Optically Transmissive Patch Antenna for Photovoltaic Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Designing antennas for portable wireless devices that are compact, efficient, and compatible with photovoltaic layers to reduce size and power consumption while maintaining desired operating characteristics is challenging due to space constraints and the need for reduced power usage.
Innovation Solution
A stacked arrangement of layers in an electronic device, including a photovoltaic layer, an optically transmissive antenna ground plane, and a planar patch antenna with a flexible electrically conductive mesh layer, which allows for reduced size and efficient power usage while maintaining desired operating characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a solar cell is integrated into the antenna structure to reduce power consumption, then power efficiency is improved, but the antenna's electrical performance deteriorates due to the semiconductor material being neither a good conductor nor a good insulator
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna structure is divided into separate functional layers: a ground plane layer, a dielectric layer, and a patch antenna layer. The solar cell is integrated into the ground plane layer, allowing it to serve dual purposes as both a power-generating component and part of the antenna's ground structure. This segmentation enables the solar cell to be electrically isolated from the radiating patch element through the dielectric layer, preventing performance degradation while maintaining power efficiency benefits.
2Volume of moving object
If the size of a wireless device is reduced to improve portability, then ease of carrying is improved, but the available space for antenna components deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna design transitions from a traditional planar configuration to a multi-layer stacked architecture. By utilizing the vertical dimension with multiple layers (ground plane, dielectric, and patch layers stacked together), the antenna achieves the required electrical performance and radiation characteristics in a significantly reduced footprint. This three-dimensional arrangement allows the antenna to maintain functional area while reducing the overall device volume.
3Power
If a microstrip patch antenna uses strong near field reactive energies in the printed wire board dielectric, then antenna efficiency is improved, but heating losses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The dielectric layer parameters are optimized to reduce heating losses while maintaining the necessary near-field reactive energies for antenna efficiency. By carefully selecting the dielectric constant, loss tangent, and thickness of the dielectric layer between the ground plane and patch antenna, the design achieves a balance where the dielectric supports the required electromagnetic field confinement and resonance without excessive dielectric heating. This parameter optimization reduces energy loss while preserving antenna performance.
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 enables a compact, power-efficient electronic device with a patch antenna that cooperates with a photovoltaic layer, achieving desired operating characteristics and allowing for reduced size and extended battery life, while also allowing light transmission through the antenna for solar power generation.
Implementation Method 1
a photovoltaic layer above the substrate
Implementation Method 2
an optically transmissive antenna ground plane and a planar patch antenna with a flexible electrically conductive mesh layer
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device may include a substrate and a stacked arrangement of layers thereon. The stacked arrangement of layers may include a photovoltaic layer above the substrate, and an antenna ground plane above the photovoltaic layer. The antenna ground plane may include a first electrically conductive mesh layer being optically transmissive. The stacked arrangement of layers may further include a patch antenna above the photovoltaic layer and may include a second electrically conductive mesh layer being optically transmissive.