Millimeter Wave Antenna Substrate With Local Thickness Variation

Solution Overview

Problem

Millimeter wave antennas in existing technologies have high manufacturing costs and significant energy loss during transmission, which is undesirable for 5G applications.

Innovation Solution

A millimeter wave antenna design featuring a substrate with a first region of minimal thickness supporting the antenna and a second region, where the substrate includes a hollowed region to reduce energy loss and manufacturing costs, utilizing a combination of flexible and rigid materials like FR-4 substrates and a rigid adhesive to create a structure that minimizes energy loss while maintaining performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If a uniform thickness substrate is used, then manufacturing is simple, but energy loss is high

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy lossVSAvoidsubstrate structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The substrate is designed with different thicknesses in different regions: the first region has a first thickness while the second region has a second thickness greater than the first thickness. This local variation in thickness allows the antenna region to have minimal energy loss while the support region provides structural strength, resolving the contradiction between energy efficiency and structural requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Strength

If a thick substrate is used throughout, then structural strength is sufficient, but energy loss increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesubstrate strengthVSAvoidenergy loss

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The substrate is designed with different thicknesses in different regions: the first region has a first thickness while the second region has a second thickness greater than the first thickness. This local variation in thickness allows the antenna region to have minimal energy loss while the support region provides structural strength, resolving the contradiction between energy efficiency and structural requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Loss of energy

If a complex multi-layer substrate structure is used, then energy loss is reduced, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy lossVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The substrate is divided into two distinct regions: a first region with a first thickness and a second region with a second thickness. This segmentation allows the antenna to be positioned in the thinner region for reduced energy loss while the thicker region provides structural support, achieving performance optimization without requiring complex multi-layer structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The substrate is designed with different thicknesses in different regions: the first region has a first thickness while the second region has a second thickness greater than the first thickness. This local variation in thickness allows the antenna region to have minimal energy loss while the support region provides structural strength, resolving the contradiction between energy efficiency and structural requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS11721887B2Millimeter wave antenna and method of manufacturing the same

Publication Date: 2023.08.08 SHENZHEN JAGUAR WAVE TECH LTD

AI summary

A millimeter wave antenna and a process design of a millimeter wave antenna are provided. The millimeter wave antenna includes a substrate and an antenna attached to the substrate. The substrate includes a first region and a second region. A thickness of the first region is less than a thickness of the second region. The antenna is arranged on the first region. According to the present application, the millimeter wave antenna enables the substrate attached with the antenna to be as thin as possible, such that a medium structure of the first region of the substrate is changed, reducing an energy loss while a millimeter wave is being transmitted.