Cu/Co Metaconductor Array Antennas for RF Loss Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-frequency antennas face significant power losses due to RF resistance in long feeding transmission lines and power dividers, leading to reduced radiation efficiency, especially as frequency increases, necessitating a solution to mitigate skin effect and eddy current-induced losses.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a Cu/Co metaconductor array antenna with alternating multilayers of ferromagnetic and nonferromagnetic conductors, which reduces RF resistance by canceling out eddy currents and distributing current more uniformly, thereby enhancing antenna efficiency and bandwidth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional solid copper conductors are used in high-frequency antennas, then good electrical conductivity is achieved, but skin effect and eddy current losses increase significantly at frequencies above 24 GHz
Solution Approach 1:
The solid copper conductor is segmented into alternating thin layers of ferromagnetic (e.g., cobalt) and nonferromagnetic (e.g., copper) materials, creating a metaconductor structure. This segmentation disrupts eddy current paths and reduces skin effect losses at high frequencies while maintaining overall conductivity.
Solution Approach 2:
A composite metaconductor material is created by combining ferromagnetic and nonferromagnetic layers. The ferromagnetic layers provide magnetic permeability to counteract skin effect, while the nonferromagnetic layers maintain electrical conductivity, achieving reduced losses at 28 GHz and above.
2Productivity
If higher frequency spectra are used for 5G communication, then data rates above 1 Gbps are achieved, but attenuation in air increases and propagation distance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna conductor's magnetic permeability parameter is changed by introducing ferromagnetic layers, which modifies the skin depth and current distribution at high frequencies. This parameter change reduces conductor loss and improves radiation efficiency, enabling effective operation at 28 GHz and above where 5G high-speed data transmission occurs.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional copper conductors are used, then ease of manufacture is maintained, but thermal dissipation increases due to higher conductor losses at high frequency
Solution Approach 1:
The conductor material's magnetic properties are changed by adding ferromagnetic layers, which reduces resistive losses and consequently decreases thermal dissipation at high frequencies, addressing the heating issue without significantly complicating the fabrication process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The Cu/Co metaconductor array antenna achieves a 6 dB improvement in received signal power and nearly 80% conductor weight reduction, with superior performance compared to solid Cu antennas, while maintaining high energy efficiency and compactness suitable for 5G applications.
Implementation Method 1
copper/cobalt (Cu/Co) metaconductor nanolayers... reduces RF resistance by canceling out eddy currents
Implementation Method 2
reduces RF resistance by canceling out eddy currents
Implementation Method 3
mitigate skin effect and eddy current-induced losses
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure describes various embodiments of systems, apparatuses, and methods for implementing an array antenna having a combination of ferromagnetic and nonferromagnetic conductors in alternating multilayers. One such antenna device comprises an array of patch antennas on a substrate, wherein the patch antennas are formed of a combination of ferromagnetic and nonferromagnetic conductors in alternating multilayers; and a microstrip feeding line coupled to the array of patch antennas. Other systems, apparatuses, and methods are also presented.