Antenna unit and communication device

Abstract

The present application provides an antenna unit and a communication device. The antenna unit comprises a substrate, wherein a feed network, a feed patch, and a metasurface radiator are arranged on the substrate, the feed patch and the metasurface radiator are located in a first area, and the feed network is connected to the feed patch; and a metal back cavity, wherein the substrate is arranged on the metal back cavity. According to the antenna unit and the communication device provided in embodiments of the present application, the structures of the antenna unit and an antenna array can be simplified.

Description

Antenna units and communication equipment

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on November 22, 2023, with application number 202311574098.7 and application name “Antenna Unit and Communication Equipment”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of wireless technology, and in particular, to an antenna unit and a communication device. Background Art

[0003] Antenna arrays are a common approach to achieving narrow beams and high gain, but the feed networks for array antennas are complex, costly, and subject to losses. Using a single antenna element to achieve high gain is highly valuable in the wireless communications industry.

[0004] Prior art antenna units with controllable beamwidths exist. By configuring an asymmetric radiating cavity, the antenna's horizontal and vertical beamwidths are made inconsistent. This allows for independent control of the horizontal and vertical beamwidths in dual-polarization mode, achieving high gain. However, these antenna units incorporate the feed structure within the radiating cavity, complicating the overall antenna structure.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present application provides an antenna unit and a communication device, which can simplify the structure of the antenna unit.

[0007] In a first aspect, an antenna unit is provided, comprising: a substrate, on which a feeding network, a feeding patch and a metasurface radiator are arranged, the feeding patch and the metasurface radiator are located in a first area, and the feeding network is connected to the feeding patch; and a metal back cavity, on which the substrate is arranged.

[0008] In the embodiment provided in the present application, the feeding network, feeding patch and metasurface radiator are integrated together on the substrate, and the feeding patch and metasurface radiator are located in the first area, and the feeding network is connected to the feeding patch, which can simplify the structure of the antenna unit, realize the lightweight of the antenna unit, reduce the complexity of the processing and assembly of the antenna unit, and reduce the production cost of the antenna unit.

[0009] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the feeding network is connected to the feeding patch, including: at least part of the feeding network is located in the first area, and the part of the feeding network located in the first area is connected to the feeding patch.

[0010] In the embodiment provided in the present application, at least part of the feed network is located in the first area, and the part of the feed network located in the first area is connected to the feed patch, which can improve the effect of the feed network feeding the feed patch.

[0011] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the feeding network, the feeding patch, and the metasurface radiator are arranged on the same surface of the substrate.

[0012] In the embodiments provided in the present application, the feeding network, feeding patch and metasurface radiator are arranged on the same surface of the substrate, which can further simplify the structure of the antenna unit and enable the feeding network, feeding patch and metasurface radiator to be integrally formed, thereby reducing processing complexity and production costs.

[0013] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the feeding network, the feeding patch and the metasurface radiator are arranged on a side of the substrate facing the metal back cavity.

[0014] In the embodiment provided in the present application, the feeding network, the feeding patch and the metasurface radiator are arranged on the side of the substrate facing the metal back cavity, which can reduce the overall loss of the antenna unit.

[0015] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the metasurface radiator includes a plurality of patch units, and the projection area of ​​the feeding patch along the direction perpendicular to the substrate is different from the projection area of ​​each patch unit in the plurality of patch units along the direction perpendicular to the substrate.

[0016] In the embodiment provided in the present application, the projection area of ​​the feed patch along the direction perpendicular to the substrate is different from the projection area of ​​the patch unit of the metasurface radiator along the direction perpendicular to the substrate, which can adjust the radiation field distribution of the antenna unit in the vertical direction, improve the directivity coefficient, and regulate the beam shape of the incident radiation pattern in the vertical direction, such as the beam zero point position and depth.

[0017] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the metasurface radiator includes a plurality of first patch units and a plurality of second patch units, and the plurality of first patch units and the plurality of second patch units are respectively arranged in the two side areas of the feeding patch in the first area, and the projection area of ​​each first patch unit in the plurality of first patch units along the direction perpendicular to the substrate is different from the projection area of ​​each second patch unit in the plurality of second patch units along the direction perpendicular to the substrate.

[0018] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the multiple first patch units and the multiple second patch units are respectively arranged in two side areas of the feed patch along the direction of the first side of the antenna unit.

[0019] In the embodiment provided in the present application, the single first patch unit and the single second patch unit located in the area on both sides of the feed have different projected areas along the direction perpendicular to the substrate, which can adjust the radiation field distribution of the antenna unit in the vertical direction, improve the directivity coefficient, and regulate the beam shape of the incident radiation pattern in the vertical direction.

[0020] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the metasurface radiator includes a plurality of patch units, the plurality of patch units are distributed in different areas on the substrate, and a first gap is provided between the feeding patch and adjacent patch units.

[0021] In the embodiment provided in the present application, there is a first gap between the feeding patch and the adjacent patch unit, so that the feeding patch can couple and feed the metasurface radiator through the first gap.

[0022] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the first gap line widths between the patch units located in the areas on both sides of the feed patch and the feed patch are different.

[0023] In the embodiment provided in the present application, the patch units located on both sides of the feed patch and the first slot line width between the feed patch are different, which can adjust the impedance matching of the antenna unit.

[0024] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the metasurface radiator includes a plurality of patch units, and a second gap is provided between two adjacent patch units among the plurality of patch units.

[0025] In the embodiment provided in the present application, a second gap is provided between two adjacent patch units, so that the plurality of patch units can be coupled and fed to each other through the second gap.

[0026] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the second slit line widths of the patch units located in areas on both sides of the feed patch are different.

[0027] In the embodiment provided in the present application, the second slot line widths of the patch units located on both sides of the feed patch are different, which can adjust the beam shape of the incident radiation pattern in the vertical direction of the antenna unit.

[0028] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, a line width of the first slit is different from a line width of the second slit.

[0029] In the embodiment provided in the present application, the line width of the first slot is different from the line width of the second slot, which can adjust the beam shape of the incident radiation pattern in the vertical direction of the antenna unit.

[0030] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the metal back cavity includes a first metal plate, the first metal plate is a bottom plate of the metal back cavity, and the first metal plate is a grounding structure of the feed network.

[0031] In the embodiment provided in the present application, the bottom plate of the metal cavity serves as the grounding structure of the feeding network, which can simplify the structure of the antenna unit.

[0032] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the metal back cavity includes a first metal plate and a second metal plate, the first metal plate is the bottom plate of the metal back cavity, the second metal plate is arranged above the first metal plate, and the second metal plate is the grounding structure of the feed network.

