Holographic drain antenna and electronic equipment
The holographic drain antenna addresses beamforming and spatial scanning challenges by employing a waveguide structure with independently controlled slit openings and multi-point feeding, achieving flexible radiation control and improved beamforming.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2023-03-31
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-14
AI Technical Summary
Existing liquid crystal holographic electrically controlled scanning array antennas face challenges in achieving efficient beamforming and spatial scanning capabilities while maintaining a low-profile and cost-effective design.
A holographic drain antenna is designed with a first waveguide structure, dielectric substrate, radiating layer, and switching units, where slit openings are controlled independently by switching units to achieve beamforming and spatial scanning, utilizing a feeding structure with coaxial probes and a Butler network matrix plate for multi-point feeding.
The design enables flexible control of radiation direction, supports multi-point feeding for improved radiation and echo resistance, and allows for left-hand or right-hand circularly polarized waves, enhancing beamforming capabilities.
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Figure 2026511317000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of communication technologies, and specifically, to holographic drain antennas and electronic devices.
Background Art
[0002] The liquid crystal holographic electrically controlled scanning array antenna is a low-profile, low-cost antenna capable of beamforming realized by applying holographic control theory to a liquid crystal electrically controlled scanning antenna. Holographic technology is a technology that utilizes the principles of wave interference and diffraction correlation to record the amplitude and phase information of an object and reproduce a three-dimensional image of the object. A holographic antenna is an application of holographic technology in the field of microwave engineering. Such a type of antenna can obtain a predicted radiated electromagnetic wave by recording and recovering the interference field between a reference electromagnetic wave and the predicted radiated electromagnetic wave. A holographic antenna usually has two parts: a feed structure and a holographic structure. Here, the role of the feed structure is to transmit a reference wave that can interfere with the predicted radiated electromagnetic wave, and the role of the hologram structure is to record the distribution of the interference field. When operating a holographic antenna, first, a reference electromagnetic wave and a predicted radiated electromagnetic wave are made to form an interference field on a certain plane, then the distribution of the interference field is memorized using the holographic structure, and finally, the holographic structure that has recorded the distribution of the interference field is excited using the reference electromagnetic wave to recover its radiated electromagnetic wave. On the premise that the antenna unit has controllable radiated electromagnetic wave characteristics, the liquid crystal holographic electrically controlled scanning array antenna can dynamically record various interference field distributions, and by recovering its radiated electromagnetic wave, realizes the characteristic of being capable of beamforming.
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0003] The present invention solves at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art and provides a holographic drain antenna and an electronic device. [Means for solving the problem]
[0004] First aspect. An embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first waveguide structure, a first dielectric substrate, a radiating layer, a first reference electrode layer, and a plurality of switching units, wherein the first dielectric substrate is provided on the first waveguide structure and has a first gap between it and the first waveguide structure, the first reference electrode layer is provided on the side of the first waveguide structure away from the first dielectric substrate, and the radiating layer is provided on the side of the first dielectric substrate away from the first waveguide structure and has a plurality of slit openings on the radiating layer, The first waveguide structure provides a holographic drain antenna in which at least one feeding port is provided, the feeding port does not overlap with the orthographic projection of the first reference electrode layer on the first dielectric substrate, the switching unit is provided in one-to-one correspondence with the slit opening, and the switching unit is arranged to independently control the switched state of the corresponding slit opening.
[0005] Here, the switching unit includes a second dielectric substrate positioned opposite the first dielectric substrate, a tunable dielectric layer located between the second dielectric substrate and the radiating layer, and a patch electrode located on the side of the second dielectric substrate closer to the tunable dielectric layer, wherein the patch electrode overlaps with at least a portion of the orthographic projection of the slit opening on the second dielectric substrate.
[0006] Here, the plurality of slit openings constitute a plurality of first slit opening groups arranged in parallel along the second direction, and the slit openings in each of the first slit opening groups are arranged in parallel along the first direction, and the plurality of switching units constitute a plurality of first switching unit groups arranged in parallel along the second direction, and the switching units in each of the first switching unit groups are arranged in parallel along the first direction. A first region is defined between the patch electrodes of the adjacently installed first switching unit group, and within one of the first regions, a pair of first bias voltage lines located on the second dielectric substrate are provided, and each first bias voltage line in the pair of first bias voltage lines is connected in a one-to-one correspondence to the patch electrode of one of the first switching unit group.
[0007] Here, a plurality of first connection pads are further provided on the second dielectric substrate, and one of the first bias voltage lines is connected to one of the first connection pads via one of the first fan-out cables.
[0008] Here, the plurality of slit openings constitute a plurality of first slit opening groups installed in parallel along the second direction and a plurality of second slit opening groups installed in parallel along the first direction, with the slit openings in each of the first slit opening groups installed in parallel along the first direction and the slit openings in each of the second slit opening groups installed in parallel along the second direction, and the plurality of switching units constitute a plurality of first switching unit groups installed in parallel along the second direction and a plurality of second switching unit groups installed in parallel along the first direction, with the switching units in each of the first switching unit groups installed in parallel along the first direction and the switching units in each of the second switching unit groups installed in parallel along the second direction, The switching unit further includes a switching transistor located on the second dielectric substrate, the second pole of the switching transistor in each switching unit being connected to the patch electrode, the control pole of each switching transistor located in the same first switching unit group being connected to the same control signal line, and the first pole of each switching transistor located in the same second switching unit group being connected to the same first bias voltage line.
[0009] Here, a plurality of first connection pads and a plurality of second connection pads are further provided on the second dielectric substrate, one of the first bias voltage lines is connected to one of the first connection pads via one of the first fan-out cables, and one of the control signal lines is connected to one of the second connection pads via one of the second fan-out cables.
[0010] Here, the switching unit is provided on the first dielectric substrate and includes a PIN diode corresponding to the position of the slit opening.
