 18, or it can be disposed on multiple side walls 181 at the same time. Those skilled in the art can make reasonable selections according to the layout and fixing requirements of external components. This embodiment of the invention does not make specific limitations in this regard.

[0215] Optional, such as Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Figure 31 As shown, the antenna unit 11 includes a phase shifter 31 and a radiator 32 disposed on one side of the waveguide structure 10. The phase shifter 31 includes a first substrate 311 and a second substrate 312 disposed opposite to each other, and a plurality of phase shifting units 310 arranged in an array. The second substrate 312 is located between the first substrate 311 and the radiator 32. The phase shifting units 310 are located between the first substrate 311 and the second substrate 312. The first substrate 311 includes a stepped portion 3110 extending outward relative to the second substrate 312. The antenna module also includes a flexible circuit board 60 and a driving circuit board 19. The flexible circuit board 60 is bonded to the stepped portion 3110, and the flexible circuit board 60 is bonded to the driving circuit board 19. The driving circuit board 19 is fixed to the outer wall of the waveguide structure 10 by a connecting structure 17.

[0216] Specifically, such as Figure 30 and Figure 31 As shown, the stepped portion 3110 is the portion of the first substrate 311 that extends outward relative to the second substrate 312 in the horizontal direction. The size of the first substrate 311 is larger than the size of the second substrate 312, and the edge region of the first substrate 311 is not covered by the second substrate 312; this exposed edge region forms the stepped portion 3110. The stepped portion 3110 is provided with pads or pins that are electrically connected to the phase shifter traces 41, providing space for bonding connections to the flexible circuit board 60.

[0217] One end of the flexible circuit board 60 is bonded to the step portion 3110 (e.g., by thermoforming with anisotropic conductive adhesive ACF), and the other end is bonded to the drive circuit board 19. The drive signal is generated by the drive circuit board 19, transmitted to the step portion 3110 via the flexible circuit board 60, and then transmitted to the phase shifter trace 41 and the ground electrode layer 42 via traces on the first substrate 311, thereby controlling the bias voltage of the adjustable dielectric layer 40 and completing the phase shifting function.

[0218] The drive circuit board 19 may be provided with mounting holes or connection mating structures corresponding to the connection structure 17, so that the drive circuit board 19 can be directly mounted and fixed to the waveguide structure 10 by means of screws, bolts, clips, etc. In this way, the drive circuit board 19 and the waveguide structure 10 are integrated into one piece, without the need for additional independent mounting brackets or fixing frames, which can reduce the number of parts and assembly steps, and at the same time ensure that the bending path of the flexible circuit board 60 between the step portion 3110 and the drive circuit board 19 is short, which is beneficial to improving the reliability of the connection.

[0219] In some embodiments, such as Figure 31 As shown, the driving circuit board 19 can be fixed to the side wall 181 of the waveguide body 18 through the connection structure 17, so that the driving circuit board 19 is located on the side of the antenna module without increasing the overall thickness of the antenna module.

[0220] In some embodiments, the driving circuit board 19 may be a printed circuit board (PCB) or a flexible printed circuit (FPC), on which a driving chip and related control circuits are disposed for generating a bias voltage signal. The embodiments of the present invention do not specifically limit this.

[0221] Figure 32 for Figure 30 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the K-K' direction, as shown below. Figures 30-32 As shown, optionally, the waveguide structure 10 also includes a wall 70 disposed around the groove 101, the inner surface of the wall 70 forming the sidewall 1012 of the groove 101. A clearance groove 21 is provided on the wall 70, through which the flexible circuit board 60 extends to the outer wall of the waveguide structure 10 and is bonded to the drive circuit board 19.

[0222] Specifically, such as Figures 30-32 As shown, the clearance groove 21 is a notch area opened in the wall 70. The clearance groove 21 penetrates the wall 70 in the thickness direction, so that the flexible circuit board 60 inside the antenna unit 11 can be led outward from inside the groove 101 through the clearance groove 21 to the outside of the waveguide structure 10. One end of the flexible circuit board 60 is bonded to the stepped portion 3110 of the first substrate 311, and the other end extends through the clearance groove 21 to the outer wall of the waveguide structure 10, and is bonded to the driving circuit board 19 fixed on the outer wall of the waveguide structure 10.