[0033] In the embodiment provided in the present application, the metal back cavity includes a first metal plate and a second metal plate, and the second metal plate serves as a grounding structure of the feed network, which can enable the feed network to be better grounded when the thickness of the metal back cavity is large.

[0034] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the second metal plate includes a main portion and an extension portion, the main portion is fixedly connected to the metal back cavity, and the extension portion is arranged at an angle to the main portion.

[0035] In the embodiment provided in the present application, the second metal plate includes a main portion and an extension portion, and the main portion and the extension portion are arranged at an angle, so that the shape of the second metal plate can adapt to the shape of the feeding network, making it easy to achieve impedance matching.

[0036] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, a gap is provided between the first region and the metal back cavity.

[0037] In the embodiment provided in the present application, a gap is provided between the first region and the metal back cavity, which can adjust the cross-polarization discrimination of the antenna unit.

[0038] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the number of the feed patches is one or more, and the one or more feed patches are arranged on the same surface of the substrate along the direction of the first side of the antenna unit.

[0039] In the embodiments provided in the present application, an antenna unit in which one or more feed patches are arranged along the direction of the first side of the antenna unit can be equivalent to a traditional antenna unit including more feed patches, and can achieve the same radiation effect. For example, an antenna unit including one feed patch can be equivalent to an antenna unit including two traditional feed patches, thereby simplifying the structure of the antenna unit; and one or more feed patches only require one or two feeding points to feed them, which can simplify the structure of the feeding network; one or more feed patches are arranged on the same surface of the substrate in a vertical direction, which can also make the antenna unit easy to process.

[0040] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, an edge of the feed patch includes an opening portion, and / or the feed patch is a cut-corner structure.

[0041] In the embodiments provided in the present application, the edge of the feed patch includes an opening portion, and / or the feed patch is a cut-corner structure, which can further optimize the port isolation and cross-polarization discrimination within the antenna unit.

[0042] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the first side length of the antenna unit is greater than or equal to the operating wavelength of the antenna unit.

[0043] In the embodiment provided in the present application, the first side length of the antenna unit is greater than or equal to the operating wavelength of the antenna unit, which can significantly compress the beam width of the antenna unit in the vertical direction and adjust the cross-polarization discrimination of the antenna unit.

[0044] In combination with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the second side length of the antenna unit is less than or equal to 0.5 times the operating wavelength of the antenna unit.

[0045] In the embodiment provided in the present application, the second side length of the antenna unit is less than or equal to 0.5 times the operating wavelength of the antenna unit, which enables the antenna unit to maintain a wider horizontal beam width, adjust the cross-polarization discrimination of the antenna unit, and facilitate the antenna unit to be arrayed in the horizontal direction.

[0046] In a second aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising one or more antenna units as described in the first aspect or any one implementation manner of the first aspect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of an application scenario of an antenna system provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0048] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a three-dimensional structure of an antenna unit provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0049] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of a substrate structure provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0050] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of a substrate structure provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0051] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of a substrate structure provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0052] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of a top view of the antenna unit provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0053] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of a top view of the antenna unit provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0054] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of a top view of the antenna unit provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0055] FIG9 is a schematic side view of the structure of an antenna unit provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0056] FIG10 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the metal back cavity provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0057] The technical solution in this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0058] References to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" in this specification mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in conjunction with that embodiment is included in one or more embodiments of the present application. Thus, phrases such as "in one embodiment," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," and "in yet other embodiments" appearing in various places in this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but rather mean "one or more, but not all, embodiments," unless otherwise specifically emphasized.

[0059] The terms "include", "comprising", "having" and variations thereof mean "including but not limited to", unless specifically emphasized otherwise.

[0060] In the various embodiments of this application, the terms "first," "second," and so on are merely used to indicate that multiple objects are distinct. For example, the terms "first sidewall" and "second sidewall" are merely used to indicate different sidewalls of a metal cavity. These terms should not affect the sidewalls themselves or their number. The terms "first," "second," and so on should not limit the embodiments of this application in any way.

[0061] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an application scenario provided by an embodiment of the present application. An antenna 111 can be set on a pole 115 and fixedly connected to the pole 115. The pole 115 can be fixed to the ground. The antenna 111 can be used to receive and transmit antenna signals. The antenna 111 can include the antenna units described below. The antenna 111 can be composed of one or more antenna units. Multiple antenna units can also be arranged in an array to form one or more antenna arrays. The frequencies of the antenna units in each antenna array can be the same or different. The antenna 111 can be connected to a remote radio unit (RRU) 112 via a feeder 113. The RRU 112 can be connected to a baseband unit (BBU) 114 via an optical fiber.

[0062] Furthermore, the antenna 111 may be integrated with the remote radio unit 112. For example, the antenna 111 and the remote radio unit 112 may be part of an active antenna unit (AAU). Alternatively, the antenna 111 may be part of a radio unit (RU), which is not limited in this application.

[0063] The antenna unit provided in the embodiment of the present application can be applied to the above-mentioned antenna 111. The structure of the antenna unit provided in the embodiment of the present application is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0064] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of an antenna unit provided in an embodiment of the present application, and Figures 3 to 5 are schematic diagrams of the surface structure of a substrate 210 in the antenna unit. The antenna unit 200 may include a substrate 210 and a metal back cavity 220, wherein the substrate 210 may be disposed on the metal back cavity 220.

[0065] Referring to the structures described in Figures 2 to 5, the substrate 210 can be a printed circuit board (PCB), on which a feed network 211, a feed patch 212, and a metasurface radiator 213 can be provided. The feed patch 212 and the metasurface radiator 213 can be located in a first region 214, which can be referred to as the region indicated by the dotted box in Figure 3. The shape of the first region 214 can be, for example, a rectangle as shown. The size of the rectangular first region 214 can be smaller than that of the substrate 210 to allow space for the feed network 211. Part of the feed network 211 can be located outside the first region 214, and part of the feed network 211 can be located within the first region 214. The portion located within the first region 214 can be connected to the feed patch 212.

[0066] Exemplarily, the feed network 211 may include a first portion 2111 and a second portion 2112, the first portion 2111 may be located outside the first region 214, the first portion 2111 may be strip-shaped, and may be arranged in a vertical direction, which may be the direction of the y-axis shown in the figure. The second portion 2112 may be arranged at an angle to the first portion 2111, for example, 45°. One end of the second portion 2112 may be fixedly connected to the first portion 2111, and the other end may extend into the first region 214. When the second portion 2112 extends into the first region 214, the second portion 2112 may be perpendicular to the edge of the feed patch 212 close to the second portion 2112 to achieve ±45° polarization of the antenna unit.