[0011] Here, the plurality of slit openings constitute a plurality of first slit opening groups arranged in parallel along the second direction, and the slit openings in each of the first slit opening groups are arranged in parallel along the first direction, and the plurality of switching units constitute a plurality of first switching unit groups arranged in parallel along the second direction, and the switching units in each of the first switching unit groups are arranged in parallel along the first direction. A first region is defined between the patch electrodes of the adjacently installed first switching unit group, and within one of the first regions, a pair of first bias voltage lines located on the second dielectric substrate are provided, and each first bias voltage line in the pair of first bias voltage lines is connected in a one-to-one correspondence to the first electrode of the PIN diode of one of the first switching unit group. The second electrode of the PIN diode of one of the first switching unit groups is connected to a single reference voltage line, and each of the reference voltage lines is connected via a single signal lead line.
[0012] Here, a plurality of first connection pads and a third connection pad are further provided on the first dielectric substrate, one of the first bias voltage lines is connected to one of the first connection pads via one of the first fan-out cables, and the signal lead line connection is connected to the third connection pad.
[0013] Here, the plurality of slit openings constitute a plurality of first slit opening groups installed in parallel along the second direction and a plurality of second slit opening groups installed in parallel along the first direction, with the slit openings in each of the first slit opening groups installed in parallel along the first direction and the slit openings in each of the second slit opening groups installed in parallel along the second direction, and the plurality of switching units constitute a plurality of first switching unit groups installed in parallel along the second direction and a plurality of second switching unit groups installed in parallel along the first direction, with the switching units in each of the first switching unit groups installed in parallel along the first direction and the switching units in each of the second switching unit groups installed in parallel along the second direction, The switching unit further includes a switching transistor located on the second dielectric substrate, the second pole of the switching transistor in each switching unit being connected to the first electrode of the PIN diode, the control pole of each switching transistor located in the same group of first switching units being connected to the same control signal line, the first pole of each switching transistor in the same group of second switching units being connected to the same first bias voltage line, the second electrode of the PIN diode in one group of first switching units being connected to a single reference voltage line, and each of the reference voltage lines being connected via a single signal lead line.
[0014] Here, the second dielectric substrate is further provided with a plurality of first connection pads, a plurality of second connection pads, and a third connection pad, one of the first bias voltage lines is connected to one of the first connection pads via one of the first fan-out cables, one of the control signal lines is connected to one of the second connection pads via one of the second fan-out cables, and the signal lead line connection is connected to the third connection pad.
[0015] Here, the widths at both ends of the slit opening are not smaller than the width in the middle.
[0016] Here, the holographic drain antenna further includes a feeding structure arranged to excite a microwave signal through the plurality of feeding ports.
[0017] Here, the feeding structure includes a plurality of coaxial probes, and one of the coaxial probes is attached to the position of one of the feeding ports.
[0018] Here, the feeding structure further includes an electrical connection between the Butler network matrix plate and the coaxial probe.
[0019] Here, the number of the feeding ports is four, and the four feeding ports are the first feeding port, the second feeding port, the third feeding port, and the fourth feeding port respectively. The connection line between the center of the first feeding port and the center of the second feeding port is the first line segment, the connection line between the center of the third feeding port and the center of the fourth feeding port is the second line segment, and the first line segment and the second line segment are perpendicular.
[0020] Here, the distances from the centers of the four of the first feeding port, the second feeding port, the third feeding port, and the fourth feeding port to the center of the first waveguide structure are equal, and all are the first distance.
[0021] Here, the first distance is 3 to 8 mm.
[0022] Here, an absorbing material is provided in the peripheral region of the first waveguide structure.
[0023] Here, the radiation layer includes at least two slit openings with different extending directions.
[0024] Here, it further includes a second waveguide structure provided on the side of the radiation layer close to the first waveguide structure, and a second reference electrode layer provided on the side of the second waveguide structure close to the first waveguide structure.
[0025] Here, the holographic drain antenna further includes an absorption load provided on the second waveguide structure.
[0026] Second aspect. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, an electronic device having the holographic drain antenna described in any one of the above is provided.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0027] [Figure 1] It is a plan view of a holographic drain antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] It is a cross-sectional view of a holographic drain antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] It is a plan view of a holographic drain antenna with four-point feeding according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] It is a plan view of another holographic drain antenna with four-point feeding according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] It is an ideal topology diagram of a left-handed circularly polarized wave realized by the holographic drain antenna of FIG. 4. [Figure 6] It is an ideal topology diagram of a right-handed circularly polarized wave realized by the holographic drain antenna of FIG. 4. [Figure 7] It is a conceptual diagram of the correspondence between the switching unit and the slit opening of the holographic drain antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] It is a conceptual diagram of the correspondence between another switching unit and the slit opening of the holographic drain antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] It is a conceptual diagram of the correspondence between yet another switching unit and the slit opening of the holographic drain antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] It is a wiring conceptual diagram of the first example of the holographic drain antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] It is a wiring conceptual diagram of the second example of the holographic drain antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12]This is a conceptual wiring diagram of a third example of a holographic drain antenna according to the embodiments of this disclosure. [Figure 13] This is a conceptual wiring diagram of a fourth example of a holographic drain antenna according to the embodiments of this disclosure. [Figure 14] This is a conceptual diagram of the slit aperture of a holographic drain antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 15] This is a directional diagram of the holographic drain antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the azimuth angle Phi is 0° and the pitch angle Theta is ±45°, ±30°, ±15°, and 0°, respectively. [Figure 16] The S11 curve for the holographic drain antenna according to the embodiment of this disclosure is shown when the azimuth angle Phi is 0° and the pitch angle Theta is ±45°, ±30°, ±15°, and 0°, respectively. [Figure 17] The directional diagrams show the holographic drain antenna according to the embodiment of this disclosure when the azimuth angle Phi is 90° and the pitch angle Theta is ±45°, ±30°, ±15°, and 0°, respectively. [Figure 18] The S11 curve for the holographic drain antenna according to the embodiment of this disclosure is obtained when the azimuth angle Phi is 90° and the pitch angle Theta is ±45°, ±30°, ±15°, and 0°, respectively. [Figure 19] This is a conceptual diagram of a Butler network matrix plate for a holographic drain antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 20] Figure 19 shows the simulated normalized radiation direction diagram of the sum-and-difference beam for a holographic drain antenna, with an azimuth angle Phi of 0° and a pitch angle Theta of 0°. [Figure 21] This is a plan view of another holographic drain antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 22] This is a cross-sectional view of another holographic drain antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0028] To help those skilled in the art better understand the technical aspects of this invention, the present invention will be described in more detail below, combining drawings and specific embodiments.
