A metamaterial conformal antenna and metamaterial array antenna

Abstract

The utility model relates to the field of antenna cover, concretely relates to a kind of metamaterial conformal antenna and metamaterial array antenna.The metamaterial conformal antenna includes ground plate, radiating array piece and feed structure, ground plate is laid along curved surface, radiating array piece includes multiple end, feed structure includes multiple vertical feed parts, the number of vertical feed part in feed structure is same with the number of end in radiating array piece, each vertical feed part is vertically connected with one end in radiating array piece to form vertical feed structure, each vertical feed part is connected with ground plate, radiating array piece is supported by multiple vertical feed parts and forms preset height with ground plate, by using the vertical feed structure and inductive capacitance effect formed between radiating array piece, realize low profile while realizing standing wave bandwidth expansion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of radomes, and more specifically, to a metamaterial conformal antenna and a metamaterial array antenna. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, the rapid development of multi-functional radar, electronic warfare, and communication technologies has placed higher demands on the operating bandwidth of array antennas. Simultaneously, wireless devices are evolving towards thinner, lighter, and more integrated designs, which impose requirements on array antennas in terms of size, weight, and cost. Whether for military reconnaissance, jamming, detection, and communication systems, or civilian mobile communications, satellite communications, vehicle-mounted radar, and airborne radar, the demand for compact, intelligent, and multi-functional antennas is constantly growing. The miniaturization and broadband nature of electronic devices have also promoted the development of miniaturized broadband antennas. Although traditional ultra-wideband array technology has made significant progress over the years, it still faces challenges such as high cost, complex manufacturing, and difficulty in adapting to platforms such as airframes, vehicles, and ships.

[0003] The traditional design concept for broadband phased arrays involves first designing a single, isolated, broadband phased array element that meets the requirements, then placing it in a suitable array environment. Techniques to compensate for or reduce inter-element coupling effects are employed, such as adding cavities and grooves to the array element structure, adding metal wires around the elements, using microwave absorbing materials between elements, and correcting element excitation. However, these methods significantly increase the physical complexity of the antenna array and feed structure, and may reduce array gain. In fact, due to the mutual coupling effects between elements in the array environment, phased array antennas, especially broadband phased array antennas, have long been a significant challenge in the design of array antennas. Furthermore, traditional antenna elements, without additional boundary conditions, require a high profile to achieve a certain bandwidth. Due to structural limitations, typical dipole antennas cover a narrow bandwidth in low-profile cases, and even after adjustments, their effective bandwidth cannot effectively cover a wide range. Therefore, expanding the bandwidth and effective bandwidth of dipole antennas in low-profile cases to broaden their functional applications presents considerable difficulties.

[0004] Therefore, how to achieve both widening of the standing wave bandwidth and low profile has always been a problem that the industry urgently needs to solve. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of this, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a metamaterial conformal antenna and a metamaterial array antenna. Through the innovative structural design of the metamaterial conformal antenna, it is possible to achieve both an extended standing wave bandwidth and a low profile.

[0006] The objective of this utility model is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0007] This invention provides a metamaterial conformal antenna, comprising a ground plane, a radiating subarray, and a feeding structure. The ground plane is laid along a curved surface, the radiating subarray includes multiple ends, and the feeding structure includes multiple vertical feed sections. The number of vertical feed sections in the feeding structure is the same as the number of ends in the radiating subarray. Each vertical feed section is vertically connected to one end of the radiating subarray to form a vertical feed structure. Each vertical feed section is connected to the ground plane, and the radiating subarray is supported by the multiple vertical feed sections to form a preset height with the ground plane.

[0008] Furthermore, the preset height is 0.1λ, where λ is the operating wavelength of the metamaterial conformal antenna.

[0009] Furthermore, the height of each vertical power supply section in the power supply structure is equal, and is equal to the preset height.

[0010] Furthermore, the radiating element sheet is square, and the four corners of the square are cut off by the same size to form four ends with chamfered corners.

[0011] Furthermore, the feeding structure includes four vertical feeding sections, each of which is vertically connected to one end of the radiating element, with the vertical connection point close to the chamfered position of the end.

[0012] Furthermore, the four vertical feed sections include two first vertical feed sections and two second vertical feed sections, and the first vertical feed sections and the second vertical feed sections each have different structures.

[0013] Furthermore, the first vertical feed section and the second vertical feed section are respectively vertically connected to the two ends of the radiating subarray located at opposite corners.

[0014] Furthermore, the first vertical power supply section has a cylindrical structure, and the second vertical power supply section has a convex shape and includes a top and a bottom that are vertically connected. Both the top and the bottom have cylindrical structures, and the diameter of the top is smaller than the diameter of the bottom.

