Antenna module, communication device equipped with same, and method for manufacturing antenna module

Abstract

A method for manufacturing an antenna module (100) includes: a first step for preparing a dielectric substrate (105) including ground electrodes (GND1, GND2) and radiation elements (121, 122); a second step for forming a flat plate part (130A) including the radiation element (121) and a flat plate part (130B) including the radiation element (122), by cutting the dielectric substrate (105) from one main surface of the dielectric substrate (105) to a first layer including the ground electrode (GND2) in a normal direction of the dielectric substrate (105), in a region between the radiation element (121) and the radiation element (122); and a third step for bending the flat plate part (130A) with respect to the flat plate part (130B) and peeling a part of the first layer from the flat plate part (130A).

Description

Antenna module, communication device equipped with same, and method for manufacturing antenna module

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an antenna module, a communication device equipped with the same, and a method for manufacturing the antenna module, and more particularly to a method for manufacturing an antenna module in which a radiating element is arranged on a bent dielectric substrate.

[0002] International Publication No. 2020 / 170722 (Patent Document 1) discloses an antenna module in which radiating elements are placed on two flat sections obtained by partially cutting and bending a dielectric substrate, and which radiates radio waves in two different directions.

[0003] International Publication No. 2020 / 170722

[0004] In an antenna module disclosed in International Publication No. 2020 / 170722 (Patent Document 1), one flat portion has a comb-like shape with a partial notch formed when viewed from a plane normal to form a bent portion for connecting to the other flat portion. A ground electrode is disposed facing the radiating element within the dielectric substrate, but this notch causes the shape of the ground electrode to be unevenly distributed relative to the radiating element. This results in asymmetric electric field lines formed between the radiating element disposed on the flat portion and the ground electrode. This may cause the directionality of radio waves radiated from the radiating element to deviate from the normal direction of the dielectric substrate, making it impossible to radiate radio waves in the desired direction.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve such problems, and its purpose is to improve the directionality of radio waves radiated in an antenna module in which a radiating element is arranged on a bent dielectric substrate.

[0006] A manufacturing method for an antenna module according to a first aspect of the present disclosure includes: (a) a first step of preparing a dielectric substrate including a first ground electrode, a second ground electrode, a first radiating element, and a second radiating element. When the dielectric substrate is viewed in a plan view from the normal direction, the first radiating element and the second radiating element are spaced apart from each other. The first radiating element is disposed opposite the first ground electrode. The second ground electrode is disposed opposite at least a portion of the first ground electrode and the second radiating element. The manufacturing method further includes: (b) a second step of cutting the dielectric substrate in a first direction along the main surface in a region between the first radiating element and the second radiating element, from one main surface of the dielectric substrate in the normal direction to the dielectric substrate to a first layer including the second ground electrode, thereby forming a first flat plate portion including the first radiating element and a second flat plate portion including the second radiating element; and (c) a third step of bending the first flat plate portion along the first direction relative to the second flat plate portion and peeling off a portion of the first layer from the first flat plate portion.

[0007] An antenna module according to a second aspect of the present disclosure includes a dielectric substrate, a first radiating element disposed on the dielectric substrate, and first and second ground electrodes. The dielectric substrate includes a first flat plate portion and a second flat plate portion having different normal directions, and a bent portion connecting the first and second flat plate portions. The first radiating element is disposed on the first flat plate portion. When viewed from above from the normal direction of the first flat plate portion, the first flat plate portion has a substantially rectangular shape. The first ground electrode is disposed on the first flat plate portion so as to face the first radiating element. The second ground electrode extends from the second flat plate portion via the bent portion to the first flat plate portion and is connected to the first ground electrode.

[0008] In the antenna module according to the present disclosure, the first flat plate portion is connected to the second flat plate portion via a bent portion, and when viewed from above in a direction normal to the first flat plate portion, the first flat plate portion and the first ground electrode disposed on the first flat plate portion have a substantially rectangular shape. This allows the distribution of electric field lines formed between the first radiating element disposed on the first flat plate portion and the first ground electrode to be symmetrical. This therefore improves the directionality of radio waves radiated from the first radiating element.