[0029] Unless otherwise defined, technical or scientific terms used in this disclosure have their ordinary meanings as understood by those skilled in the art in which this disclosure belongs. The words “first,” “second,” and similar words used in this disclosure do not indicate any order, number, or importance, but are used solely to distinguish different components. Similarly, similar words such as “one,” “single,” or “the” do not indicate a limit on number, but indicate that there is at least one. Similar words such as “include,” or “contain,” mean that the element or object preceding the phrase includes, but does not exclude, other elements or objects. Similar words such as “connect,” or “link,” are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but may include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. “Up,” “down,” “left,” “right,” etc., are used solely to describe relative positional relationships, and such relative positional relationships may change if the absolute position of the object described changes.
[0030] First Embodiment. Figure 1 is a plan view of a holographic drain antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a holographic drain antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a holographic drain antenna comprising a first waveguide structure 20, a first dielectric substrate 10, a radiating layer 30, a first reference electrode layer 60, and a plurality of switching units 50. The first reference electrode layer 60 is provided on the side of the first waveguide structure 20 away from the first dielectric substrate 10, the first dielectric substrate 10 is provided on the first waveguide structure 20 and has a first gap between itself and the first waveguide structure 20, and the radiating layer is provided on the side of the first dielectric substrate 10 away from the first waveguide structure 20 and has a plurality of slit openings 31 on the radiating layer 30. The switching units 50 are provided in one-to-one correspondence with the slit openings 31 on the radiating layer 30, and the switching units 50 are arranged to independently control the switched state of the corresponding slit openings 31. That is, the switching unit 50 can control whether or not the slit opening 31 on the radiating layer 30 can radiate the electromagnetic waves transmitted by the first waveguide structure 20. The holographic antenna of the embodiment of this disclosure has at least one feeding port, and the feeding port does not overlap with the orthographic projection of the first reference electrode layer 60 on the first dielectric substrate 10. It should be understood that the holographic drain antenna of the embodiment of this disclosure includes not only the structure described above, but also a feeding structure configured to supply electromagnetic waves to the feeding port of the first waveguide structure 20. The feeding structure includes, but is not limited to, a probe 40, and in the embodiment of this disclosure, the feeding structure includes at least a coaxial probe 40 as an example.
[0031] In the holographic drain antenna according to the embodiment of this disclosure, the switching unit 50 corresponding to the slit aperture 31 of the radiating layer 30 is controlled independently. Therefore, the holographic antenna according to the embodiment of this disclosure can obtain a holographic topology structure based on a holographic algorithm. By controlling the switch state of each switching unit 50, it is possible to reproduce a holographic topology array, obtain a target beam, and realize two-dimensional spatial beam scanning characteristics.
[0032] In some examples, multiple feeding ports are arranged on the first waveguide structure 20 of the embodiments of this disclosure, and each feeding port does not overlap with the orthographic projection of the first reference electrode layer 60 on the first dielectric substrate 10. That is, multi-point feeding is employed in the embodiments of this disclosure, and employing multi-point feeding enables better radiation in the absence of wave absorber compared to single-point feeding, and also provides superior echo resistance.
[0033] Figure 3 is a plan view of a four-point fed holographic drain antenna according to an embodiment of this disclosure. As shown in Figure 3, in the following examples of this disclosure, we will only discuss the fact that the holographic drain antenna has four feeding ports, that is, operation using a four-point feeding method, and for the sake of convenience of explanation, the four feeding ports will be referred to as the first feeding port 41, the second feeding port 42, the third feeding port 43, and the fourth feeding port 44, respectively. However, the holographic drain antenna according to the embodiments of this disclosure is not limited to four-point feeding, and any integer that is divisible by 360 and greater than 1 may be used as the number of feeding points in the embodiments of this disclosure, for example, three-point feeding, six-point feeding, etc. In the embodiments of this disclosure, four-point feeding is employed, allowing for more flexible control of the holographic drain antenna. By exciting different amplitude phases on the probe 40, a wider variety of different antenna radiation direction diagrams can be obtained, allowing the antenna to be applied more flexibly to different scenes. For example, the holographic drain antenna of the embodiments of this disclosure can be applied to a direction diagram with a recessed middle section that achieves equal-width 90° phase difference feeding. Furthermore, for example, by applying equal-width 90° phase difference feeding to four-point feeding, a direction diagram with a recessed middle section can be obtained.
[0034] Furthermore, referring to Figure 3, the holographic drain antenna is an X-directional linearly polarized antenna, the connection between the center of the first feeding port 41 and the center of the second feeding port 42 is the first line segment, the connection between the center of the third feeding port 43 and the center of the fourth feeding port 44 is the second line segment, the first and second line segments are perpendicular, and the distances from the centers of the four ports (first feeding port 41, second feeding port 42, third feeding port 43, and fourth feeding port 44) to the center of the first waveguide structure 20 are equal and all are the first distance. The first distance is 3 to 8 mm. In some examples, the first waveguide structure 20 of the embodiments of this disclosure includes a slow-wave dielectric layer. For example, the first waveguide structure 20 includes a waveguide cavity, and a low-loss polymer material can be filled into the waveguide cavity as a slow-wave dielectric layer to realize the effect of slow-wave guiding.