[0223] In this embodiment, by providing a clearance groove 21 on the wall 70, the flexible circuit board 60 is led outward to the outside of the waveguide structure 10 via the clearance groove 21. This avoids excessive bending of the flexible circuit board 60 during the lead-out process due to the need to bypass the wall 70, reduces stress concentration in the bending area of ​​the flexible circuit board 60, and helps improve the lifespan and connection reliability of the flexible circuit board 60. At the same time, the clearance groove 21 allows the flexible circuit board 60 to be led out horizontally or nearly horizontally from the side of the antenna module, avoiding the flexible circuit board 60 occupying additional space in the thickness direction, which is beneficial for realizing the thin design of the antenna module.

[0224] In some embodiments, the clearance groove 21 is positioned on the wall 70 corresponding to the position of the step portion 3110, so that after the flexible circuit board 60 is led out from the step portion 3110, it can directly enter the clearance groove 21 and extend to the outside of the waveguide structure 10 with the shortest path, reducing the number of bends and the bending angle of the flexible circuit board 60.

[0225] Optional, such as Figure 31 As shown, the bottom height of the clearance groove 21 is not higher than the top height of the first substrate 311.

[0226] Specifically, such as Figure 31 As shown, the bottom height of the clearance groove 21 refers to the position height of the bottom of the clearance groove 21 (i.e., the lowest point of the recess) relative to the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101 in the thickness direction. The top height of the first substrate 311 refers to the position height of the surface of the first substrate 311 away from the waveguide structure 10 (i.e., the upper surface of the first substrate 311) relative to the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101 in the thickness direction.

[0227] In this embodiment, by setting the bottom height of the clearance groove 21 to be no higher than the top height of the first substrate 311, during the process of the flexible circuit board 60 extending from the step portion 3110 and through the clearance groove 21 to the outside of the waveguide structure 10, the flexible circuit board 60 does not need to bend upwards over the height of the wall 70. Instead, it can pass through the clearance groove 21 in a roughly horizontal or slightly inclined direction. This results in a smaller bending angle and fewer bending times for the flexible circuit board 60, avoiding reliability problems such as broken internal wires and damaged insulation layers caused by excessive bending angles. This improves the connection reliability and service life of the flexible circuit board 60.

[0228] In some embodiments, such as Figure 31 As shown, the bottom height of the clearance groove 21 can be equal to the top height of the first substrate 311, so that the flexible circuit board 60 can enter the clearance groove 21 in a completely horizontal or nearly completely horizontal state after being led out from the step portion 3110, thus achieving a smooth transition.

[0229] In some embodiments, the bottom height of the clearance groove 21 may be slightly lower than the top height of the first substrate 311. In this case, the flexible circuit board 60 tilts slightly downward as it is led out from the step portion 3110 to the clearance groove 21, which can also maintain a relatively gentle bending angle. This embodiment of the present invention does not specifically limit this.

[0230] Optionally, waveguide structure 10 is a metallic waveguide.

[0231] The waveguide structure 10 as a whole, or at least the part of it used for transmitting radio frequency signals, is made of metal material. Metal waveguides have advantages such as good conductivity, low transmission loss, and large power capacity, and can effectively transmit radio frequency signals from the signal source to the antenna unit 11.

[0232] In some embodiments, the waveguide structure 10 can be made of any one or more metal materials such as aluminum alloy, copper alloy, and stainless steel. Those skilled in the art can reasonably select the metal material of the waveguide structure 10 according to the specific application requirements of the antenna module (such as operating frequency band, weight requirements, cost budget, environmental adaptability, etc.). The embodiments of the present invention do not make specific limitations in this regard.

[0233] In some embodiments, the waveguide structure 10 can be formed by various processing methods. For example, the groove 101 and the power divider network cavity can be directly machined from a metal block by machining (such as CNC milling, drilling, wire cutting, etc.); it can also be integrally formed by precision casting (such as die casting, investment casting, etc.); or it can be integrally formed by metal 3D printing (additive manufacturing).

[0234] In some embodiments, the inner surface of the waveguide structure 10 (i.e., the bottom surface 1011 and sidewall 1012 of the groove 101) and the inner surface of the power divider network cavity can be further improved in terms of conductivity and corrosion resistance through surface treatment processes (such as electroplating, chemical plating, passivation, etc.) to ensure low-loss transmission of radio frequency signals. This embodiment of the present invention does not specifically limit this.

[0235] Based on the same inventive concept, this invention also provides a method for preparing an antenna module, which is used to prepare any of the antenna modules provided in the above embodiments. The explanations of the same or corresponding structures and terms as in the above embodiments will not be repeated here.