[0009] FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a communication device equipped with an antenna module according to embodiment 1. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the antenna module according to embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is a side view of the antenna module of FIG. 2 as viewed from the Y-axis direction. FIG. 4 is a side view of the antenna module of modified example 1. FIG. 5 is a side view of the antenna module of modified example 2. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the manufacturing process of the antenna module of FIG. 2. FIG. 7 is a side view of the antenna module of modified example 3. FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the influence on bandwidth due to differences in surface roughness of the cut surface of the dielectric substrate. FIG. 9 is a side view of the antenna module according to embodiment 2. FIG. 10 is a side view of the antenna module of embodiment 3.

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will not be repeated.

[0011] [First Embodiment] (Basic Configuration of Communication Device) Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a communication device 10 to which an antenna module 100 according to this embodiment is applied. The communication device 10 is, for example, a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone, smartphone, or tablet, or a personal computer with a communication function. An example of the frequency band of radio waves used in the antenna module 100 according to this embodiment is millimeter-wave radio waves with center frequencies of 28 GHz, 39 GHz, and 60 GHz, for example, but radio waves in other frequency bands are also applicable.

[0012] 1 , a communication device 10 includes an antenna module 100 and a BBIC 200 that constitutes a baseband signal processing circuit. The antenna module 100 includes an RFIC 110, which is an example of a power supply circuit, and an antenna device 120. The communication device 10 upconverts a signal transmitted from the BBIC 200 to the antenna module 100 into a high-frequency signal and radiates the signal from the antenna device 120, and downconverts the high-frequency signal received by the antenna device 120 and processes the signal in the BBIC 200.

[0013] The antenna device 120 includes a dielectric substrate 105 having two flat plate portions 130A and 130B. At least one radiating element is arranged on each flat plate portion of the dielectric substrate 105. In the example of FIG. 1, four radiating elements 121A to 121D (first radiating elements) are arranged on the flat plate portion 130A, and four radiating elements 122A to 122D (second radiating elements) are arranged on the flat plate portion 130B. Note that the number of radiating elements arranged on each flat plate portion is not limited to this. Furthermore, the number of radiating elements arranged on the flat plate portion 130A may be the same as or different from the number of radiating elements arranged on the flat plate portion 130B.

[0014] 1 shows an example in which the radiating elements are arranged in a line in a one-dimensional array on each flat plate portion of the dielectric substrate, but the radiating elements may also be arranged in a two-dimensional array on each flat plate portion. In the first embodiment, each radiating element is a microstrip antenna having a substantially square flat plate shape. Note that the shape of the radiating element is not limited to a square, and may be a circle, an ellipse, or another polygon.

[0015] In the following description, the radiating elements arranged on the flat plate portion 130A will also be collectively referred to as "radiating elements 121." Also, the radiating elements arranged on the flat plate portion 130B will also be collectively referred to as "radiating elements 122."

[0016] The RFIC 110 includes switches 111A to 111H, 113A to 113H, 117A, and 117B, power amplifiers 112AT to 112HT, low-noise amplifiers 112AR to 112HR, attenuators 114A to 114H, phase shifters 115A to 115H, signal combiners / dividers 116A and 116B, mixers 118A and 118B, and amplifier circuits 119A and 119B. Of these, the configuration of switches 111A to 111D, 113A to 113D, 117A, power amplifiers 112AT to 112DT, low-noise amplifiers 112AR to 112DR, attenuators 114A to 114D, phase shifters 115A to 115D, signal combiner / distributor 116A, mixer 118A, and amplifier circuit 119A constitutes a circuit for the high-frequency signal radiated from radiating element 121 of flat plate portion 130A. In addition, the configuration of switches 111E to 111H, 113E to 113H, 117B, power amplifiers 112ET to 112HT, low-noise amplifiers 112ER to 112HR, attenuators 114E to 114H, phase shifters 115E to 115H, signal combiner / distributor 116B, mixer 118B, and amplifier circuit 119B constitutes a circuit for the high-frequency signal radiated from radiating element 122 of flat plate portion 130B.