[0035] Furthermore, the first gap between the first waveguide structure 20 and the first dielectric substrate 10 may be an air gap. That is, a support assembly is installed between the first dielectric substrate 10 and the slow-wave dielectric layer such that there is an air gap between the first dielectric substrate 10 and the slow-wave dielectric layer, and both ends of the support assembly abut against the first dielectric substrate 10 and the slow-wave dielectric layer, respectively. In some examples, nylon columns or the like can be used for the support assembly.
[0036] In some examples, the extension direction of each slit opening 31 in the radiating layer 30 is the same. The extension direction of the slit opening 31 refers to the direction of the longer side of the orthographic projection of the slit opening 31 on the first dielectric substrate 10. For example, each slit opening 31 extends along the first direction Y, and in this case, the switching state of each slit opening 31 is controlled by controlling the switching unit 50 to realize an X-ray polarized antenna in the second direction. Furthermore, for example, each slit opening 31 extends along the second direction X, and in this case, the switching state of each slit opening 31 is controlled by controlling the switching unit 50 to realize a Y-ray polarized antenna in the first direction. In the embodiments of this disclosure, the first direction Y and the second direction X are assumed to be two directions perpendicular to each other; for example, if the first direction Y is horizontal, then the second direction X is vertical.
[0037] In some examples, Figure 4 is a plan view of another four-point fed holographic drain antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 4, the radiating layer 30 includes at least two extending slit apertures 31. For example, the radiating layer 30 includes two types of extending slit apertures 31, one extending in a first direction Y and the other extending along a second direction X. In this case, the switching unit 50 corresponding to the slit aperture 31 extending along the second direction X is controlled so that both slit apertures 31 extending along the second direction X are turned off. Then, a holographic algorithm controls the switching unit 50 corresponding to the slit aperture 31 extending along the first direction Y to control the switch state of the slit aperture 31 extending along the first direction Y, thereby realizing a second-direction X-ray polarized antenna. Similarly, by controlling the switching unit 50 corresponding to the slit aperture 31 extending along the first direction Y so that all slit apertures 31 extending along the first direction Y are turned off, and then controlling the switching unit 50 corresponding to the slit aperture 31 extending along the second direction X using a holographic algorithm to control the switch state of the slit aperture 31 extending along the second direction X, a first-direction Y-polarized antenna can be realized. Of course, by selecting a pair of slit apertures (a pair of slit apertures consists of a slit aperture 31 extending along the first direction Y and a slit aperture 31 extending along the second direction X) based on the holographic topology and controlling the switch state of the slit aperture pair, a left-hand circularly polarized antenna or a right-hand circularly polarized antenna can also be realized. Referring to Figures 5 and 6, Figure 5 is an ideal topology diagram of left-hand circular polarization realized by the holographic drain antenna of Figure 4, and Figure 6 is an ideal topology diagram of right-hand circular polarization realized by the holographic drain antenna of Figure 4.
[0038] As shown in Figure 4, the slit openings 31 in the radiating layer 30 include slit openings 31 extending along a first direction Y and slit openings 31 extending along a second direction X, and the slit openings 31 extending along the first direction Y and slit openings 31 extending along the second direction X are alternately arranged along the first direction Y in the radiating layer 30. Of course, the extending directions of the slit openings 31 are not limited to the first direction Y and the second direction X, nor are the radiating layer 30 limited to including slit openings 31 with two extending directions, and the slit openings 31 may be rotated or arranged with a certain angle offset, but these will not be listed one by one here.
[0039] In some examples, the slit opening 31 is not placed in the middle of the radiating layer 30; this is done to avoid excitation of higher-order modes.
[0040] In some examples, Figure 7 is a conceptual diagram of the correspondence between the switching unit 50 and the slit aperture 31 of a holographic drain antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 7, the switching unit 50 in an embodiment of the present disclosure may be a PIN diode or a variable reactance diode Varactor. In this case, by integrating the PIN diode or the variable reactance diode Varactor into the slit aperture 31, binary amplitude or continuous amplitude control capability can be achieved. For example, if the switching unit 50 employs a PIN diode, the positive / reverse bias of the PIN diode is controlled by controlling the input of a bias voltage to the PIN diode. When the slit aperture 31 needs to be ON, the bias voltage input to the PIN diode is greater than its ON threshold, and the PIN diode turns ON. When the slit aperture 31 needs to be OFF, the bias voltage input to the PIN diode is less than its ON threshold, and the PIN diode turns OFF.
[0041] In some examples, Figure 8 is a conceptual diagram of the correspondence between another switching unit 50 and a slit aperture 31 of a holographic drain antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 8, the switching unit 50 is a liquid crystal switch, that is, a second dielectric substrate 51 is installed opposite the first dielectric substrate 10, a patch electrode 52 is installed on the second dielectric substrate 51, and a tunable dielectric layer is installed between the layer on the second dielectric substrate 51 where the patch electrode 52 is located and the radiating layer 30, for example, the tunable dielectric layer is a liquid crystal layer 53. By changing the voltage applied to the patch electrode 52, the deflection angle of the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer 53 is changed, thereby enabling continuous adjustment of the amplitude of the radio frequency signal radiated from the slit aperture 31.
[0042] In some examples, Figure 9 is a conceptual diagram of the correspondence between yet another switching unit and a slit aperture in a holographic drain antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 9, the switching unit 50 is a MEMS switch. For example, a second dielectric substrate 51 is installed opposite the first dielectric substrate 10, a flexible substrate is used for the second dielectric substrate 51, a patch electrode 52 is installed on the second dielectric substrate 51, and the patch electrode 52 and the slit aperture 31 are installed in a one-to-one correspondence. At this time, by applying a voltage to the patch electrode 52 and adjusting the distance between the patch electrode 52 and the slit aperture 31 under the action of an electric field force, the radiation width of the radio frequency signal can be continuously adjusted. The holographic antenna in an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described using only the use of a liquid crystal switch and a PIN diode in the switching unit 50 as an example.