[0236] Figure 33 This is a schematic flowchart of a method for fabricating an antenna module according to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown below. Figure 33 As shown, the preparation method provided in this embodiment of the invention includes: S11. A waveguide structure is provided, and the waveguide structure has grooves.

[0237] The waveguide structure 10 described in any of the above embodiments can be provided. The waveguide structure 10 is provided with a groove 101 for accommodating the antenna element 11.

[0238] The waveguide structure 10 can be made of metallic materials (such as aluminum alloy, copper alloy or stainless steel), and the groove 101 can be formed by machining (such as milling), casting or 3D printing.

[0239] In some embodiments, a support step 1013 may also be provided on the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101 to support the antenna unit 11 and form an air gap 20.

[0240] The waveguide structure 10 may also be provided with auxiliary structures such as a glue injection groove 103, a placement process port 90, a first alignment structure 13, and a connection structure 17. The above structures can be processed and formed together with the groove 101.

[0241] S12 provides antenna units.

[0242] The antenna unit 11 described in any of the above embodiments may be provided. The antenna unit 11 includes a phase shifter 31 and a radiator 32. The phase shifter 31 includes a first substrate 311 and a second substrate 312 disposed opposite to each other, and a plurality of phase shifting units 310 located between the first substrate 311 and the second substrate 312. The phase shifting unit 310 includes a phase shifter trace 41, a ground electrode layer 42, and an adjustable dielectric layer 40 located between the two. The radiator 32 is disposed on the side of the phase shifter 31 away from the waveguide structure 10 and is used to radiate radio frequency signals outward.

[0243] The antenna unit 11 may also be provided with a second alignment structure 15 and a light-transmitting area 14 to facilitate optical alignment in subsequent placement steps.

[0244] S13. Place the antenna element in the groove so that at least part of the bottom surface of the antenna element is in direct contact with the bottom surface of the groove.

[0245] As described in the above embodiments, the antenna unit 11 is placed in the groove 101 of the waveguide structure 10, such that at least a portion of the bottom surface 111 of the antenna unit 11 is in direct contact with the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101 (or the top surface of the supporting step 1013).

[0246] When a support step 1013 is provided on the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101, the bottom surface 111 of the antenna unit 11 is in direct contact with the top surface of the support step 1013, and an air gap 20 is formed between the bottom surface 111 of the antenna unit 11 and the bottom surface 1011 of the groove 101.

[0247] During placement, high-precision alignment can be achieved by using optical detection equipment (such as a CCD camera) in conjunction with the first alignment structure 13 and the second alignment structure 15 to ensure the placement accuracy of the antenna unit 11 within the groove 101.

[0248] S14. Inject adhesive between the sidewall of the antenna element and the sidewall of the groove to form an adhesive layer.

[0249] As described in the above embodiment, after the antenna unit 11 is placed in a predetermined position within the groove 101, adhesive is injected into the adhesive gap 50 between the sidewall 112 of the antenna unit 11 and the sidewall 1012 of the groove 101. The adhesive can be injected through the injection groove 103, and after curing, it forms an adhesive layer 12, thereby fixing the antenna unit 11 within the groove 101.

[0250] The adhesive can be a structural adhesive such as a thermosetting adhesive, a UV curing adhesive, or a room temperature curing adhesive. The specific curing method depends on the type of adhesive used.

[0251] When the waveguide structure 10 is provided with multiple grooves 101 and the inner wall 71 is provided with a connecting channel 80, the adhesive can be injected through one or a few glue injection grooves 103 and flow into the glue-containing gap 50 of the adjacent grooves 101 through the connecting channel 80.

[0252] In some embodiments of the present invention, the method may also include steps such as binding the flexible circuit board 60 to the stepped portion 3110 of the antenna unit 11, leading the flexible circuit board 60 out to the outer wall of the waveguide structure 10 via the avoidance groove 21, binding the flexible circuit board 60 to the driving circuit board 19, and fixing the driving circuit board 19 to the outer wall of the waveguide structure 10 via the connection structure 17.

[0253] It is understood that the specific details and optional structures of the above steps have been described in detail in the previous specific implementation of the antenna module, and will not be repeated here.

[0254] Those skilled in the art can implement the above-described fabrication method in conjunction with the antenna module structure described in the foregoing embodiments to achieve an antenna module with corresponding structural features and technical effects.