[0067] The feeding network 211 may include two feeding ports, and the two feeding ports may be respectively arranged on both sides of the first area 214 along the direction of the x-axis shown in the figure. That is, the feeding network 211 may include two parts arranged on both sides of the first area 214, wherein each part corresponds to a feeding port. In addition, the two parts of the feeding network 211 located on both sides of the first area 214 may have the same structure. The two parts of the feeding network 211 located on both sides of the first area 214 may include a first part 2111, and the first part 2111 may be connected to one or more second parts 2112, and the one or more second parts 2112 may be respectively electrically connected to one or more feeding patches 212. The two feeding ports of the feeding network 211 may be fed separately or simultaneously. When the polarization mode of excitation of one feeding port is +45° polarization, the polarization mode of excitation of the other feeding port may be -45°. The working modes of the upper and lower parts of the feeding network 211 located in the first area 214 may be symmetrical. When both feed ports of the feed network 211 are excited simultaneously, the antenna unit can form ±45° dual polarization. When one of the feed ports is excited, the polarization mode of the antenna unit can be +45° or -45° single polarization. The feed network 211 can also include only one feed port, that is, it can include only the portion located above the first region 214 as shown, or it can include only the portion located below the first region 214. In this example, when the feed port is excited, the polarization mode of the antenna unit can be +45° or -45° single polarization.

[0068] The number of second sections 2112 in the feed network 211 can be the same as the number of feed patches 212, and each second section 2112 can be connected to a feed patch 212. A signal on the feed network 211 can be input from a feed port and transmitted to the feed patch 212 through the first section 2111 and the second section 2112, thereby feeding the feed patch 212.

[0069] The connection mode of the feed network 211 and the feed patch 212 can be a direct electrical connection. For example, as shown in Figure 3, the feed patch 212 can be a square structure, and the feed patch 212 can include a slot 2123, and the slot 2123 can extend toward the center direction of the feed patch 212 in a direction perpendicular to the edge of the feed patch 212. The second part 2112 of the feed network 211 can extend into the first area 214 and into the slot 2123, and contact the feed patch 212 at the end of the slot 2123 to realize the electrical connection between the feed network 211 and the feed patch 212. Alternatively, the feed patch 212 may also not include the slot 2123 and have a complete square structure. As shown in Figure 4, the second part 2112 can be connected to the edge portion of the feed patch 212 respectively.

[0070] The feed network 211 may not be in direct contact with the feed patch 212, but may be coupled via a gap and stimulate the feed patch (not shown in the figure). For example, when the feed patch 212 includes a slot 2123, the second portion 2112 of the feed network 211 may extend into the slot 2123 and may maintain a distance from the feed patch 212, so that a gap is formed between the second portion 2112 and the feed patch 212, and the feed network 211 feeds the feed patch 212 through the gap. The depth of the second portion 2112 extending into the feed patch 212 can be adjusted according to the impedance matching situation. Alternatively, when the feed patch 212 does not include the slot 2123, the second part 2112 can be arranged outside the feed patch 212, that is, the projection of the second part 2112 along the direction perpendicular to the substrate 210 does not overlap with the projection of the feed patch 212 along the direction perpendicular to the substrate 210, and the second part 2112 can maintain a distance from the feed patch 212 to form a gap, and the feed network 211 can couple and feed the feed patch 212 through the gap.

[0071] The feed network 211, feed patch 212, and metasurface radiator 213 can be arranged on the same surface of the substrate 210. When the substrate 210 is arranged on the metal back cavity 220, the side of the substrate 210 including the feed network 211, feed patch 212, and metasurface radiator 213 can face the metal back cavity 220. In other words, the feed network 211, feed patch 212, and metasurface radiator 213 can be located between the substrate 210 and the metal back cavity. The side of the substrate 210 including the feed network 211, feed patch 212, and metasurface radiator 213 faces the metal back cavity 220, and can form an air cavity together with the metal back cavity 220. Compared with a cavity filled with a dielectric, the overall loss of the antenna unit can be reduced.

[0072] The feed patch 212 can be the main feed source of the antenna unit, and the feed network 211 can excite the feed patch 212. Further, the feed patch 212 can couple and excite the metasurface radiator 213, so that the feed patch 212 and the metasurface radiator 213 can be combined with the metal back cavity 220 for resonant radiation.

[0073] It should be noted that one side of the substrate 210 including the feeding network 211, the feeding patch 212, and the metasurface radiator 213 may also face away from the metal back cavity 220. The feeding network 211, the feeding patch 212, and the metasurface radiator 213 may not be arranged on the same side of the substrate 210. For example, the feeding network 211 may be arranged on the side of the substrate 210 facing the metal back cavity 220, and the feeding patch 212 and the metasurface radiator 213 may be arranged on the side of the substrate 210 facing away from the metal back cavity 220. When there are multiple metasurface radiators 213, the multiple metasurface radiators 213 may also be arranged on different sides of the substrate 210. Similarly, when there are multiple feeding patches 212, the multiple feeding patches 212 may also be arranged on different sides of the substrate 210. This application does not limit this.

[0074] In the embodiment provided in the present application, the feeding network 211, the feeding patch 212 and the metasurface radiator 213 are integrated together on the substrate 210, which can simplify the structure of the antenna unit. When the feeding network 211, the feeding patch 212 and the metasurface radiator 213 are arranged on the same surface of the substrate 210, the feeding network 211, the feeding patch 212 and the metasurface radiator 213 can be formed at one time. For example, the feeding network 211, the feeding patch 212 and the metasurface radiator 213 structure shown in the figure can be directly obtained on the same metal plate through cutting and other processes, thereby reducing the processing complexity and production cost of the antenna unit. The feed network 211, feed patch 212, and metasurface radiator 213 are located on the side of the substrate 210 facing the metal back cavity 220. They can form an air cavity with the metal back cavity 220, reducing the transmission loss of the entire antenna unit. The feed network 211 and the metal back cavity 220 also provide conditions for forming an air-suspended microstrip line structure, thereby reducing the transmission loss of the feed network 211. In addition, because the metasurface radiator 213 has electromagnetic bandgap characteristics for surface waves, it can suppress surface wave propagation within the antenna operating frequency band, thereby suppressing the mutual coupling between antennas caused by surface wave propagation, achieving antenna self-decoupling, and improving the isolation between antenna units.

