Stacked Patch Antenna Unit for 60 GHz Bandwidth and Gain
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing 60 GHz antenna designs face challenges in achieving high gain and bandwidth due to fabrication processes, particularly with slot feeding methods, which are difficult to control and integrate in mass production scenarios, leading to increased area and reduced antenna features.
Innovation Solution
A patch antenna unit utilizing a four-layer substrate with copper sheets for radiation patches, a ground plane, and a coupling slot to effectively feed high-frequency signals, inducing distributed current for radiation, reducing parasitic effects and enhancing bandwidth and gain without additional fabrication processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If slot feeding method is used for 60 GHz antenna, then antenna gain is affected by fabrication process, but bandwidth control becomes difficult and integration in mass fabrication scenarios is not feasible
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna system is segmented into distinct functional layers: radiation patches on the first and second substrates, feeding structures on the third substrate, and ground planes on the fourth substrate. This segmentation allows each layer to be optimized and fabricated independently using standard PCB processes, eliminating the integration difficulties of slot feeding methods while maintaining mass fabrication feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a planar slot feeding structure to a three-dimensional stacked patch antenna configuration with multiple substrates arranged in layers. This dimensional change enables electromagnetic coupling between patches on different substrates, providing stable gain characteristics that are insensitive to fabrication tolerances while maintaining ease of manufacture through standard multi-layer PCB techniques.
2Reliability
If multiple patch antennas are used to increase gain, then area increases, but antenna feature quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna system employs a nested stacked configuration where multiple radiation patches are arranged vertically across different substrates rather than horizontally in the same plane. The first and second radiation patches are positioned at different heights (z-dimension), creating a compact three-dimensional structure that achieves high gain through spatial nesting, thereby reducing the planar footprint while maintaining antenna feature quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes the vertical dimension by stacking radiation patches on multiple substrates arranged in layers. This three-dimensional arrangement allows multiple effective radiating elements to be packed into a compact volume, increasing gain without proportionally increasing the planar area, thus maintaining excellent antenna features in a space-efficient configuration.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional dielectric layer substrate is used for antenna design, then integration with chip is achieved, but parasitic effects increase and bandwidth is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna system employs a composite multi-substrate structure with different dielectric layers (first, second, third, and fourth substrates) each optimized for specific functions. This composite construction allows control of parasitic effects through strategic grounding and spacing, while maintaining chip integration capability. The distributed capacitance and inductance across multiple layers reduce resonant parasitics, expanding bandwidth without sacrificing integration.
Solution Approach 2:
By segmenting the antenna into multiple independent substrates with distinct functions (radiation, feeding, grounding), the invention isolates parasitic effects to specific layers. The ground planes on the fourth substrate and intermediate grounding structures on the third substrate provide shielding that suppresses parasitic coupling between radiation patches and the integrated chip, thereby maintaining high bandwidth and gain performance while achieving seamless integration.
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 solution achieves high-bandwidth and high-gain performance with improved electromagnetic compatibility and forward radiation features, maintaining reliability and consistency in processing, and reducing signal loss across a wide frequency band.
Implementation Method 1
electromagnetic fields are generated at two ends of the feeder; a distributed current is induced by the two layers of radiation patches based on a magnetic field component in the electromagnetic fields and by means of the coupling slot
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3a~3c
Figure 3d~3e
AI summary
The present invention relates to the field of communications technologies and discloses a patch antenna unit and an antenna. The patch antenna unit includes a first support layer, a substrate, a second support layer, and an integrated circuit that are stacked. One radiation patch is attached to the first support layer, and one radiation patch is attached to the second support layer. A ground layer is disposed on the second support layer, a coupling slot is disposed on the ground layer, and a feeder corresponding to the coupling slot is disposed on the second support layer. The integrated circuit is connected to the first ground layer and the feeder. In the foregoing specific technical solution, a four-layer substrate is used for fabrication. A coupling slot on a third layer may be used to effectively feed high-frequency signals of a full-frequency band of 57-66 GHz into an antenna on the two higher layers for radiation. A parasitic effect is reduced. In addition, a stacked structure increases an effective area of an antenna. A low parasitic parameter and a large effective area that are achieved provide the antenna with a high bandwidth and a high gain.