[0043] First Example: In this example, the switching unit 50 employs a liquid crystal switch. Figure 10 is a conceptual wiring diagram of the first example of a holographic drain antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to Figure 10, the slit aperture 31 on the radiating layer 30 is divided into a plurality of first slit aperture 31 groups arranged in parallel along a second direction X, and the slit aperture 31 within each first slit aperture 31 group is arranged in parallel along a first direction Y. The corresponding switching unit 50 is divided into first switching unit 50 groups arranged in parallel along a second direction X, and the switching unit 50 within each first switching unit 50 group is arranged in parallel along a first direction Y. A first region is defined between adjacent first slit aperture 31 groups, and within each first region, a pair of first bias voltage lines 101 located on a second dielectric substrate 51 is provided, and the pair of first bias voltage lines 101 is electrically connected to the patch electrodes 52 of each liquid crystal switch in one first switching unit 50 group. This installation method not only allows for independent control of each LCD switch, but also simplifies wiring.
[0044] Furthermore, since the first bias voltage line 101 may be installed on the side of the layer where the patch electrode 52 is located that is closer to the second dielectric substrate 51, indium tin oxide (ITO) can be used as the material for the first bias voltage line 101. Of course, a metallic material may also be used for the first bias voltage line 101.
[0045] In some examples, a plurality of first connection pads 201 are further provided on the second dielectric substrate 51, and the first connection pads 201 are installed in one-to-one correspondence with the first bias voltage line 101, and the first bias voltage line 101 can be electrically connected to the first connection pads 201 via the first fan-out cable 301. In this way, when the drive chip is bound to the first connection pads 201, signal loading to the first bias voltage line 101 can be achieved.
[0046] Second example: The multiple slit openings 31 constitute a plurality of groups of first slit openings 31 installed in parallel along a second direction X, and a plurality of groups of second slit openings 31 installed in parallel along a first direction Y, with the slit openings 31 in each group of first slit openings 31 installed in parallel along the first direction Y, and the slit openings 31 in each group of second slit openings 31 installed in parallel along the second direction X. The multiple switching units 50 constitute a plurality of groups of first switching units 50 installed in parallel along a second direction X, and a plurality of groups of second switching units 50 installed in parallel along a first direction Y, with the switching units 50 in each group of first switching units 50 installed in parallel along the first direction Y, and the switching units 50 in each group of second switching units 50 installed in parallel along the second direction X.
[0047] Figure 11 is a conceptual wiring diagram of a second example of a holographic drain antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 11, in this example, the switching unit 50 includes a liquid crystal switch, as in the first example, but a switching transistor T1 is further installed in the switching unit 50. The second pole of the switching transistor T1 is electrically connected to the patch electrode 52 of the liquid crystal switch. The control pole of each switching transistor T1 located in the same first group of switching units 50 is connected to the same single control signal line 102, and the first electrode of each switching transistor T1 located in the same second group of switching units 50 is connected to the same first bias voltage line 101. By controlling the switch state of the switching transistor T1, the first bias voltage written on the patch electrode 52 in each switching unit 50 can be controlled, that is, control of the switch state of each switching unit 50 can be realized. On the other hand, in this example, one group of first switching units 50 is controlled by only one control signal line 102, and one group of second switching units 50 provides the first bias voltage to only one first bias voltage line 101, so the wiring can be greatly reduced. Furthermore, the switching transistor T1 is provided on the second dielectric substrate 51, and in this case, the first bias signal line and patch electrode 52 can both be installed on the same layer as the first and second electrodes of the switching transistor T1, and the control signal line 102 can be installed on the same layer as the control electrode of the switching transistor T1, thereby contributing to the lightweight installation of the antenna.
[0048] In some examples, a plurality of first connection pads 201 and a plurality of second connection pads 202 are installed on the second dielectric substrate 51, one first bias voltage line 101 is connected to one first connection pad 201 via one first fan-out cable 301, and one control signal line 102 is connected to one second connection pad 202 via one second fan-out cable 302. This allows the driver chip to be bound to the first connection pads 201 and the second connection pads 202, providing the first bias voltage to the first bias voltage line 101 and the control signal to the control signal line 102, respectively.
[0049] Third Example: In this example, the switching unit 50 employs a PIN diode integrated at the location of the slit opening 31 corresponding to the first dielectric substrate 10. Figure 12 is a conceptual wiring diagram of a third example of a holographic drain antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to Figure 12, the slit opening 31 on the radiating layer 30 is divided into a plurality of first slit opening 31 groups arranged in parallel along a second direction X, and the slit opening 31 within each first slit opening 31 group is arranged in parallel along a first direction Y. The corresponding PIN diodes are divided into first switching unit 50 groups arranged in parallel along the second direction X, and the PIN diodes within the first switching unit 50 groups are arranged in parallel along the first direction Y. A first region is defined between adjacent first slit opening 31 groups, and within each first region, a pair of first bias voltage lines 101 located on the second dielectric substrate 51 are installed, and the pair of first bias voltage lines 101 are electrically connected to the first electrodes of each PIN diode in one first switching unit 50 group. Within each first region, a reference voltage line 103 is further installed, the second electrode of the PIN diode of one first switching unit 50 group is connected to the reference voltage line, and each of the reference voltage lines 103 is connected via a signal lead line 303. This installation method not only enables independent control of each PIN diode but is also convenient for wiring.
[0050] Furthermore, a plurality of first connection pads 201 and third connection pads 203 are provided on the first dielectric substrate 10. One of the first bias voltage lines 101 is connected to one of the first connection pads 201 via one first fan-out cable 301, and a signal lead line 303 is connected to the third connection pad 203. This allows the drive chip to be bound to the first connection pads 201 and the third connection pads 203, supplying the first bias voltage to the first bias voltage line 101 and the reference voltage signal to the reference voltage line 103, respectively. The signal applied to the reference voltage line 103 may be a ground signal.