[0075] Figures 3 to 5 are schematic diagrams of the surface structure of the substrate 210, wherein the feed patch 212 in Figures 3 and 4 is a square structure. The angle between the side of the square feed patch 212 and the side of the substrate 210 can be, for example, 45°, so that the antenna unit can achieve ±45° polarization. The number of feed patches 212 can be multiple, for example, the two feed patches 212A and 212B shown in the figure. When there are multiple feed patches 212, the multiple feed patches 212 can be arranged in a vertical direction and can be arranged on the central axis of the substrate 210. The vertical direction is the direction of the first side of the antenna unit. The first side of the antenna unit can be any side of the antenna unit. If the antenna unit is an asymmetric antenna unit, the first side can be the direction of the longer side of the antenna unit, that is, the direction shown by the y-axis in the figure. In addition, there can be a spacing between two adjacent feed patches 212 to accommodate the metasurface radiator 213.

[0076] The metasurface radiator 213 may include multiple patch units, and the multiple patch units may be arranged on both sides of the feed patch 212 in the vertical direction. For example, as shown in Figure 3 or Figure 4, when the number of feed patches 212 is 2, the patch units may include a patch unit 2131 arranged in the two end areas of the substrate 210 and a patch unit 2132 located in the area between the feed patches 212A and 212B (or the middle area of ​​the substrate 210), and the number of patch units 2131 and patch units 2132 may both be multiple. The patch unit 2131 located in the two end areas may also be referred to as the first patch unit 2131, and the patch unit 2132 located in the middle area may also be referred to as the second patch unit 2132. Alternatively, the patch unit 2131 located in the two end areas can be called the first patch unit, and the patch unit 2132 located in the middle area can be called the second patch unit. This application does not limit the name of the patch unit. The embodiment of this application takes the patch unit 2131 located in the two end areas as the first patch unit 2131 and the patch unit 2132 located in the middle area as the second patch unit 2132 as an example to introduce the structure of the metasurface radiator.

[0077] The projected area of ​​each patch unit in the multiple patch units on the substrate 210 along the direction perpendicular to the substrate 210 may be different from the projected area of ​​each feed patch 212 on the substrate 210 along the direction perpendicular to the substrate 210, or in other words, the size of the patch unit may be different from the size of the feed patch 212.

[0078] For example, the patch unit may also be a square structure, and the side length of the square patch unit may be smaller than the side length of the square feed patch 212, and the side lengths of the patch unit 2131 located at both end regions of the substrate 210 and the patch unit 2132 located in the middle region may both be smaller than the side length of the feed patch 212A or the side length of the feed patch 212B, so that the projected area of ​​the patch unit in the direction perpendicular to the substrate 210 is smaller than the projected area of ​​the feed patch 212 in the direction perpendicular to the substrate 210. The side length of the patch unit may also be larger than the size of the feed patch 212 (not shown in the figure), so that the projected area of ​​the patch unit in the direction perpendicular to the substrate 210 is larger than the projected area of ​​the feed patch 212 in the direction perpendicular to the substrate 210, but this application does not limit this.

[0079] When the antenna unit is excited, the feed patch 212 and the metasurface radiator 213 radiate together in combination with the metal back cavity 220. The projection areas of the patch units of the feed patch 212 and the metasurface radiator 213 in the direction perpendicular to the substrate 210 are different, which can adjust the radiation field distribution of the antenna unit in the vertical direction, improve the directivity coefficient, and regulate the beam shape of the incident radiation pattern in the vertical direction, such as the beam zero point position and depth.

[0080] Adjacent feed patches 212 and adjacent edges of the patch units can be parallel to each other. In other words, multiple patch units can also form a 45° angle with the edge of the substrate 210. Furthermore, a first gap can be provided between the feed patch 212 and the adjacent patch units, allowing the feed patch 212 to couple and feed the metasurface radiator 213 through the first gap.

[0081] In some embodiments, multiple first patch units 2131 and multiple second patch units 2132 are respectively located at the two end areas and the middle area of ​​the substrate 210, that is, multiple first patch units 2131 and multiple second patch units 2132 can be respectively located at the two side areas of the feeding patch 212A and the feeding patch 212B along the y-axis direction, and the projection area of ​​each first patch unit 2131 in the multiple first patch units 2131 along the direction perpendicular to the substrate 210 can be different from the projection area of ​​each second patch unit 2132 in the multiple second patch units 2132 along the direction perpendicular to the substrate 210. As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the size of a single first patch unit 2131 can be larger than the size of a single second patch unit 2132. For example, the side length of a single first patch unit 2131 can be larger than the size of a single second patch unit 2131, so that the projected area of ​​a single first patch unit 2131 along a direction perpendicular to the substrate 210 can be larger than the projected area of ​​a single second patch unit 2131 along a direction perpendicular to the substrate 210. Alternatively, the side length of a single first patch unit 2131 can be smaller than the side length of a single second patch unit 2132, so that the projected area of ​​a single first patch unit 2131 along a direction perpendicular to the substrate 210 can be smaller than the projected area of ​​a single second patch unit 2131 along a direction perpendicular to the substrate 210. For another example, the first patch unit located to the left of the feed patch 212A and the first patch unit 2131 located to the right of the feed patch 212B can also have different sizes.

[0082] Furthermore, the projected areas of multiple patch units located in the same region along a direction perpendicular to the substrate 210 may also differ. For example, in the middle region of the substrate 210, the side lengths of the patch units near the feed patch 212A and the side lengths of the patch units near the feed patch 212B may differ. For another example, to avoid the feed network, the patch units in the same region may be cut from a square structure to form a trapezoidal shape, etc., so that the projected areas of the patch units in the same region may also differ.

[0083] Multiple patch units are distributed in different areas on the substrate 210, and the projection areas of individual patch units in different areas along the direction perpendicular to the substrate 210 are different, which can adjust the radiation field distribution of the antenna unit in the vertical direction, improve the directivity coefficient, and control the beam shape of the incident radiation pattern in the vertical direction.

[0084] It should be noted that the multiple patch units of the illustrated metasurface radiator 213 are respectively arranged in the two side areas of the feed patch 212 along the y-axis direction, and the feed patch 212 may also be provided with patch units on both sides of the illustrated x-axis direction. Patch units are provided on both sides of the feed patch 212 along the x-axis direction, that is, patch units may be provided on the upper and lower sides of the first area indicated by the dotted box in Figures 3 to 5. For example, in the antenna unit shown in Figures 3 to 5, the patch units located on the left side of the feed patch 212A may be arranged in the negative direction of the x-axis and the positive direction of the x-axis, respectively, and the projected areas of the patch units on the left side of the feed patch 212A along the direction perpendicular to the substrate may be the same. The patch units located on the right side of the feed patch 212A may also be arranged in the negative direction of the x-axis and the positive direction of the x-axis, respectively, and the projected areas of the patch units on the right side of the feed patch 212A along the direction perpendicular to the substrate may be the same. The arrangement of the patch units around the feed patch 212B can be similar to that of the feed patch 212A. When patch units are also arranged on both sides of the feed patch 212 along the x-axis, the position of the feed network 211 can be moved accordingly along the x-axis. The portion of the feed network 211 located above the first region 214 can be moved along the positive x-axis direction, and the portion of the feed network 211 located below the first region 214 can be moved along the negative x-axis direction, so that the projection of the first portion 2111 of the feed network 211 in a direction perpendicular to the substrate 210 does not overlap with the projection of the area enclosed by the patch units and the feed patch 212 in a direction perpendicular to the substrate 210.

