Low-Loss Feeding Network for High-Efficiency Antenna
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional high-gain antennas, such as reflector, horn, and metal waveguide slot antennas, face issues like high cost, large size, low integration, and high insertion loss, especially at high frequencies, limiting their commercial application and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A low-loss feeding network utilizing a vertical switching structure, substrate integrated waveguide, 2N-way power divider, coupling slots, and matching metal vias, which splits energy evenly into parallel-plane waveguides with equal amplitude but opposite phase electric fields, forming a virtual electric wall to reduce metal loss and enhance antenna gain.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional high-gain antennas (reflector, horn, metal waveguide) are used, then high gain is achieved, but cost increases, size increases, and integration decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) technology to create a planar copy of traditional three-dimensional metal waveguide structures. The SIW mimics the electromagnetic wave propagation characteristics of conventional waveguides while implementing them in a two-dimensional printed circuit board format, thereby achieving high gain with reduced complexity and improved integration
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical metal waveguide structures with electromagnetic field-based SIW structures implemented through printed circuit board technology. This substitution eliminates the need for complex mechanical assembly of metal components while maintaining the desired electromagnetic performance for high-gain antenna operation
2Device complexity
If conventional micro-strip antennas are used, then integration is improved, but insertion loss increases and radiation efficiency decreases at high frequency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs substrate integrated waveguide technology that combines the advantages of both metal waveguides and micro-strip lines. The SIW structure uses a composite approach with metal plates embedded in a dielectric substrate, creating a hybrid structure that maintains low loss characteristics of waveguides while achieving the integration and planar geometry of micro-strip technology
Solution Approach 2:
The feeding network is divided into multiple parallel-plane waveguide segments that are independently optimized for low-loss operation. Each segment handles specific portions of the energy distribution, allowing for minimized path lengths and reduced cumulative losses while maintaining the ability to feed multiple antenna elements
3Device complexity
If conventional feeding networks are used, then structure is simple, but metal loss at junctions increases and gain is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the problematic metal-to-metal junctions from the feeding network by using substrate integrated waveguide structures. The SIW technology replaces direct metal contacts with dielectric-based transitions, removing the primary sources of metal loss at junctions while maintaining structural integrity and electromagnetic performance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dielectric substrates as intermediary materials between metal components in the feeding network. These dielectric layers act as mediators that reduce direct metal-to-metal interactions and associated losses, while still providing the necessary mechanical support and electromagnetic coupling for the feeding network to function effectively
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 solution results in a high-efficiency antenna device with reduced metal loss, simplified structure, and maintained gain, capable of efficient energy radiation in phase through a symmetrical slot antenna array, suitable for high-frequency and potentially terahertz bands.
Implementation Method 1
The energy provided by a standard waveguide is coupled to the SIW through the vertical switching structure
Implementation Method 2
the energy of each way outputted by the 2N-way power divider is coupled to two parallel-plane waveguides through the coupling slots and the matching metal vias
Implementation Method 3
the electric fields of two adjacent parallel-plane waveguides are equal in amplitude but opposite in phase... the electric field at the junction of two adjacent parallel-plane waveguides is zero, so that an ideal virtual electric wall is formed
Implementation Method 4
the energy of the electric fields that are equal in amplitude but opposite in phase in the parallel-plane waveguides is radiated in phase through the slot antenna array
Data Source
AI summary
A low-loss feeding network comprises a vertical switching structure, a substrate integrated waveguide (SIW), a 2N-way power divider, coupling slots, matching metal vias and parallel-plane waveguides, wherein the energy provided by a standard waveguide is coupled to the SIW through the vertical switching structure, and the energy outputted by the SIW is evenly split into 2N parts by the 2N-way power divider; the energy of each way outputted by the 2N-way power divider is coupled to parallel-plane waveguides through the coupling slots and the matching metal vias, and the electric field at the junction of two adjacent parallel-plane waveguides is zero, so that an ideal virtual electric wall is formed, thus the structure of the feeding network is simplified, and the metal loss at the junction is reduced; finally, the energy provided by the low-loss feeding network is radiated in phase through the symmetrical slot antenna array.