Reflect Array Antenna with Secondary Reflector for Wideband Gain
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Solution Overview
Problem
Reflect array antennas with flat reflecting plates have narrow band characteristics compared to parabolic antennas, and existing solutions that broaden bands still suffer from residual aberration, leading to reduced gain at frequencies other than the set frequency.
Innovation Solution
A reflector antenna device with a primary radiator, a primary reflector featuring a dielectric plate and aligned resonance elements to adjust the phase of reflected waves, and a secondary reflector that adjusts the route length for radio waves of different frequencies to equalize wavelength-to-route length ratios, ensuring high aperture efficiency across a wide frequency band.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a flat plate reflector with resonance elements is used, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but the frequency band becomes narrow and aperture efficiency decreases at frequencies other than the set frequency
Solution Approach 1:
The reflector is segmented into multiple resonance elements (patches) arranged in a grid pattern on the flat plate. Each resonance element can be independently designed and manufactured, allowing the overall structure to achieve broadband performance through collective operation while maintaining manufacturing simplicity. The segmentation enables frequency diversity without requiring a complex monolithic structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a traditional two-dimensional flat reflector to a three-dimensional structured surface by adding resonance elements with specific geometries and orientations. This dimensional enhancement allows the reflector to manipulate electromagnetic waves in multiple polarizations and frequency ranges simultaneously, broadening the operational bandwidth while maintaining a relatively simple flat plate substrate.
2Manufacturing precision
If resonance elements are aligned on the reflection surface, then phase control is improved, but residual aberration occurs at frequencies other than the set frequency reducing gain
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the reflector surface are equipped with resonance elements having locally optimized properties (size, shape, orientation) tailored to specific frequency ranges and polarization requirements. This local quality variation allows precise phase control at the design frequency while simultaneously providing aberration correction across the broader bandwidth, as each local region contributes differently to the overall wavefront shaping.
Solution Approach 2:
The resonance elements utilize variable geometric parameters (dimensions, spacing, orientation angles) that can be adjusted to control the phase response across different frequencies. By optimizing these parameters, the system achieves accurate phase control at the set frequency while minimizing residual aberrations at other frequencies, thereby maintaining stable gain across the bandwidth.
3Manufacturing precision
If the route length is optimized for a set frequency, then aperture efficiency is maximized at that frequency, but performance degrades at other frequencies in the band
Solution Approach 1:
The flat plate reflector with resonance elements is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it provides efficient reflection at the set frequency while also correcting aberrations and maintaining performance across the entire frequency band. The resonance elements serve dual purposes of phase control and bandwidth extension, making the reflector universally effective across multiple operating conditions rather than being optimized for a single frequency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system exhibits dynamic adaptability across frequencies through the resonant characteristics of the elements. As frequency varies, different resonance modes are excited, allowing the reflector to dynamically adjust its effective electrical length and phase response. This dynamic behavior enables the maintenance of high aperture efficiency across a wide frequency range, with the system automatically adapting to frequency changes without requiring mechanical adjustment.
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 device achieves high aperture efficiency in a wide frequency band by adjusting route lengths and phase alignment, reducing phase errors and broadening the frequency range beyond the set frequency, outperforming traditional reflect array antennas.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of resonance elements that are aligned on a surface of the dielectric plate that is a reflection surface for reflecting the radio wave, and each adjust a phase of a reflected wave of the incident radio wave
Implementation Method 2
a secondary reflector including a reflection surface on which the radio wave radiated from the primary radiator is incident and that reflects the incident radio wave toward the primary reflector
Data Source
AI summary
A reflector antenna device includes: a primary radiator to radiate a radio wave; a primary reflector including a dielectric plate of a flat plate shape, and resonance elements that are aligned on a reflection surface of the dielectric plate, and each adjust a phase of a reflected wave of the incident radio wave; and a secondary reflector including a reflection surface on which the radio wave radiated from the primary radiator is incident and that reflects the incident radio wave toward the primary reflector, the reflection surface making a route length from the primary radiator to the reflection surface of the primary reflector of a radio wave of a high frequency radiated from the primary radiator longer than a route length from the primary radiator to the reflection surface of the primary reflector of a radio wave of a low frequency radiated from the primary radiator.