[0085] In some embodiments, among the multiple patch units of the metasurface radiator 213, the projected areas of the respective patch units along the direction perpendicular to the substrate 210 may also be the same.

[0086] It should be noted that in the embodiments of the present application, the patch elements of the metasurface radiator 213 shown in Figures 3 to 5 may include edge patch elements and internal patch elements. Any edge of the edge patch elements is adjacent to any edge of the rectangular first region 214, while the internal patch elements are located within the four edges enclosed by the edge patch elements. For example, the patch elements 2131 located at the two end regions of the substrate 210 include edge patch elements 2131A and internal patch elements 2131B, and the patch elements 2132 located in the middle region of the substrate 210 include edge patch elements 2132A and internal patch elements 2132B. The internal patch elements may have a square structure, while the edge patch elements may have a triangular structure to accommodate the shape of the substrate 210 and fully utilize the surface space of the substrate 210. In this example, the projected areas of individual patch elements 2131 and individual patch elements 2132 along a direction perpendicular to the substrate 210 may be the same, and the projected areas of individual internal patch elements 2131B and individual internal patch elements 2132B along a direction perpendicular to the substrate may be the same. The metasurface radiator 213 may also include only internal patch units, that is, it may include only the patch units of the square structure in Figures 3 to 5. In this case, the projection areas of a single patch unit 2131 and a single patch unit 2132 along the direction perpendicular to the substrate 210 are the same, and the projection areas of any two patch units of the metasurface radiator 213 along the direction perpendicular to the substrate 210 are the same.

[0087] When the patch units of the metasurface radiator 213 are distributed in different areas on the substrate 210, the patch units located on both sides of the feed patch 212 form a first gap with the feed patch 212, and the line widths of the first gaps formed between the patch units located on both sides of the feed patch 212 and the feed patch 212 can be different. For example, the line width l1 of the first gap formed between the patch unit located to the left of the feed patch 212A and the feed patch 212A can be different from the line width l2 of the first gap formed between the patch unit located to the right of the feed patch 212A and the feed patch 212A; the line width l3 of the first gap formed between the patch unit located to the left of the feed patch 212B and the feed patch 212A can also be different from the line width l4 of the first gap formed between the patch unit located to the right of the feed patch 212B and the feed patch 212A. The line width of the first slot can refer to the distance between two adjacent edges of the feed patch 212 and the adjacent patch unit. The line widths of the first slot formed between the patch units on either side of the feed patch 212 and the feed patch 212 can be different to adjust the impedance matching of the antenna unit.

[0088] The patch units on both sides of the feed patch 212 and the first slot formed by the feed patch 212 may also have the same line width. It is only necessary to ensure that the antenna unit can be coupled and fed through the first slot and radiate electromagnetic waves. This application does not limit this.

[0089] Among the multiple patch units of the metasurface radiator 213, there may be a second gap between any two adjacent patch units, and the metasurface radiator 213 can couple and feed and radiate electromagnetic waves through the second gap.

[0090] When the projected areas of the patch units located in the two end regions and the middle region along the direction perpendicular to the substrate 210 are the same, the line widths of the second gaps formed between adjacent patch units can also be the same. The line width of the second gap can refer to the distance between the two adjacent sides of the patch units. When the projected areas of the patch units located in the two end regions and the middle region along the direction perpendicular to the substrate 210 are the same, the line widths of the second gaps formed between adjacent patch units can also be different. For example, the first patch units located in the two end regions can be arranged more compactly to have a smaller second gap line width, while the second patch units located in the middle region can be arranged more sparsely to have a larger second gap line width. For example, as shown in FIG3 , the line width of the second gap 15 can be smaller than the line width of the second gap 16, and the line width of the second gap 17 can also be smaller than the line width of the second gap 16. The line widths of the second gap 15 and the second gap 17 can be the same or different. The second gaps between the patch units of the metasurface radiator 213 located in the same region can also be different, for example, by setting different levels of compactness in the same region. By adjusting the second slot line width, the beam shape of the incident radiation pattern in the vertical direction of the antenna unit can be adjusted.

[0091] Similarly, when the projected areas of any first patch unit 2131 and any second patch unit 2132 located on both sides of the feed patch 212A or 212B along the direction perpendicular to the substrate 210 are different, the line width of the second gap formed between two adjacent first patch units 2131 in the plurality of first patch units 2131 may also be different from the line width of the second gap formed between two adjacent second patch units in the plurality of second patch units 2132. For example, when the projected area of ​​any first patch unit 2131 along the direction perpendicular to the substrate 210 is larger than the projected area of ​​any second patch unit 2132 along the direction perpendicular to the substrate 210, the line width of the second gap formed between two adjacent first patch units 2131 in the plurality of first patch units 2131 may be smaller than the line width of the second gap formed between two adjacent second patch units 2132 in the plurality of second patch units 2132.

[0092] The second slot line widths between the patch units located in different areas are different, which can further adjust the beam shape of the incident radiation pattern in the vertical direction of the antenna unit.

[0093] Furthermore, the line width of the first slot and the line width of the second slot can also be different to further control the shape of the vertical incident pattern of the antenna unit. The line width of the first slot and the line width of the second slot can also be the same, as long as the antenna unit can radiate electromagnetic waves through the first slot and the second slot.

[0094] Continuing to refer to the structure shown in FIG5 , similar to the edge patch unit of the metasurface radiator 213 , in order to adapt to the shape and structure of the substrate 210 , when the size of the feed patch 212 is large, that is, when the side length of the feed patch 212 is large, the feed patch 212 can be a chamfered structure. For example, the square feed patch 212 shown in FIG3 or FIG4 is chamfered at a position close to the edge of the substrate 210 to obtain the feed patch 212 with a chamfered structure shown in FIG5 . The two corners of the feed patch 212 close to the upper and lower edges of the substrate 210 can be cut off, that is, the two corners of the feed patch 212 located in the x-axis direction can be cut off. The sizes of the two corners cut off from the feed patch 212 can be the same or different. The feed patch 212 has a chamfered structure, which can adjust the current path of the feed patch 212 and further optimize the polarization isolation and polarization purity within the antenna unit.