[0255] The present invention does not impose a specific limitation on the execution order of the above steps, and can be adapted to the specific process conditions and equipment configuration in actual production.

[0256] It should be understood that the various forms of processes shown above can be used, with steps reordered, added, or deleted. For example, the steps described in this invention can be executed in parallel, sequentially, or in different orders, as long as the desired result of the technical solution of this invention can be achieved, and this is not limited herein.

[0257] The specific embodiments described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations, and substitutions can be made according to design requirements and other factors. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this invention should be included within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. An antenna module, characterized in that, include: A waveguide structure having grooves provided thereon; An antenna element is disposed within the groove; at least a portion of the bottom surface of the antenna element is in direct contact with the bottom surface of the groove, and at least a portion of the sidewall of the antenna element is connected to the sidewall of the groove via an adhesive layer.

2. The antenna module according to claim 1, characterized in that, A supporting step is provided on the bottom surface of the groove, and the bottom surface of the antenna unit is in direct contact with the top surface of the supporting step. There is an air gap between the bottom surface of the antenna unit and the bottom surface of the groove.

3. The antenna module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The supporting step is connected to the sidewall of the groove and extends circumferentially along the groove.

4. The antenna module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The antenna unit includes a phase shifter and a radiator stacked sequentially on one side of the waveguide structure; The phase shifter includes a first substrate and a second substrate disposed opposite to each other, and a plurality of phase shifting units arranged in an array; the second substrate is located between the first substrate and the radiator; the phase shifting units are located between the first substrate and the second substrate; The phase shifting unit includes a phase shifter trace and a ground electrode layer disposed opposite to each other, and an adjustable dielectric layer located between the phase shifter trace and the ground electrode layer; In the thickness direction of the first substrate, the support step does not overlap with the phase shifter trace, and the support step does not overlap with the radiator.

5. The antenna module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The thickness of the air gap is less than or equal to 50 μm.

6. The antenna module according to claim 1, characterized in that, There is an adhesive gap between the sidewall of the antenna element and the sidewall of the groove, and the adhesive layer fills the adhesive gap.

7. The antenna module according to claim 6, characterized in that, The adhesive gaps are continuously arranged along the circumference of the antenna element.

8. The antenna module according to claim 7, characterized in that, The angle between the sidewall of the groove and the bottom surface of the groove is an obtuse angle.

9. The antenna module according to claim 6, characterized in that, The sidewall of the groove is provided with a plurality of glue injection grooves, which are distributed at intervals along the circumference of the antenna unit, and the glue injection grooves and the sidewall of the antenna unit form the glue-containing gap.

10. The antenna module according to claim 9, characterized in that, At least one glue injection groove is provided on at least two opposite sidewalls of the groove.

11. The antenna module according to claim 9, characterized in that, The wall surface of the glue injection groove opposite to the antenna unit is a flow guiding slope, and the angle between the flow guiding slope and the bottom surface of the groove is an obtuse angle.

12. The antenna module according to claim 9, characterized in that, The antenna module also includes a flexible circuit board, which is electrically connected to the antenna unit. In the thickness direction of the antenna unit, the flexible circuit board and the injection groove do not overlap.

13. The antenna module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The waveguide structure also includes a wall surrounding the groove, the inner surface of which forms the sidewall of the groove; The top surface of the wall is not lower than the bottom surface of the antenna unit, and not higher than the top surface of the antenna unit.

14. The antenna module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The waveguide structure includes a plurality of grooves arranged in an array; The antenna elements are placed one-to-one in the grooves.

15. The antenna module according to claim 14, characterized in that, The waveguide structure also includes a wall surrounding the groove, the inner surface of which forms the sidewall of the groove; The wall includes an inner wall and an outer wall, the inner wall being located between two adjacent grooves, and the outer wall being located on the outer periphery of an array formed by a plurality of grooves; The thickness of the inner wall is less than or equal to the thickness of the outer wall.

16. The antenna module according to claim 14, characterized in that, The waveguide structure also includes a wall surrounding the groove, the inner surface of which forms the sidewall of the groove; The wall includes an inner wall and an outer wall, the inner wall being located between two adjacent grooves, and the outer wall being located on the outer periphery of an array formed by a plurality of grooves; The height of the inner wall is less than or equal to the height of the outer wall.