[0017] When transmitting a high frequency signal, the switches 111A to 111H and 113A to 113H are switched to the power amplifiers 112AT to 112HT, and the switches 117A and 117B are connected to the transmission amplifiers of the amplifier circuits 119A and 119B. When receiving a high frequency signal, the switches 111A to 111H and 113A to 113H are switched to the low noise amplifiers 112AR to 112HR, and the switches 117A and 117B are connected to the reception amplifiers of the amplifier circuits 119A and 119B.

[0018] The signal transmitted from the BBIC 200 is amplified by amplifier circuits 119A, 119B and up-converted by mixers 118A, 118B. The up-converted high-frequency transmission signal is split into four parts by signal combiners / dividers 116A, 116B, passes through the corresponding signal paths, and is fed to different radiating elements 121, 122. By individually adjusting the phase shift of phase shifters 115A to 115H arranged on each signal path, the directivity of the radio waves output from the radiating elements of each flat plate can be adjusted. In addition, attenuators 114A to 114D adjust the strength of the transmission signal.

[0019] The received signals, which are high-frequency signals received by the radiating elements 121 and 122, are transmitted to the RFIC 110 and then combined in the signal combiners / dividers 116A and 116B via four different signal paths. The combined received signals are down-converted in the mixers 118A and 118B, and further amplified in the amplifier circuits 119A and 119B before being transmitted to the BBIC 200.

[0020] The RFIC 110 is formed as, for example, a one-chip integrated circuit component including the above circuit configuration. Alternatively, the devices (switches, power amplifiers, low-noise amplifiers, attenuators, phase shifters) corresponding to the radiating elements 121 and 122 in the RFIC 110 may be formed as one-chip integrated circuit components for each corresponding radiating element.

[0021] (Configuration of Antenna Module) Next, the configuration of the antenna module 100 according to this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to Figures 2 and 3. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the antenna module 100. Figure 3 is a side perspective view of a cross section including the two flat plate portions 130A, 130B and the bent portion 135, as viewed from the Y-axis direction, with the antenna module 100 mounted on the mounting substrate 20.

[0022] 2 and 3 , the antenna module 100 includes a connector 180, feeder wirings 171 and 172, and ground electrodes GND1 and GND2 in addition to the dielectric substrate 105, radiating elements 121 and 122, and RFIC 110. In the following description, the normal direction to the flat plate portion 130B is defined as the Z-axis direction, the arrangement direction of the radiating elements on each flat plate portion 130A and 130B is defined as the Y-axis direction, and the direction perpendicular to the Y and Z axes is defined as the X-axis. The positive direction of the Z-axis in each figure may be referred to as the upper surface side or upper side, and the negative direction may be referred to as the lower surface side or lower side.

[0023] The dielectric substrate 105 is, for example, a multilayer resin substrate formed by laminating multiple resin layers made of resin such as epoxy or polyimide, a multilayer resin substrate formed by laminating multiple resin layers made of liquid crystal polymer (LCP) having a lower dielectric constant, or a multilayer resin substrate formed by laminating multiple resin layers made of fluorine-based resin. Note that the dielectric substrate 105 does not necessarily have to have a multilayer structure and may be a single-layer substrate.

[0024] In the antenna device 120 of the antenna module 100, the dielectric substrate 105 has a substantially L-shaped cross section in which the flat plate portion 130A is bent at an acute angle relative to the flat plate portion 130B. The dielectric substrate 105 further includes a bent portion 135 connecting the two flat plate portions 130A and 130B. The normal direction of the flat plate portion 130A is inclined from the positive direction of the X-axis toward the negative direction of the Z-axis (arrow AR1 in FIG. 3 ).