[0095] The feed patch 212 may include not only two cut corners in the x-axis direction, but also two cut corners in the y-axis direction, as shown in FIG6 . That is, based on the square feed patch 212 shown in FIG3 or FIG4 , all four corners of the square feed patch 212 may be cut off to form the cut corner structure shown in FIG6 , thereby further adjusting the symmetry of the feed patch. For example, the four cut corners of the feed patch 212 may be of the same size and shape, so that the feed patch 212 has not only horizontal symmetry and vertical symmetry, but also rotational symmetry, thereby further optimizing the polarization isolation and polarization purity within the antenna unit.

[0096] It should be noted that the shapes and sizes of the four corners cut off from the feed patch 212 may also be different, and the sizes of the cut corners may be adjusted according to the port isolation requirements and polarization purity within the antenna unit.

[0097] Continuing with the structure shown in FIG6 , the edge of the feed patch 212 may further include an opening portion 2121. For example, a rectangle may be cut out from the edge of the square feed patch 212 shown in FIG3 or FIG4 to form the opening portion 2121. The length of the opening portion 2121 may be the length of the long side of the rectangle, and the length of the opening portion 2121 may be less than the side length of the feed patch 212. When the feed network 211 is electrically connected to the feed patch 212, the opening portion 2121 may be provided on the edge of the feed patch 212 away from the feed network 211. The opening portion 2121 may be provided on the edge of both sides of the feed patch 212 away from the feed network 211, or may be provided on only one of the two sides of the feed patch 212 away from the feed network 211 (not shown in the figure). The inclusion of the opening portion 2121 in the feed patch 212 can further optimize the port isolation and polarization purity within the dual-polarization antenna unit.

[0098] In the embodiments provided in this application, the feed patch 212 may include only cut corners without the opening portion 2121 , or only the opening portion 2121 without the cut corners, or both the cut corners and the opening portion 2121 , which is not limited in this application.

[0099] FIG7 is a top view of the antenna unit provided in an embodiment of the present application. When the long side of the substrate 210 is small, that is, when the size of the substrate 210 along the y-axis direction shown in the figure is small, the number of feed patches 212 can be one, as shown in FIG7(a). Accordingly, the number of the second part 2112 of the feed network 211 can also be one. The feed patch 212 can be arranged in the middle position in the long side direction of the substrate 210, so that the metasurface radiator 213 can be arranged on both sides of the feed patch 212 in the vertical direction, and the sizes of the patch units on both sides of the feed patch 212 can be different. When the number of the feed patch 212 is one, the antenna unit can be equivalent to two traditional antenna units in the vertical direction. For example, as described above, the size and area of ​​the metasurface radiators in the areas on both sides of the feed patch 212 can be adjusted so that the radiation pattern of the antenna unit is equivalent to the radiation pattern of two traditional antenna units.

[0100] When the long side of the substrate 210 is larger, the number of feed patches 212 can be increased accordingly. For example, the two feed patches 212 shown in FIG7(b) can be included. The structure of the substrate 210 shown in FIG7(b) can refer to the structure of the substrate 210 described in FIG2 or FIG5 , and will not be repeated here. When the number of feed patches 212 is two, and the two feed patches 212 are arranged vertically on the substrate 210, the antenna unit can be equivalent to a traditional antenna with three feed units in the vertical direction.

[0101] The substrate 210 shown in (c) of FIG7 includes three feeding patches 212. Accordingly, the feeding network 211 is located in two parts of the first region 214 along the x-axis direction, and the number of second parts 2112 included in each part can also be three, and the three second parts 2112 are electrically connected to the three feeding patches 212 respectively. When the number of feeding patches 212 is three, there can be a spacing between two adjacent feeding patches 212 to set the metasurface radiator 213. Exemplarily, the feeding patches 212 from above the y-axis to below the y-axis can be feeding patch 212A, feeding patch 212B and feeding patch 212C in sequence, and the feeding patch 212B can be arranged on the symmetry axis of the substrate 210 parallel to the x-axis direction, and the distances between the feeding patch 212A and the feeding patch 212C and the feeding patch 212B can be the same or different. The sizes of the metasurface radiators 213 located on either side of the feed patch 212A and the feed patch 212C along the y-axis can be different, while the sizes of the metasurface radiators 213 located on either side of the feed patch 212B along the y-axis can be the same, and the sizes of the metasurface radiators 213 arranged at both ends of the substrate 210 along the y-axis can be the same; alternatively, the sizes of the metasurface radiators 213 located in different areas shown in Figure 7(c) can be the same or different. When the antenna unit includes three feed patches 212, the antenna unit can be equivalent to a traditional antenna with four or even five feed units in the vertical direction.

[0102] In practical applications of this antenna unit, the vertical dimensions of the antenna unit and the number of feed patches 212 can be designed and adjusted based on the array configuration or desired radiation effect. When the antenna unit includes multiple feed patches 212, the number of feed networks 211 can still be one or two. This greatly simplifies the structure of the feed network, and thus the overall structure of the antenna unit, while achieving the same or similar radiation effect as a traditional antenna unit with more feed points.

[0103] FIG8 is a top view of another substrate 210 provided in an embodiment of the present application, wherein the overall structure of the feed patch 212, the metasurface radiator 213, and the feed network 211 can be offset, wherein FIG8(a) can be the substrate structure shown in FIG6, and FIG8(b) can be obtained by offsetting the feed patch 212, the metasurface radiator 213, and the feed network 211 shown in FIG8(a) as a whole. The feed network 211 can be offset by a distance L in the negative direction of the y-axis from the position shown in FIG8(a), and accordingly, each feed patch 212 can also be offset by a distance L in the negative direction of the y-axis from the position shown in FIG8(a), and each patch unit of the metasurface radiator 213 can also be offset by a distance L in the negative direction of the y-axis from the position shown in FIG8(a). The overall structure of the feed patch 212, metasurface radiator 213, and feed network 211 shown in Figure 8 is offset in the negative direction of the y-axis. The overall structure of the feed patch 212, metasurface radiator 213, and feed network 211 can also be offset in the positive direction of the y-axis. This application does not limit the direction and distance of the offset. Offsetting the overall structure of the feed patch 212, metasurface radiator 213, and feed network 211 can assist in achieving beam deflection.

[0104] In the antenna unit described in Figures 2 to 8, the first region 214 where the feed patch 212 and the metasurface radiator 213 are located can be symmetrical, or in other words, the axis of symmetry of the first region 214 can be parallel to the y-axis direction shown in the figure, and the axis of symmetry of the first region 214 parallel to the y-axis direction can also be the axis of symmetry of the substrate 210 parallel to the y-axis direction. The first region 214 may also not have vertical symmetry, for example, the metasurface radiator and feed patch shown in Figures 2 to 7 can be offset as a whole along the x-axis direction shown in the figure. This application does not limit the symmetry of the first region 214 or the antenna unit as a whole.

