PCB Antenna Radiating Element for Compact 5G MIMO Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing antenna vibrators face challenges in reducing size, weight, and increasing bandwidth while maintaining performance, particularly in 5G communication systems, due to limitations in design and manufacturing processes such as hot shrinkage deformation, low precision, and complex assembly.
Innovation Solution
A radiating element with a vibrator radiating circuit board and balun circuit board, where the radiating arms and balun are printed on separate PCBs, reducing height and width, and incorporating metallized pillars and slots to extend bandwidth and improve isolation, facilitating SMT mass production without increasing manufacturing costs or complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the height of the vibrator is set to one-quarter of a wavelength to maintain radiation performance, then the radiation performance is ensured, but the volume of the antenna becomes large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the electrical parameters by introducing slots and metallized pillars that alter the effective electrical length of the radiating arm. This allows the physical height to be reduced while maintaining the electrical equivalent of a quarter-wavelength structure, thus preserving radiation performance with compact dimensions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a three-dimensional volumetric structure to a planar two-dimensional structure by printing the radiating arms and balun on circuit boards. This dimensional reduction achieves volume compression while maintaining functional performance through careful design of the planar geometry
2Adaptability or versatility
If a metal pillar is added at the end corner of the printed vibrator to widen bandwidth, then the bandwidth is increased, but the manufacturing process and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the bandwidth-extension function into the printed circuit board structure itself by integrating slots and metallized pillars directly into the PCB fabrication process. This combines multiple functions (radiation, bandwidth extension, grounding) into a single manufactured component, eliminating separate assembly steps and reducing cost
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical bandwidth-extension structures (such as physical metal pillars requiring separate attachment) with printed conductive patterns and slots created through PCB manufacturing processes, substituting mechanical assembly with integrated circuit fabrication
3Volume of stationary object
If the size of the PCB patch vibrator is reduced, then the volume is decreased, but the isolation is sacrificed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality enhancement by strategically placing slots and metallized pillars at specific locations on the circuit board to optimize isolation performance in critical areas while maintaining overall compact size. The grounding structure is locally optimized to provide sufficient isolation without increasing overall dimensions
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a pre-5th-Generation (5G) or 5G communication system to be provided for supporting higher data rates Beyond 4th-generation (4G) communication system, such as long term evolution (LTE). A radiating element of an antenna is provided. The radiating element includes a vibrator radiating circuit board, wherein vibrator radiating arms arranged in pairs are printed on the vibrator radiating circuit board, a width of the vibrator radiating arms is less than one-half of a wavelength, a vibrator balun circuit board, configured to support the vibrator radiating circuit board, wherein a vibrator balun is printed on the vibrator balun circuit board, a height of the vibrator balun is at least less than one-fifth of the wavelength, the vibrator balun comprises at least one first slot. Based on the disclosure, especially for a large array base station and micro base station of 5G-massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), the overall performance of the antenna, such as bandwidth, isolation, gain, cross polarization, or the like, may be improved, and the volume of the antenna is reduced with relatively small performance loss.