[0015] This invention also provides a metamaterial array antenna, which is formed by arranging the metamaterial conformal antennas described in any of the above-mentioned embodiments in an array manner.

[0016] Furthermore, the radiating sub-patterns in any two adjacent metamaterial conformal antennas are spaced apart from each other, and the spacing is equal.

[0017] In the metamaterial conformal antenna and metamaterial array antenna of this invention, by utilizing the vertical feeding structure and the inductor-capacitor effect formed between the radiating elements, the passive standing wave of the antenna is matched, which can achieve the expansion of the standing wave bandwidth while achieving a low profile. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the present invention and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description thereof, serve to explain the present invention and do not constitute an undue limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the metamaterial conformal antenna of this utility model arranged in an array manner;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a partially enlarged cross-sectional schematic diagram of the conformal metamaterial antenna of this utility model;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the metamaterial conformal antenna of this utility model applied to the radome;

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) test results of the metamaterial conformal antenna of this utility model;

[0023] Figure 5 These are the horizontal and vertical polarization patterns of the metamaterial conformal antenna of this utility model;

[0024] The accompanying drawings are labeled as follows: 1. First vertical feed section; 2. Second vertical feed section; 3. Radiation array piece. Detailed Implementation

[0025] 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. 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 protection scope of the present invention.

[0026] like Figure 1-3As shown in the figure, a metamaterial conformal antenna according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a ground plane, a radiating element 3, and a feeding structure. The ground plane is laid along a curved surface. The radiating element 3 includes multiple ends. The feeding structure includes multiple vertical feeding sections. The number of vertical feeding sections in the feeding structure is the same as the number of ends in the radiating element 3. Each vertical feeding section is vertically connected to one end of the radiating element 3 to form a vertical feeding structure. Each vertical feeding section is connected to the ground plane. The radiating element 3 forms a preset height with the ground plane through the support of the multiple vertical feeding sections.

[0027] In this embodiment, the preset height is 0.1λ, where λ is the operating wavelength of the metamaterial conformal antenna. Compared to the conventional printed circuit board tightly coupled antenna in the prior art, which requires a height of around 0.25λ, the metamaterial conformal antenna of this embodiment has ultra-low profile characteristics. At the same time, the preset height of 0.1λ meets the requirements for antenna miniaturization and greatly reduces the size of the array antenna formed by the metamaterial conformal antenna. By utilizing the specially designed vertical feeding structure and the inductor-capacitor effect formed between the radiating sub-pieces, the metamaterial conformal antenna of this embodiment achieves a standing wave bandwidth of more than 9 times the frequency at an ultra-low profile of 0.1λ. It achieves both widening of the standing wave bandwidth and low profile, thus effectively solving the technical problems of large size and high profile of array antennas in the prior art.

[0028] In this embodiment, the height of each vertical feeding section in the feeding structure is equal to the preset height. This structural design can provide stable support for the radiating element 3. In other embodiments, the height of each vertical feeding section in the feeding structure can also be designed to be unequal, for example, when the radiating element 3 is a curved surface. This is not limited here.

[0029] In this embodiment, the radiating element 3 is square, and the four corners of the square are cut off by the same amount to form four chamfered ends. In this embodiment, the radiating element 3 can be planar or curved, and is not limited thereto. In this embodiment, the two chamfered corners on the diagonals of two adjacent radiating element 3 are close to each other, the tangents on the chamfers are parallel to each other, and the spacing between two adjacent radiating element 3 is equal. In other embodiments, the radiating element 3 is generally rhomboid, that is, the four corners are not right angles, and the four corners of the rhomboid are cut off by the same amount to form four chamfered ends. The two chamfered corners on the diagonals of two adjacent radiating element 3 are close to each other, the tangents on the chamfers are parallel to each other, and the spacing between two adjacent radiating element 3 is equal. These structural designs are the same as the square structural design. This special structural design enables good inductance-capacitance effects to be formed between adjacent radiating element 3 and between the radiating element 3 and each vertical feed section, which helps to achieve both standing wave bandwidth expansion and low profile.

[0030] In this embodiment, the power supply structure includes four vertical power supply sections, each of which is vertically connected to one end of the radiating element plate 3, and the vertical connection point is close to the chamfered position of the end. This structural design can distribute the supporting force on the radiating element plate 3. Of course, in other embodiments, the vertical connection point can also be close to the center of the radiating element plate 3, which is not limited here.

[0031] In this embodiment, the four vertical feed sections include two first vertical feed sections 1 and two second vertical feed sections 2, and the first vertical feed sections 1 and the second vertical feed sections 2 have different structures.