[0025] In the antenna module 100, as described in Fig. 1, four radiating elements are arranged in a row in the Y-axis direction on each of the two flat plate portions 130A, 130B. In the following description, for ease of understanding, an example will be described in which the radiating elements 121, 122 are arranged so as to be exposed on the surfaces of the flat plate portions 130A, 130B, respectively. However, as shown in the antenna module 100D of Variation 1 in Fig. 4, the radiating elements 121, 122 may also be arranged inside the substrates of the flat plate portions 130A, 130B. Furthermore, although not shown in the figure, only one of the radiating elements 121, 122 may be arranged inside the substrate.

[0026] The flat plate portion 130B has a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from above in the normal direction (Z-axis direction), and four radiating elements 122 are arranged in a row on its upper surface 136. A SiP (System In Package) module 125 incorporating an RFIC 110, a power module IC 150, a power inductor 140, and the like, and a connector 180 are connected to a lower surface 137 side (the surface in the negative direction of the Z-axis) of the flat plate portion 130B. The flat plate portion 130B is mounted on the mounting substrate 20 by connecting the connector 180 to a connector 185 arranged on the surface 21 of the mounting substrate 20. The flat plate portion 130B may also be mounted on the mounting substrate 20 by soldering.

[0027] In flat plate portion 130B, ground electrode GND2 is arranged closer to lower surface 137 than radiating element 122 so as to face radiating element 122. Ground electrode GND2 also extends via bent portion 135 to flat plate portion 130A.

[0028] A high-frequency signal is transmitted from the RFIC 110 to the radiating element 122 via a feed line 172. The feed line 172 passes through the ground electrode GND2 and is connected to a feed point SP2. The feed point SP2 is located at a position offset in the negative direction of the X-axis from the center of the radiating element 122. By supplying a high-frequency signal to the radiating element 122, a radio wave polarized in the X-axis direction is radiated in the positive direction of the Z-axis.

[0029] The flat plate portion 130A is connected to a bent portion 135 bent from the flat plate portion 130B, and is disposed so that its inner main surface 131 faces the side surface 22 of the mounting substrate 20. The flat plate portion 130A has a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from above in the normal direction of the flat plate portion 130A. A radiating element 121 is disposed on an outer main surface 132 of the flat plate portion 130A. The bent portion 135 is connected to the inside of the flat plate portion 130A.

[0030] 6, the flat plate portions 130A, 130B and the bent portion 135 have an integral structure as a whole because they are formed by bending a single dielectric substrate 105. A part of the flat plate portion 130A is peeled off from the interface (first surface) at the bent portion 135 of the ground electrode GND2 extending from the flat plate portion 130B.

[0031] Generally, electrodes in a dielectric substrate are treated to increase the surface roughness of the electrodes to increase the surface area in contact with the dielectric in order to improve the adhesive strength between the electrodes and the dielectric. However, the surface roughness of the ground electrode GND2 is partially reduced so that the flat plate portion 130A can easily peel off when bent.

[0032] Four radiating elements 121 are arranged in a row along the Y-axis direction on the main surface 132 of the flat plate portion 130A. In the flat plate portion 130A, a ground electrode GND1 is arranged across the entire surface of the flat plate portion 130A on the dielectric layer between the radiating elements 121 and the ground electrode GND2. The ground electrode GND1 is arranged in a position on the flat plate portion 130A closer to the main surface 132 than the ground electrode GND2. The ground electrodes GND1 and GND2 are electrically connected by a via V1.

[0033] A high-frequency signal from the RFIC 110 is transmitted to the radiating element 121 via a feed wiring 171. The feed wiring 171 runs from the RFIC 110, passes through the flat plate portion 130B and the bent portion 135, and further penetrates the ground electrodes GND1 and GND2 to be connected to a feed point SP1 of the radiating element 121. If the upper and lower side surfaces of the flat plate portion 130A are defined as side surfaces 133 and 134, respectively, the feed point SP1 is located at a position offset from the center of the radiating element 121 toward the side surface 133. By supplying a high-frequency signal to the radiating element 121, a radio wave polarized in the Z-axis direction is radiated in the normal direction of the flat plate portion 130A (the direction of the arrow AR1 in FIG. 3 ).