[0051] Fourth example: The multiple slit openings 31 constitute a plurality of first slit opening groups 31 installed in parallel along a second direction X, and a plurality of second slit opening groups 31 installed in parallel along a first direction Y, with the slit openings 31 in each first slit opening group 31 installed in parallel along the first direction Y, and the slit openings 31 in each second slit opening group 31 installed in parallel along the second direction X. The multiple switching units 50 constitute a plurality of first switching unit groups 50 installed in parallel along a second direction X, and a plurality of second switching unit groups 50 installed in parallel along a first direction Y, with the switching units 50 in each first switching unit group 50 installed in parallel along the first direction Y, and the switching units 50 in each second switching unit group 50 installed in parallel along the second direction X.
[0052] Figure 13 is a conceptual wiring diagram of a fourth example of a holographic drain antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 13, in this example, the switching unit 50 includes a PIN diode, as in the third example, but the switching unit 50 also includes a switching transistor T1. The second pole of the switching transistor T1 in each switching unit 50 is connected to the first electrode of the PIN diode, the control pole of each switching transistor T1 located in the same first group of switching units 50 is connected to the same control signal line 102, and the first pole of each switching transistor T1 located in the same second group of switching units 50 is connected to the same first bias voltage line 101. The second electrode of the PIN diode in one group of first switching units 50 is connected to a single reference voltage line, and each reference voltage line 103 is connected via a single signal lead line 303. In this case, by controlling the switch state of the switching transistor T1, the first bias voltage written on the first electrode of the PIN diode in each switching unit 50 can be controlled, that is, control of the switch state of each switching unit 50 can be realized. On the other hand, in this example, one group of first switching units 50 is controlled by only one control signal line 102, and one group of second switching units 50 is supplied with a first bias voltage by only one first bias voltage line 101, thus significantly reducing the amount of wiring.
[0053] Furthermore, a plurality of first connection pads 201, a plurality of second connection pads 202, and one third connection pad 203 are provided on the second dielectric substrate 51. One first bias voltage line 101 is connected to one first connection pad 201 via one first fan-out cable 301, one control signal line 102 is connected to one second connection pad 202 via one second fan-out cable 302, and the signal lead line 303 is connected to the third connection pad 203. This allows the drive chip to be bound to the first connection pads 201, 2 connection pads 202, and 3 connection pads 203, supplying a first bias voltage to the first bias voltage line 101, a control signal to the control signal line 102, and a reference voltage signal to the reference voltage line 103, respectively. The signal applied to the reference voltage line 103 may be a ground signal.
[0054] To further clarify the effect of the holographic drain antenna according to the embodiment of this disclosure, the following describes a test of the holographic drain antenna, using only the example of employing a liquid crystal switch as the switch, and the specific test results are as follows. Referring to Figure 1, the holographic drain antenna is an X-directional linearly polarized antenna, and the antenna is fed using a single probe 40. In order to ensure single-mode transmission in the first waveguide structure 20, the height of the first waveguide structure 20 must be less than 1 / 2λg, where λg is the wavelength of the first waveguide structure 20. The first gap between the first dielectric substrate 10 and the first waveguide structure 20 is an air gap, and the thickness of the air gap is 1.2 mm. Both the first dielectric substrate 10 and the second dielectric substrate 51 are glass substrates with a thickness of 0.5 mm, the slow-wave dielectric layer of the first waveguide structure 20 is a PTFE plate with a thickness of 2.5 mm, and the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 53 may be 0.001 to 0.1 mm, specifically 0.008 mm, and the liquid crystal molecules
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[0055] Referring to Figures 15-18, Figure 15 is a directional diagram when the operating frequency is 12 GHz, the antenna azimuth angle Phi is 0°, and the pitch angles Theta are ±45°, ±30°, ±15°, and 0° respectively. Figure 16 is the S11 curve when the operating frequency is 12 GHz, the antenna azimuth angle Phi is 0°, and the pitch angles Theta are ±45°, ±30°, ±15°, and 0° respectively. Figure 17 is a directional diagram when the operating frequency is 12 GHz, the antenna azimuth angle Phi is 90°, and the pitch angles Theta are ±45°, ±30°, ±15°, and 0° respectively. Figure 18 is the S11 curve when the operating frequency is 12 GHz, the antenna azimuth angle Phi is 90°, and the pitch angles Theta are ±45°, ±30°, ±15°, and 0° respectively.
[0056] In some examples, Figure 19 is a conceptual diagram of a Butler network matrix plate for a holographic drain antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 19, the holographic drain antenna in an embodiment of the present disclosure employs multi-point feeding, and similarly, when four-point feeding is taken as an example, the feeding structure may include not only the probes 40 described above, but also a feeding network plate connected to the probes 40, for example, the feeding network plate being a Butler network matrix plate 200. The four second ends of the Butler network matrix plate 200 are connected to the four probes 40, respectively, two of the four first ends are connected to an absorbing load, and the other two function as microwave signal supply ends. In this case, two independent sum-and-difference beams can be realized by controlling the inputs of the two first ends of the Butler network matrix plate 200. Figure 20 is a simulated normalized radiation direction diagram of the sum-and-difference beam when the operating frequency of the holographic drain antenna is 12 GHz, the antenna azimuth angle Phi is 0°, and the pitch angle Theta is 0°. As described above, the embodiments of this disclosure disclose a holographic drain antenna in which a single-layer flat plate is used as the first waveguide structure 20.
[0057] In some embodiments, Figure 21 is a plan view of another holographic drain antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 22 is a cross-sectional view of another holographic drain antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figures 21 and 22, the holographic drain antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be a two-layer parallel waveguide structure, that is, including not only the first waveguide structure 20 described above, but also, in addition to the first waveguide structure 20, a second waveguide structure 80 installed on the side of the radiating layer 30 closer to the first waveguide structure 20, and a second reference electrode layer 70 installed on the side of the second waveguide structure 80 closer to the first waveguide structure 20.
