Split-Ring Antenna LC Resonance Size Cost Trade-off
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing antennas face challenges in reducing size and cost while maintaining high radiation efficiency, as they often require expensive magnetic materials or suffer from reduced efficiency due to loss from artificial magnetic elements.
Innovation Solution
An antenna design featuring a split-ring conductor with a split part, a connection conductor, and a feed line conductor that spans an opening, forming an LC series resonant circuit, allowing for reduced size and low-cost manufacturing without special materials, and achieving high radiation efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If magnetic materials are added to reduce antenna size, then antenna size is reduced, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive magnetic materials with inexpensive conductive materials (copper, aluminum, or conductive paint) to form the split-ring resonator. This substitution dramatically reduces manufacturing cost while maintaining the size-reduction benefit through LC resonance at optical frequencies where magnetic material losses are avoided.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operating regime from RF/microwave frequencies (where magnetic materials are needed) to optical frequencies (where LC resonance in simple conductors achieves size reduction). This parameter change allows the use of cheap conductive materials instead of expensive magnetic materials while still achieving compact antenna dimensions.
2Volume of moving object
If multiple split-ring resonators are arranged inside patch antenna, then antenna size is reduced, but radiation efficiency decreases due to loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the magnetic resonator structure from the interior of the patch antenna and replaces it with an external split-ring resonator coupled to the patch. This eliminates the dielectric losses associated with embedding multiple resonators inside the antenna, improving radiation efficiency while maintaining size reduction through the external resonator's LC resonance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a coupling mechanism (proximity coupling or inductive coupling) as an intermediary between the feed network and the split-ring resonator. This allows energy to be transferred efficiently without direct contact, reducing losses while enabling the resonator to achieve compact dimensions through LC resonance.
3Loss of energy
If conventional dipole or patch antenna is used, then radiation efficiency is maintained, but antenna size cannot be reduced below half wavelength
Solution Approach 1:
The patent exploits resonant oscillation (analogous to mechanical vibration) in the split-ring conductor at optical frequencies. By tuning the LC resonance of the split-ring structure to the operating frequency, the antenna achieves strong radiation from a compact structure, breaking the half-wavelength size constraint of conventional antennas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent pre-tunes the split-ring resonator's LC resonance to match the operating frequency before deployment. This preliminary resonance configuration allows the antenna to operate efficiently at a specific frequency from a compact size, eliminating the need for large dimensional structures.
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 antenna achieves a compact, cost-effective design with excellent radiation efficiency by using LC resonance in the split-ring resonator, efficiently radiating electromagnetic waves in a specific direction.
Implementation Method 1
the antenna element comprises: a first split-ring conductor having such a shape that a part of a ring is cut by a split part; a first connection conductor having one end that is electrically connected to the first split-ring conductor and another end that is electrically connected to the reflector conductor; and a feed line conductor having one end that is electrically connected to the first split-ring conductor, and the feed line conductor spans an opening that is formed inside the first split-ring conductor
Data Source
AI summary
An antenna according to one exemplary aspect of the present invention includes an antenna element and a reflector conductor that is arranged to be spaced apart from the antenna element. The antenna element includes a first split-ring conductor having such a shape that a part of a ring is cut by a split part, a first connection conductor having one end that is electrically connected to the first split-ring conductor and another end that is electrically connected to the reflector conductor, and a feed line conductor having one end that is electrically connected to the first split-ring conductor. The feed line conductor spans an opening that is formed inside the first split-ring conductor and overlaps an area surrounded by an outer edge of the first connection conductor.