[0034] The flat plate portion 130A may be provided with a via V2 (columnar electrode) for preventing excessive peeling from the ground electrode GND2. While FIG. 3 shows an example of a configuration in which the via V2 is disposed in a region of the dielectric layer between the ground electrode GND1 and the main surface 131 where the ground electrode GND2 is not present, the via V2 may be disposed in a region where the ground electrode GND2 is present depending on the position where peeling is to be performed. The via V2 may also serve as the via V1 connecting the ground electrode GND1 and the ground electrode GND2. Instead of or in addition to the via V2 for preventing peeling, the surface roughness of the region on the first surface of the ground electrode GND2 that should not be peeled may be made greater than the surface roughness of the region that should be peeled.

[0035] The flat plate portion 130A may be bent further in the negative direction of the Z axis than in Fig. 3. For example, as in the antenna module 100E of the second modification in Fig. 5, the bent portion 135 may be bent to such an extent that the normal direction of the flat plate portion 130A coincides with the negative direction of the Z axis.

[0036] (Manufacturing Process) FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the manufacturing process of the antenna module 100. Referring to FIG. 6, first, as in step (A), a dielectric substrate 105 including radiating elements 121 and 122 and ground electrodes GND1 and GND2 is prepared. At this stage, the dielectric substrate 105 is a substrate having a flat plate shape with no bent portions. The radiating element 121 and the ground electrode GND1 are arranged in an area that will become the flat plate portion 130A in a subsequent process. The radiating element 122 is arranged in an area that will become the flat plate portion 130B in a subsequent process. Note that the power supply wiring 171 and 172 are omitted from FIG. 6.

[0037] Next, in step (B), a laser cutter 300 arranged on the upper surface side of the dielectric substrate 105 is used to cut the dielectric substrate 105 in the Y-axis direction to a depth from the upper surface of the dielectric substrate 105 to the first surface of the ground electrode GND2. The cutting position of the dielectric substrate 105 is located in the negative direction of the X-axis relative to the ground electrode GND1. As a result, regions of the flat plate portion 130A and the flat plate portion 130B are formed in the dielectric substrate 105.

[0038] At this time, carbide 310 is formed on at least a portion of the cut surface by the laser beam due to the carbon component contained in dielectric substrate 105. This carbide 310 can function as an electromagnetic interference shield that blocks electromagnetic waves. Therefore, the carbide 310 can reduce the influence of external electromagnetic noise.

[0039] After the cutting of the dielectric substrate 105 is completed in step (B), in step (C), the flat plate portion 130A is bent in the negative direction of the Z axis relative to the flat plate portion 130B. At this time, a part of the interface between the flat plate portion 130A and the ground electrode GND2 is peeled off, forming a bent portion 135. The part that has peeled off from the ground electrode GND2 protrudes from the connection portion between the flat plate portion 130A and the bent portion 135.

[0040] Thereafter, in step (D), the SiP module 125 is mounted on the lower surface side of the flat plate portion 130B, and the antenna module 100 is completed.

[0041] By forming the antenna module according to this process, the shape of the flat plate portion, i.e., the shape of the ground electrode facing the radiating element, can be made approximately rectangular when viewed in a plan view from the normal direction of each flat plate portion, for both flat plate portion 130A and flat plate portion 130B. This makes it possible to symmetrically distribute the electric field lines formed between the radiating element arranged on each flat plate portion and the ground electrode, thereby improving the directionality of the radio waves radiated from each radiating element.

[0042] 3 and 6 show an example in which the bent portion 135 is peeled off at the interface (first surface) between the flat plate portion 130A and the ground electrode GND2, exposing the ground electrode GND2 at the bent portion 135, but the bent portion 135 may be peeled off between the dielectric layers as shown in the antenna module 100A of Modification 3 in Fig. 7. In other words, the surface (first surface) of the ground electrode GND2 at the bent portion 135 may be covered with a dielectric.