[0058] Furthermore, the antenna in this example further includes a reflective assembly installed on the outer periphery of the first waveguide structure 20 and the second waveguide structure 80, the reflective assembly 90 having a accommodating space, in which at least the first waveguide structure 20, the second reference electrode layer 70, and the second waveguide structure 80 are installed, and electromagnetic waves transmitted via the first waveguide structure 20 can be reflected by the second waveguide structure 80 so as to irradiate the sidewall of the reflective assembly 90 and be transmitted to the radiating layer 30. The first reference electrode layer 60 and the second reference electrode layer 70 both include, but are not limited to, a ground electrode layer. In the embodiments of this disclosure, the first reference electrode layer 60 and the second reference electrode layer 70 are ground electrodes as an example.
[0059] Furthermore, in the absorbing load 81 of the second waveguide structure 80, the center of the absorbing load 81 is positioned opposite the center of the first reference electrode layer 60, absorbing the remaining waveguide waves and preventing interference with the normal radiation of the antenna in the electromagnetic wave reflection echo waveguide feeding structure.
[0060] Second aspect. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide electronic equipment including the holographic antenna described above. The antenna further includes a transmitting / receiving unit, a radio frequency transceiver, a signal amplifier, a power amplifier, and a filter unit. The antenna may be a transmitting antenna or a receiving antenna. Here, the transmitting / receiving unit may include a baseband and a receiving end, the baseband providing a signal in at least one frequency band, such as a 2G signal, a 3G signal, a 4G signal, or a 5G signal, and can transmit a signal in at least one frequency band to the radio frequency transceiver. On the other hand, the transparent antenna in the communication system, after receiving a signal, can transmit it to the receiving end in the transmitting / receiving unit after processing by a filter unit, a power amplifier, a signal amplifier, and a radio frequency transceiver (not shown), the receiving end may be, for example, a smart gateway.
[0061] Furthermore, a radio frequency transceiver is connected to a transmit / receive unit and used to modulate the signals transmitted by the transmit / receive unit, or to demodulate the signals received by the transparent antenna and then transmit them to the transmit / receive unit. Specifically, the radio frequency transceiver may include a transmit circuit, a receive circuit, a modulation circuit, and a demodulation circuit, where the transmit circuit receives multiple types of signals supplied from a circuit board, the modulation circuit modulates multiple types of signals supplied from the baseband, and then transmits them to the antenna. On the other hand, the signal received by the transparent antenna is transmitted to the receive circuit of the radio frequency transceiver, the receive circuit transmits the signal to the demodulation circuit, the demodulation circuit demodulates the signal and then transmits it to the receiving end.
[0062] Furthermore, the radio frequency transceiver connects a signal amplifier and a power amplifier, the signal amplifier and power amplifier further connect a filter unit, and the filter unit connects at least one antenna. In the process of the communication system transmitting a signal, the signal amplifier is used to increase the signal-to-noise ratio of the signal output by the radio frequency transceiver and transmit it to the filter unit, and the power amplifier is used to amplify the power of the signal output by the radio frequency transceiver and transmit it to the filter unit. The filter unit may specifically include a duplexer and a filter circuit, and the filter unit combines the signals output from the signal amplifier and power amplifier, filters out spurious signals, and then transmits them to a transparent antenna, which radiates the signal. In the process of the communication system receiving a signal, the antenna receives a signal and then transmits it to the filter unit, the filter unit filters out spurious signals from the signal received by the antenna and then transmits it to the signal amplifier and power amplifier, the signal amplifier gains the signal received by the antenna and increases the signal-to-noise ratio of the signal, and the power amplifier amplifies the power of the signal received by the antenna. The signal received by the antenna is processed by the power amplifier and signal amplifier and then transmitted to the radio frequency transceiver, which further transmits it to the transceiver unit.
[0063] In some examples, the term "signal amplifier" may include, but is not limited to, various types of signal amplifiers, such as low-noise amplifiers.
[0064] In some examples, the antennas provided by embodiments of the present disclosure further include a power management unit connected to a power amplifier and providing the power amplifier with a voltage for amplifying the signal.
[0065] The embodiments described above are merely exemplary embodiments used to illustrate the principles of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the spirit and substance of this disclosure, and such modifications and improvements are also within the scope of protection of the present invention.
Claims
1. A holographic drain antenna comprising a first waveguide structure, a first dielectric substrate, a radiating layer, a first reference electrode layer, and a plurality of switching units, wherein the first dielectric substrate is provided on the first waveguide structure and has a first gap between it and the first waveguide structure, the first reference electrode layer is provided on the side of the first waveguide structure away from the first dielectric substrate, and the radiating layer is provided on the side of the first dielectric substrate away from the first waveguide structure and has a plurality of slit openings on the radiating layer, The first waveguide structure is provided with at least one power supply port, the power supply port not overlapping with the orthographic projection of the first reference electrode layer on the first dielectric substrate, the switching unit is provided in one-to-one correspondence with the slit opening, and the switching unit is arranged to independently control the switched state of the corresponding slit opening. Holographic drain antenna.
2. The switching unit includes a second dielectric substrate positioned opposite the first dielectric substrate, a tunable dielectric layer located between the second dielectric substrate and the radiating layer, and a patch electrode located on the side of the second dielectric substrate closer to the tunable dielectric layer, wherein the patch electrode overlaps with at least a portion of the orthographic projection of the slit opening on the second dielectric substrate. The holographic drain antenna according to claim 1.
3. The plurality of slit openings constitute a plurality of first slit opening groups arranged in parallel along the second direction, and the slit openings in each of the first slit opening groups are arranged in parallel along the first direction, and the plurality of switching units constitute a plurality of first switching unit groups arranged in parallel along the second direction, and the switching units in each of the first switching unit groups are arranged in parallel along the first direction, A first region is defined between the patch electrodes of the adjacently installed first switching unit group, and within one of the first regions, a pair of first bias voltage lines located on the second dielectric substrate are provided, and each first bias voltage line in the pair of first bias voltage lines is connected in a one-to-one correspondence to the patch electrode of one of the first switching unit group. The holographic drain antenna according to claim 2.