[0032] In this embodiment, the first vertical feed section 1 and the second vertical feed section 2 are respectively vertically connected to the two ends of the radiating array piece 3 located at opposite corners.

[0033] In this embodiment, the first vertical feed section 1 has a cylindrical structure, and the second vertical feed section 2 has a convex shape and includes a vertically connected top and bottom. Both the top and bottom are cylindrical, and the diameter of the top is smaller than the diameter of the bottom. The top of the second vertical feed section 2 is vertically connected to one end of the radiating array plate 3, and the bottom of the second vertical feed section 2 is connected to the ground plane. In other embodiments, the first vertical feed section 1 may also be a square column structure, and the second vertical feed section 2 may be convex and include a vertically connected top and bottom. Both the top and bottom are square column structures, and the side length of the top is smaller than the side length of the bottom. This is not limited here.

[0034] This invention also provides a metamaterial array antenna, which is formed by arranging the metamaterial conformal antennas described above in an array manner. The radiating elements 3 in any two adjacent metamaterial conformal antennas are spaced apart and have equal spacing. In this embodiment, since the ground plane of the metamaterial array antenna is laid along a curved surface, the bottom of the vertical feeding structure is also laid along the same curved surface. Simultaneously, all the radiating elements 3 in the metamaterial array antenna, when connected together, also form an approximately curved surface structure. Therefore, the metamaterial array antenna provided by this invention not only has a hyperbolic structure but also a vertical feeding structure, as shown in the attached diagram. Figure 3 As shown.

[0035] like Figure 4 The diagram shown is a schematic of the voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) test results for the metamaterial conformal antenna of this invention. Figure 4 It can be seen that the metamaterial conformal antenna provided by this utility model has an ultra-low voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR). For example... Figure 5 The image shows the horizontal and vertical polarization patterns of the metamaterial conformal antenna of this invention. Figure 5As can be seen, the metamaterial conformal antenna provided by this invention achieves a dual-polarized coplanar structure, improving radiation pattern performance. The metamaterial conformal antenna and metamaterial array antenna provided by this invention, by utilizing the vertical feeding structure and the inductor-capacitor effect formed between radiating elements, match the passive standing wave (SWR) of the antenna, achieving a SWR bandwidth exceeding nine harmonics at an ultra-low profile of 0.1λ. Simultaneously, it achieves a dual-polarized coplanar structure, possessing the excellent characteristics of extending the SWR bandwidth while maintaining a low profile.

[0036] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of the present utility model, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A metamaterial conformal antenna, characterized in that, The metamaterial conformal antenna includes a ground plane, a radiating sub-array, and a feeding structure. The ground plane is laid along a curved surface. The radiating sub-array includes multiple ends. The feeding structure includes multiple vertical feed sections. The number of vertical feed sections in the feeding structure is the same as the number of ends in the radiating sub-array. Each vertical feed section is vertically connected to one end of the radiating sub-array to form a vertical feed structure. Each vertical feed section is connected to the ground plane. The radiating sub-array is supported by multiple vertical feed sections and forms a preset height with the ground plane.

2. The metamaterial conformal antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, The preset height is 0.1λ, where λ is the operating wavelength of the metamaterial conformal antenna.

3. The metamaterial conformal antenna according to claim 2, characterized in that, The height of each vertical power supply section in the power supply structure is equal to the preset height.

4. The metamaterial conformal antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, The radiating array piece is square, and the four corners of the square are cut off by the same amount to form four ends with chamfered corners.

5. The metamaterial conformal antenna according to claim 4, characterized in that, The feeding structure includes four vertical feeding sections, each of which is vertically connected to one end of the radiating subarray, with the vertical connection point close to the chamfered position of the end.

6. The metamaterial conformal antenna according to claim 5, characterized in that, The four vertical feed sections include two first vertical feed sections and two second vertical feed sections, and the first vertical feed sections and the second vertical feed sections have different structures.

7. The metamaterial conformal antenna according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first vertical feed section and the second vertical feed section are respectively vertically connected to the two ends of the radiating array piece located at opposite corners.

8. The metamaterial conformal antenna according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first vertical feed section has a cylindrical structure, and the second vertical feed section has a convex shape and includes a top and a bottom that are vertically connected. Both the top and the bottom have cylindrical structures, and the diameter of the top is smaller than the diameter of the bottom.

9. A metamaterial array antenna, characterized in that, The metamaterial array antenna is formed by arranging the metamaterial conformal antennas as described in any one of claims 1-8 in an array configuration.

10. The metamaterial array antenna according to claim 9, characterized in that, The radiating sub-patterns in any two adjacent metamaterial conformal antennas are spaced apart from each other, and the spacing is equal.

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