[0105] The above describes the structure of the feed patch 212, the metasurface radiator 213 and the feed network 211 on the substrate 210 in combination with Figures 2 to 8. The following describes the structure of the metal back cavity 220 of the antenna unit. The structure of the metal back cavity 220 can be the structure shown in Figure 2. The metal back cavity 220 can be a semi-open frame structure. For example, the metal back cavity 220 can include a bottom plate 221 and a side wall 222. The bottom plate 221 can also be called a first metal plate. The side wall 222 can be arranged around the outer periphery of the bottom plate 221. The side wall 222 can include a first side wall 222A and a second side wall 222B. The first side wall 222A can be the side wall corresponding to the long side of the metal back cavity 220, that is, the side wall arranged along the y-axis direction shown in the figure. The second side wall 222B can be the side wall corresponding to the short side of the metal back cavity 220, that is, the side wall arranged along the x-axis direction shown in the figure.

[0106] The metal back cavity 220 may further include a second metal plate 223, which may be disposed vertically at the inner edge of the metal back cavity 220. In other words, one side of the second metal plate 223 may be fixedly connected to the first sidewall 222A. The second metal plate 223 may be suspended from the inner edge of the first sidewall 222A, or a gap may exist between the second metal plate 223 and the bottom plate 221 in the z-axis direction. When the substrate 210 is disposed on the metal back cavity 220, the second metal plate 223 may constitute a grounding structure for the feed network 211. When the feed network 211 is disposed on the side of the substrate 210 facing the metal back cavity 220, the second metal plate 223 and the feed network 211 may together form an air-suspended microstrip line structure. The second metal plate 223 and the feed network 211 together form an air-suspended microstrip line, which can reduce transmission loss of the feed network 211.

[0107] Figure 9 is a side view of the antenna unit. As shown in Figure 9, a third gap is defined horizontally between the first region 214 and the metal back cavity 220. When the metal back cavity 220 includes a second metal plate 223, this third gap can be the gap between the first region 214 and the second metal plate 223 along the x-axis, i.e., gap d1 shown in the figure. This third gap between the first region 214 and the metal back cavity 220 adjusts the cross-polarization discrimination (XPD) of the antenna unit.

[0108] The first region 214 and the metal back cavity 220 may also have a gap in the vertical direction, which may be referred to as a fourth gap. Alternatively, the fourth gap may be a gap between the first region 214 and the second sidewall 222B in the y-axis direction. This fourth gap may be referred to as gap d2 in FIG. The fourth gap between the first region 214 and the metal back cavity 220 in the vertical direction can adjust the cross-polarization discrimination of the antenna unit.

[0109] FIG10 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the metal back cavity 220. As shown in FIG10(a), the second metal plate 223 may include a main portion 2231 and an extension portion 2232. The main portion 2231 is the portion disposed at the inner edge of the first sidewall 222A. The extension portion 2232 may extend from the connection position with the main portion 2231 toward the center of the metal back cavity 220. The extension portion 2232 may be disposed at an angle to the main portion 2231, for example, at a 45° angle. The main portion 2231 and the extension portion 2232 may be located on the same plane. For example, the plane containing the main portion 2231 and the extension portion 2232 may be parallel to the xy plane shown in the figure. When the substrate 210 is disposed on the metal back cavity 220, the second portion 2112 of the feed network 211 can be disposed above the extension portion 2232. In other words, the main portion 2231 can constitute the grounding structure for the first portion 2111 of the feed network 211, and the extension portion 2232 can constitute the grounding structure for the second portion 2112 of the feed network 211. When the second metal plate 223 is suspended, that is, when the main portion 2231 of the second metal plate 223 is suspended, the extension portion 2232 can also be suspended. In other words, a certain gap can exist between the extension portion 2232 and the bottom plate 221 of the metal back cavity 220 in the z-axis direction. The second metal plate 223 includes the main portion 2231 and the extension portion 2232, which allows the shape of the second metal plate 223 to adapt to the shape of the feed network 211, facilitating impedance matching.

[0110] It should be noted that the main portion 2231 and the extended portion 2232 of the second metal plate 223 shown in the figure are located on the same plane, forming a planar structure, and are parallel to the xy plane shown in the figure. The second metal plate 223 can also be set at an angle to the xy plane shown in the figure, or can also have other structural shapes such as an arc surface. It is only necessary to ensure that the second metal plate 223 is not directly electrically connected to the feeding network 211 and can constitute the grounding structure of the feeding network 211. The width of the main portion 2231 of the second metal plate 223 can be greater than the width of the first portion 2111 of the feed network 211, and the width of the extended portion 2232 of the second metal plate 223 can be greater than the width of the second portion 2112 of the feed network 211. The width of the main portion 2231 can be the dimension of the main portion 2231 along the x-axis, the width of the first portion 2111 can be the dimension of the first portion 2111 along the x-axis, the width of the extended portion 2232 can be the dimension of the extended portion 2232 perpendicular to the extension direction, and the width of the second portion 2112 can be the dimension of the second portion 2112 perpendicular to the extension direction. The width of the main portion 2231 can also be less than the width of the first portion 2111, and the width of the extended portion 2232 can also be less than the width of the second portion 2112. The length of the extended portion 2232 can be the same as, or greater than, or less than the length of the second portion 2112. This application does not limit the dimensions of the second metal plate 223. When the feeding network 211 includes two parts located on the upper and lower sides of the first area 214, the number of the second metal plates 223 can be two, respectively constituting the grounding structure of the two parts of the feeding network 211; when the feeding network 211 includes only the part located on the upper side of the first area 214 or only the part located on the lower side of the first area 214, the number of the second metal plates 223 can be two or one, and one second metal plate 223 can be set on the corresponding side of the feeding network 211.

[0111] The metal back cavity 220 may also include only the first side wall 222A without including the second side wall 222B, as shown in (b) of Figure 10. The second metal plate 223 may be fixedly connected to the first side wall 222A only, without being fixedly connected to the second side wall 222B. When the metal back cavity 220 does not include the second side wall 222B, the fourth gap may refer to the gap between the first area 214 and the bottom plate 221 in the y-axis direction, or in other words, the projection of the first area 214 on the bottom plate 221 along the direction perpendicular to the bottom plate 221 may be located inside the area where the bottom plate 221 is located.

