Monolithic Transmitarray Stack With Active Phase Shift Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing millimeter and sub-THz frequency radio communication systems face limitations due to oxygen molecule resonance and free-space path loss, requiring high gain antennas, and prior solutions like passive transmitarrays are not reconfigurable and decrease system compactness.
Innovation Solution
A stack for a reconfigurable transmitarray antenna featuring a substrate with integrated active components, a metal ground plane, a cured polymer layer, and interconnect structures to form planar antennas, allowing phase shift control and monolithic integration for compact, high-frequency operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a passive transmitarray is used, then the antenna gain is improved, but the system loses reconfigurability and compactness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines passive transmitarray elements with active phase-shifting components into a single integrated structure. The active components are embedded within the transmitarray cell structure, allowing the system to maintain high gain while enabling electronic reconfiguration of beam direction and other parameters through programmable control of the active elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated active transmitarray cell serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the passive lensing function for beam focusing, active phase shifting for beam steering, and programmable control for reconfiguration. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by making the same structure adaptable to different operating modes while maintaining high gain performance.
2Productivity
If millimeter and sub-THz frequencies are used, then transmission rates are improved, but losses increase due to oxygen resonance and free-space path loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs active phase-shifting elements that can dynamically adjust the phase and amplitude of transmitted signals at each element. This allows for optimized beam forming and focusing at millimeter and sub-THz frequencies, compensating for the increased free-space path loss and oxygen resonance effects by concentrating energy more effectively in the desired direction.
3Stability of the object's composition
If dielectric pillars are used to support the transmitarray, then the structure is maintained, but system compactness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the phase-shifting functionality directly into the transmitarray cell structure, eliminating the need for separate dielectric pillar supports. The active components are embedded within the same planar structure as the radiating elements, creating a monolithic integrated circuit that maintains structural stability while significantly reducing the overall system volume and improving compactness.
Data Source
AI summary
A stack for fabricating an integrated circuit intended to perform an electromagnetic-lens function for a reconfigurable transmitarray antenna, the stack including in succession: a substrate that includes a set of first active components configured to generate a phase shift, and that has first and second opposite surfaces, the first active components being integrated monolithically into the substrate; a metal layer, forming a ground plane on the first surface of the substrate; a layer of a cured polymer, formed on the metal layer; vias that are electrically insulated from the metal layer and that are arranged to electrically connect pairs of planar antennas, each electrically connected pair of planar antennas including first and second planar antennas that are aligned along the normal to the first and second surfaces of the substrate.