[0043] 3, the region from the ground electrode GND2 to the main surfaces 137 and 131 corresponds to the "first layer" in the present disclosure. Also, in the antenna module 100A in Fig. 7, the region from the dielectric covering the surface of the ground electrode GND2 to the main surfaces 137 and 131 corresponds to the "first layer" in the present disclosure.

[0044] (Effect of Surface Roughness of Cut Surface) In the manufacturing process described in Figure 6, an example has been described in which the dielectric substrate is cut by laser processing using a laser cutter in step (B), but as another example, the dielectric substrate may be cut by mechanical processing using a dicer. In the case of mechanical processing, the surface roughness of the cut surface is generally greater than in the case of laser processing. Note that, since the outer periphery of the dielectric substrate is usually cut by laser processing, the surface roughness of the cut surface is greater than the surface roughness of the other side surfaces of the dielectric substrate excluding the cut surface.

[0045] In this case, the surface roughness of the cut surface may affect the antenna characteristics, especially when the radiating element 121 is disposed close to the cut surface. Specifically, if the surface roughness of the cut surface is large, the amount of dielectric in the cut surface decreases, thereby lowering the effective dielectric constant between the radiating element 121 and the ground electrode GND1. This slightly reduces the attenuation at the resonant frequency of the radiating element 121, but it is possible to expand the frequency bandwidth over which the desired attenuation is achieved.

[0046] FIG. 8 illustrates the effect of different surface roughnesses on the bandwidth of a dielectric substrate. FIG. 8 shows the antenna gain of a stacked dual-band antenna module in which two radiating elements are stacked on the flat plate portion 130A when the cut surface has a large surface roughness (solid lines LN10, LN20) and when the cut surface has a small surface roughness (dashed lines LN11, LN21). Lines LN10, LN11 represent the antenna gain of the radiating element on the low-frequency side, while lines LN20, LN21 represent the antenna gain of the radiating element on the high-frequency side. As shown in FIG. 8, the antenna gain is generally shifted toward higher frequencies in all frequency bands, indicating a decrease in the effective dielectric constant. A decrease in the effective dielectric constant indicates an expansion of the frequency band.

[0047] In this way, by cutting the dielectric substrate by machining and increasing the surface roughness of the cut surface, the frequency bandwidth can be expanded.

[0048] The "flat plate portion 130A" and the "flat plate portion 130B" in the first embodiment correspond to the "first flat plate portion" and the "second flat plate portion" in the present disclosure, respectively. The "ground electrode GND1" and the "ground electrode GND2" in the first embodiment correspond to the "first ground electrode" and the "second ground electrode" in the present disclosure, respectively. The "radiating element 121" and the "radiating element 122" in the first embodiment correspond to the "first radiating element" and the "second radiating element" in the present disclosure, respectively. The "principal surface 131" and the "principal surface 132" in the first embodiment correspond to the "first principal surface" and the "second principal surface" in the present disclosure, respectively. The "side surface 133" and the "side surface 134" in the first embodiment correspond to the "first side surface" and the "second side surface" in the present disclosure, respectively. "Step (A)", "Step (B)" and "Step (C)" in the first embodiment correspond to "first step", "second step" and "third step" in the present disclosure, respectively.

[0049] [Embodiment 2] In embodiment 2, a different arrangement of radiating elements on each flat plate portion will be described.

[0050] 9 is a side perspective view of an antenna module 100B according to embodiment 2. In the antenna module 100B, compared to the antenna module 100 according to embodiment 1, the flat plate portion 130A is further separated from the bent portion 135. In addition, in the antenna module 100B, the radiating elements arranged on each flat plate portion are arranged on the opposite main surface to that in the antenna module 100.

[0051] More specifically, in flat plate portion 130A, radiating element 121 is arranged on the inner layer on peeled surface 138 side where flat plate portion 130A is peeled from bent portion 135. In other words, bent portion 135 is connected to flat plate portion 130A at a position closer to side surface 134 than to side surface 133. Radiating element 121 is arranged closer to side surface 133 than to the connection portion between flat plate portion 130A and bent portion 135.