4. A plurality of first connection pads are further provided on the second dielectric substrate, and one of the first bias voltage lines is connected to one of the first connection pads via one of the first fan-out cables. The holographic drain antenna according to claim 3.
5. The plurality of slit openings constitute a plurality of first slit opening groups installed in parallel along the second direction and a plurality of second slit opening groups installed in parallel along the first direction, with the slit openings in each of the first slit opening groups installed in parallel along the first direction and the slit openings in each of the second slit opening groups installed in parallel along the second direction. The plurality of switching units constitute a plurality of first switching unit groups installed in parallel along the second direction and a plurality of second switching unit groups installed in parallel along the first direction, with the switching units in each of the first switching unit groups installed in parallel along the first direction and the switching units in each of the second switching unit groups installed in parallel along the second direction. The switching unit further includes a switching transistor located on the second dielectric substrate, the second pole of the switching transistor in each switching unit being connected to the patch electrode, the control pole of each switching transistor located in the same first switching unit group being connected to the same control signal line, and the first pole of each switching transistor located in the same second switching unit group being connected to the same first bias voltage line. The holographic drain antenna according to claim 2.
6. A plurality of first connection pads and a plurality of second connection pads are further provided on the second dielectric substrate, one of the first bias voltage lines is connected to one of the first connection pads via one of the first fan-out cables, and one of the control signal lines is connected to one of the second connection pads via one of the second fan-out cables. The holographic drain antenna according to claim 5.
7. The switching unit is provided on the first dielectric substrate and includes a PIN diode corresponding to the position of the slit opening. The holographic drain antenna according to claim 1.
8. The plurality of slit openings constitute a plurality of first slit opening groups arranged in parallel along the second direction, and the slit openings in each of the first slit opening groups are arranged in parallel along the first direction, and the plurality of switching units constitute a plurality of first switching unit groups arranged in parallel along the second direction, and the switching units in each of the first switching unit groups are arranged in parallel along the first direction, A first region is defined between the patch electrodes of the adjacently installed first switching unit group, and within one of the first regions, a pair of first bias voltage lines located on the second dielectric substrate is provided, and each first bias voltage line in the pair of first bias voltage lines is connected in a one-to-one correspondence to the first electrode of the PIN diode of one of the first switching unit group. The second electrode of the PIN diode of one of the first switching unit groups is connected to a single reference voltage line, and each of the reference voltage lines is connected via a single signal lead line. The holographic drain antenna according to claim 7.
9. A plurality of first connection pads and a third connection pad are further provided on the first dielectric substrate, one of the first bias voltage lines is connected to one of the first connection pads via one of the first fan-out cables, and the signal lead line connection is connected to the third connection pad. The holographic drain antenna according to claim 8.
10. The plurality of slit openings constitute a plurality of first slit opening groups installed in parallel along the second direction and a plurality of second slit opening groups installed in parallel along the first direction, with the slit openings in each of the first slit opening groups installed in parallel along the first direction and the slit openings in each of the second slit opening groups installed in parallel along the second direction. The plurality of switching units constitute a plurality of first switching unit groups installed in parallel along the second direction and a plurality of second switching unit groups installed in parallel along the first direction, with the switching units in each of the first switching unit groups installed in parallel along the first direction and the switching units in each of the second switching unit groups installed in parallel along the second direction. The switching unit further includes a switching transistor located on the second dielectric substrate, the second pole of the switching transistor in each switching unit being connected to the first electrode of the PIN diode, the control pole of each switching transistor located in the same group of first switching units being connected to the same control signal line, the first pole of each switching transistor in the same group of second switching units being connected to the same first bias voltage line, the second electrode of the PIN diode in one group of first switching units being connected to a single reference voltage line, and each of the reference voltage lines being connected via a single signal lead line. The holographic drain antenna according to claim 7.
11. The second dielectric substrate is further provided with a plurality of first connection pads, a plurality of second connection pads, and a third connection pad, one of the first bias voltage lines is connected to one of the first connection pads via one of the first fan-out cables, one of the control signal lines is connected to one of the second connection pads via one of the second fan-out cables, and the signal lead line connection is connected to the third connection pad. The holographic drain antenna according to claim 10.
12. The widths at both ends of the aforementioned slit opening are not smaller than the width in the middle. A holographic drain antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 11.
13. The power supply structure further includes a power supply structure arranged to excite microwave signals via the plurality of power supply ports, A holographic drain antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 11.
14. The power supply structure includes a plurality of coaxial probes, one of which is mounted at the location of one of the power supply ports. The holographic drain antenna according to claim 13.
15. The power supply structure further includes an electrical connection between the Butler network matrix plate and the coaxial probe. The holographic drain antenna according to claim 14.
16. The number of power supply ports is four, and the four power supply ports are the first power supply port, the second power supply port, the third power supply port, and the fourth power supply port, respectively, the connection between the center of the first power supply port and the center of the second power supply port is the first line segment, the connection between the center of the third power supply port and the center of the fourth power supply port is the second line segment, and the first and second line segments are perpendicular. A holographic drain antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 11.
17. The distances from the centers of the four power supply ports, the first power supply port, the second power supply port, the third power supply port, and the fourth power supply port to the center of the first waveguide structure are equal and all of them are the first distance. The holographic drain antenna according to claim 16.
18. The aforementioned first distance is 3 to 8 mm. The holographic drain antenna according to claim 17.
19. A wave-absorbing material is provided in the peripheral region of the first waveguide structure. A holographic drain antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 11.
20. The aforementioned radiation layer includes at least two slit openings with different extension directions. A holographic drain antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 11.
21. The radiating layer further includes a second waveguide structure provided on the side of the radiating layer closer to the first waveguide structure, and a second reference electrode layer provided on the side of the second waveguide structure closer to the first waveguide structure. A holographic drain antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 11.
22. The second waveguide structure further includes an absorbing load, The holographic drain antenna according to claim 21.
23. A holographic drain antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 22, electronic equipment.