17. The antenna module according to claim 14, characterized in that, The waveguide structure also includes a wall surrounding the groove, the inner surface of which forms the sidewall of the groove; The wall includes an inner wall located between adjacent grooves and an outer wall located on the outer periphery of the groove array; There is an adhesive gap between the sidewall of the antenna element and the sidewall of the groove, and the adhesive layer fills the adhesive gap. The inner wall is provided with a connecting channel, and the adhesive gap between two adjacent grooves is connected through the connecting channel.

18. The antenna module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The waveguide structure includes a wall surrounding the groove, the inner surface of which forms the sidewall of the groove; The wall is provided with a process placement opening, and the height of the wall at the process placement opening is lower than the height of the wall at other process placement openings.

19. The antenna module according to claim 18, characterized in that, The height of the wall at the placement of the process opening is lower than or equal to the bottom height of the antenna unit.

20. The antenna module according to claim 18, characterized in that, The placement process port includes a first placement process port and a second placement process port, which are respectively located on the walls on opposite sides of the antenna module.

21. The antenna module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The waveguide structure is provided with a first alignment structure; The antenna element includes a light-transmitting area, which covers the first alignment structure along the thickness direction of the antenna element. The antenna unit has a second alignment structure corresponding to the first alignment structure in the light-transmitting area.

22. The antenna module according to claim 21, characterized in that, The antenna unit includes a phase shifter and a radiator stacked sequentially on one side of the waveguide structure; The phase shifter includes a first substrate and a second substrate disposed opposite to each other, and a plurality of phase shifting units arranged in an array; the second substrate is located between the first substrate and the radiator; the phase shifting units are located between the first substrate and the second substrate; The phase shifting unit includes a phase shifter trace and a ground electrode layer disposed opposite to each other, and an adjustable dielectric layer located between the phase shifter trace and the ground electrode layer; In the thickness direction of the first substrate, the light-transmitting area does not overlap with the phase shifter traces, and the light-transmitting area does not overlap with the radiator.

23. The antenna module according to claim 22, characterized in that, The grounding electrode layer is provided with a light-transmitting opening; Along the thickness direction of the first substrate, the light-transmitting opening covers the light-transmitting area.

24. The antenna module according to claim 22, characterized in that, The antenna unit further includes a third substrate, which is located between the phase shifter and the radiator; The third substrate is provided with a light-transmitting through hole; Along the thickness direction of the third substrate, the light-transmitting through-hole covers the light-transmitting area.

25. The antenna module according to claim 22, characterized in that, The second alignment structure is located in the same film layer as at least one of the phase shifter trace, the ground electrode layer, and the radiator.

26. The antenna module according to claim 1, characterized in that, A connecting structure is provided on the outer wall of the waveguide structure.

27. The antenna module according to claim 26, characterized in that, The waveguide structure includes a waveguide body and a wall located on one side of the waveguide body. The waveguide body and the wall together enclose the groove. A portion of the surface of the waveguide body forms the bottom surface of the groove, and the inner surface of the wall forms the sidewall of the groove. The connection structure is located on the side wall of the waveguide body.

28. The antenna module according to claim 26, characterized in that, The antenna unit includes a phase shifter and a radiator disposed on one side of the waveguide structure; The phase shifter includes a first substrate and a second substrate disposed opposite to each other, and a plurality of phase shifting units arranged in an array; the second substrate is located between the first substrate and the radiator; the phase shifting units are located between the first substrate and the second substrate; The first substrate includes a stepped portion extending outward relative to the second substrate, and the antenna module further includes a flexible circuit board and a driving circuit board; The flexible circuit board is bonded to the stepped portion, and the flexible circuit board is also bonded to the drive circuit board. The driving circuit board is fixed to the outer wall of the waveguide structure through the connection structure.

29. The antenna module according to claim 28, characterized in that, The waveguide structure also includes a wall surrounding the groove, the inner surface of which forms the sidewall of the groove; The wall is provided with a clearance groove, and the flexible circuit board extends through the clearance groove to the outer wall of the waveguide structure and is bonded to the drive circuit board.

30. The antenna module according to claim 29, characterized in that, The bottom surface of the clearance groove is not higher than the top surface of the first substrate.

31. The antenna module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The waveguide structure is a metallic waveguide.

32. A method for manufacturing an antenna module, characterized in that, include: A waveguide structure is provided, wherein a groove is provided on the waveguide structure; Provide antenna units; The antenna element is placed in the groove such that at least a portion of the bottom surface of the antenna element is in direct contact with the bottom surface of the groove; Adhesive is injected between the sidewall of the antenna element and the sidewall of the groove to form an adhesive layer.

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