[0052] Furthermore, in the flat plate portion 130B, the radiating element 122 is disposed on a lower surface 137. Accordingly, the SiP module 125 is disposed on an upper surface 136 of the flat plate portion 130B. In the flat plate portion 130B, the ground electrode GND2 is disposed between the radiating element 122 and the upper surface 136. A ground electrode GND2A is disposed in the bent portion 135. The ground electrode GND2A is connected to the ground electrode GND2 by a via V3 within the flat plate portion 130B.

[0053] In the flat plate portion 130A, a ground electrode GND1 is disposed between the radiating element 121 and the main surface 132. The ground electrode GND1 is connected to the ground electrode GND2A by a via V2. When viewed from above in the normal direction of the flat plate portion 130A, the radiating element 121 does not overlap with the ground electrodes GND2 and GND2A.

[0054] In this configuration, supplying a high-frequency signal to radiating element 121 causes radio waves to be emitted in a direction perpendicular to peeled surface 138, i.e., in the direction of arrow AR2 in Fig. 9. Supplying a high-frequency signal to radiating element 122 causes radio waves to be emitted downward, i.e., in the negative direction of the Z axis (the direction of arrow AR3 in Fig. 9). The radiation range (coverage range) of the radio waves can be adjusted by adjusting the peel position from bent portion 135 of flat plate portion 130A and the bending angle of bent portion 135.

[0055] In the antenna module 100B, the surface of the ground electrode GND2A of the bent portion 135 may also be covered with a dielectric, as in the third modification of FIG.

[0056] The "ground electrodes GND2, GND2A" in the second embodiment correspond to the "second ground electrode" in the present disclosure.

[0057] [Embodiment 3] In the antenna modules of Embodiments 1 and 2, a configuration has been described in which radiating elements are arranged on both flat plate portion 130A and flat plate portion 130B. However, as in antenna module 100C of Embodiment 3 shown in Figure 10, a configuration may also be possible in which radiating element 121 is arranged only on flat plate portion 130A, and no radiating element is arranged on flat plate portion 130B.

[0058] Also in the antenna module 100C, the surface of the ground electrode GND2 at the bent portion 135 may be covered with a dielectric, as in the third modification of FIG.

[0059] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not by the description of the above embodiments, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0060] 10 Communication device, 20 Mounting board, 21 Surface, 22, 133, 134 Side, 100, 100A to 100E Antenna module, 105 Dielectric substrate, 110 RFIC, 111A to 111H, 113A to 113H, 117A, 117B Switch, 112AR to 112HR Low noise amplifier, 112AT to 112HT Power amplifier, 114A to 114H Attenuator, 115A to 115H Phase shifter, 116A, 116B Signal combiner / divider, 118A, 118B Mixer, 119A, 119B Amplifier circuit, 120 Antenna device, 121, 121A to 121D, 122, 122A to 122D Radiating element, 125 SiP module, 130A, 130B flat plate portion, 131, 132 main surface, 135 bent portion, 136 upper surface, 137 lower surface, 138 peeled surface, 140 power inductor, 150 power module IC, 171, 172 power supply wiring, 180, 185 connector, 200 BBIC, 300 laser cutter, 310 carbide, GND1, GND2, GND2A ground electrodes, SP1, SP2 power supply points, V1 to V3 vias.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing an antenna module, The first step includes preparing a dielectric substrate containing a first ground electrode, a second ground electrode, a first radiating element, and a second radiating element, When the dielectric substrate is viewed in plan from the normal direction, the first radiating element and the second radiating element are spaced apart from each other. The first radiating element is positioned opposite the first ground electrode, The second ground electrode is positioned opposite at least a portion of the first ground electrode and the second radiating element. The aforementioned manufacturing method is A second step is to form a first flat plate portion including the first radiating element and a second flat plate portion including the second radiating element by cutting the dielectric substrate in a first direction along the main surface, from one main surface of the dielectric substrate to the first layer including the second ground electrode, in the region between the first radiating element and the second radiating element, in the direction normal to the dielectric substrate. A method for manufacturing an antenna module, further comprising a third step of bending the first flat plate portion along a first direction relative to the second flat plate portion, and peeling off a portion of the first layer from the first flat plate portion.