[0112] The second metal plate 223 may also be a solid layer, as shown in (c) in Figure 10. That is, the main portion 2231 of the second metal plate 223 may be a solid layer, and there may be no gap between the main portion 2231 of the second metal plate 223 and the bottom plate 221 of the metal back cavity 220, and the second metal plate 223 may be directly connected to the bottom plate 221. In this example, when the second metal plate 223 includes the above-mentioned extension portion 2232, the extension portion 2232 may also be a solid layer, that is, there may be no gap between the extension portion 2232 and the bottom plate 221 in the z-axis direction. When the main portion 2231 of the second metal plate 223 is a solid layer, a groove may also be made on the side of the metal back cavity 220 away from the substrate 210 at the position corresponding to the second metal plate 223 (not shown in the figure) to reduce the overall weight of the antenna unit.

[0113] The metal back cavity 220 may also not be additionally provided with a second metal plate 223, as shown in (d) in Figure 10. In the case where the height of the metal back cavity 220 is relatively small, for example, when the height of the metal back cavity 220 is less than or equal to 1 mm, the metal back cavity 220 may not include the second metal plate 223. The height of the metal back cavity 220 is also the size of the metal back cavity 220 in the z-axis direction. In the example, when the substrate 210 is provided on the metal back cavity 220, the bottom plate 221 of the metal back cavity 220 can serve as a grounding structure for the feed network 211, and the feed network 211 can form an air-suspended microstrip line with the bottom plate 221 to further simplify the structure of the antenna unit. When the metal back cavity 220 is not additionally provided with a second metal plate 223, the fourth gap can be a gap between the first region 214 and the first side wall 222A.

[0114] The antenna unit provided in the embodiments of the present application can be an asymmetric antenna, that is, the cross-sectional shape of the antenna unit along the xy plane can be a rectangle. The first side length of the antenna unit can be greater than or equal to the operating wavelength of the antenna unit. When the antenna unit is an asymmetric antenna unit, the first side length can be the length of the larger side of the antenna unit, that is, the length of the first side. The first side length of the antenna unit is greater than or equal to the operating wavelength of the antenna unit, which can adjust the vertical beam width of the antenna unit and maintain good cross-polarization discrimination of the antenna unit.

[0115] The second side length of the antenna unit can be less than or equal to half the operating wavelength of the antenna unit. If the antenna unit is an asymmetric antenna unit, the second side length can be the length of the smaller side of the antenna unit. The second side length being less than or equal to half the operating wavelength of the antenna unit can adjust the horizontal beamwidth of the antenna unit, maintain good cross-polarization discrimination of the antenna unit, and facilitate arraying of the antenna units along the horizontal direction.

[0116] An embodiment of the present application also provides a communication device, which may include one or more antenna units as described in the above embodiments. When the number of antenna units is multiple, the multiple antenna units can form an antenna array. For example, the multiple antenna units can be arranged in an array along the x-direction.

[0117] An embodiment of the present application further provides an antenna system, which may include one or more antenna units of any type described in the above embodiments.

[0118] An embodiment of the present application also provides a base station, which may include the above-mentioned antenna system.

[0119] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present application, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included in the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. An antenna unit, characterized in that: include: A substrate, on which a feeding network, a feeding patch and a metasurface radiator are arranged, the feeding patch and the metasurface radiator are located in a first area, and the feeding network is connected to the feeding patch; A metal back cavity, wherein the substrate is arranged on the metal back cavity.

2. The antenna unit according to claim 1, characterized in that The feeding network is connected to the feeding patch and includes: At least a portion of the feed network is located within the first area, and the portion of the feed network located within the first area is connected to the feed patch.

3. The antenna unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The feeding network, the feeding patch and the metasurface radiator are arranged on the same surface of the substrate.

4. The antenna unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The feeding network, the feeding patch and the metasurface radiator are arranged on a side of the substrate facing the metal back cavity.

5. The antenna unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The metasurface radiator comprises a plurality of patch units, and a projection area of ​​the feeding patch along a direction perpendicular to the substrate is different from a projection area of ​​each of the plurality of patch units along a direction perpendicular to the substrate.

6. The antenna unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The metasurface radiator includes a plurality of first patch units and a plurality of second patch units, wherein the plurality of first patch units and the plurality of second patch units are respectively arranged in two side areas of the feeding patch in the first area, and a projection area of ​​any one of the plurality of first patch units along a direction perpendicular to the substrate is different from a projection area of ​​any one of the plurality of second patch units along a direction perpendicular to the substrate.

7. The antenna unit according to claim 6, characterized in that The plurality of first patch units and the plurality of second patch units are respectively arranged at two side regions of the feeding patch along the direction where the first side of the antenna unit is located.

8. The antenna unit according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The metasurface radiator includes a plurality of patch units, and the plurality of patch units are distributed in different areas on the substrate. A first gap is provided between the feeding patch and adjacent patch units.

9. The antenna unit according to claim 8, characterized in that The patch units located at the two side regions of the feeding patch have different line widths from the first gap between the feeding patch.

10. The antenna unit according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that: The metasurface radiator includes a plurality of patch units, and a second gap is provided between two adjacent patch units among the plurality of patch units.

11. The antenna unit according to claim 10, characterized in that The second slot line widths of the patch units located at two side regions of the feeding patch are different.

12. The antenna unit according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that: The line width of the first slit is different from the line width of the second slit.

13. The antenna unit according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that: The metal back cavity includes a first metal plate, which is the bottom plate of the metal back cavity and is the grounding structure of the feeding network.

14. The antenna unit according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that The metal back cavity comprises a first metal plate and a second metal plate, wherein the first metal plate is the bottom plate of the metal back cavity, the second metal plate is fixedly connected to the first metal plate, and the second metal plate is the grounding structure of the feeding network.

15. The antenna unit according to claim 14, characterized in that The second metal plate includes a main part and an extension part, the main part is fixedly connected to the metal back cavity, and the extension part is arranged at an angle with the main part.

16. The antenna unit according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that A gap is formed between the first area and the metal back cavity.

17. The antenna unit according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that The number of the feed patch is one or more, and the one or more feed patches are arranged on the same surface of the substrate along the direction where the first side of the antenna unit is located.

18. The antenna unit according to any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that The edge of the feed patch includes an opening portion, and / or the feed patch is a cut-corner structure.

19. The antenna unit according to any one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that The first side length of the antenna unit is greater than or equal to the working wavelength of the antenna unit.

20. The antenna unit according to any one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that The second side length of the antenna unit is less than or equal to 0.5 times the working wavelength of the antenna unit.

21. A communication device, characterized in that: Comprising one or more antenna units according to any one of claims 1 to 20.

22. A system, characterized in that: Comprising one or more antenna units according to any one of claims 1 to 20.

23. A base station, characterized in that: Comprising one or more antenna units according to any one of claims 1 to 20.

Images