2. The method for manufacturing an antenna module according to claim 1, wherein the second step includes a step of cutting the dielectric substrate by laser processing.

3. The method for manufacturing an antenna module according to claim 2, wherein carbides are attached to at least a portion of the cut surface of the dielectric substrate.

4. The method for manufacturing an antenna module according to claim 1, wherein the second step includes a step of cutting the dielectric substrate by machining.

5. The method for manufacturing an antenna module according to claim 4, wherein the surface roughness of the cut surface of the first flat plate portion is greater than the surface roughness of the side surface of the first flat plate portion excluding the cut surface.

6. The method for manufacturing an antenna module according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the third step includes peeling off a portion of the first layer from the first flat plate portion to a position where the entire first radiating element overlaps with the peeled portion when the first flat plate portion is viewed in plan from the normal direction.

7. When the first flat plate portion is viewed from the direction normal to the first flat plate portion, the first flat plate portion has a substantially rectangular shape. The method for manufacturing an antenna module according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first ground electrode is arranged over the entire surface of the first flat plate portion.

8. It is an antenna module, Dielectric substrate and A first radiating element disposed on the dielectric substrate, It comprises a first grounding electrode and a second grounding electrode, The dielectric substrate is A first flat plate section and a second flat plate section having different normal directions from each other, It includes a bent portion connecting the first flat plate portion and the second flat plate portion, The first radiating element is arranged on the first flat plate portion, When the first flat plate portion is viewed in plan from the direction normal to the first flat plate portion, the first flat plate portion has a substantially rectangular shape. The first ground electrode is positioned in the first flat plate portion opposite the first radiating element. An antenna module in which the second ground electrode extends from the second flat plate portion through the bent portion to the first flat plate portion and is connected to the first ground electrode.

9. The antenna module according to claim 8, further comprising a second radiating element positioned opposite the second ground electrode in the second flat plate portion.

10. The antenna module according to claim 8, wherein the bent portion is bent at an acute angle.

11. The antenna module according to claim 8, wherein when the first flat plate portion is viewed in plan from the direction normal to the first flat plate portion, the first radiating element and the second ground electrode do not overlap.

12. The antenna module according to claim 11, wherein in the first flat plate portion, the main surface on the side closer to the connection with the bent portion is designated as the first main surface, and the main surface opposite the first main surface is designated as the second main surface, and the first ground electrode is positioned between the first radiating element and the second main surface.

13. In the cross-section of the dielectric substrate including the first flat portion, the second flat portion, and the bent portion, if the sides connecting the first main surface and the second main surface are defined as the first side surface and the second side surface, The bent portion is connected to the first flat plate portion at a position closer to the second side surface than to the first side surface. The antenna module according to claim 12, wherein the first radiating element is positioned on the first side surface side of the connection between the first flat plate portion and the bent portion.

14. The antenna module according to claim 8, wherein in the first flat plate portion, the main surface on the side closer to the connection with the bent portion is designated as the first main surface, and the main surface opposite the first main surface is designated as the second main surface, and the first ground electrode is positioned between the first radiating element and the first main surface.

15. The first flat plate portion further comprises a columnar electrode extending in the direction normal to the first flat plate portion, The antenna module according to any one of claims 8 to 14, wherein, when the cross section of the first flat plate portion is viewed in plan, the columnar electrode overlaps with the second ground electrode.

16. The antenna module according to any one of claims 8 to 14, further comprising a power supply circuit disposed on the second flat plate portion for supplying a high-frequency signal to the first radiating element.

17. A communication device equipped with an antenna module according to any one of claims 8 to 14.