Waveguide Slot Array Antenna Grating Lobe Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional waveguide slot array antennas suffer from grating lobe issues due to improper arrangement intervals of polarization slots, leading to radiation pattern deviations that fail to meet prescribed standards, and face design limitations in reducing antenna size and complexity.
Innovation Solution
The proposed waveguide slot array antenna incorporates a first auxiliary radiation plate with rotated polarization slots and a second auxiliary radiation plate with distributed second polarization slots, allowing for a more flexible slot array design that reduces grating lobe formation by optimizing the arrangement interval within the antenna structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If polarization slots are arranged with larger intervals to reduce grating lobe formation, then radiation pattern accuracy improves, but antenna size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The antenna structure is divided into multiple radiation plates (first radiation plate, second radiation plate, third radiation plate) with different slot arrangements. Each plate segment handles specific polarization components, allowing compact overall design while maintaining accurate radiation patterns through distributed slot configurations that prevent grating lobe formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional slot arrangement to a three-dimensional stacked structure with multiple radiation plates at different heights. The first, second, and third radiation plates are positioned at different vertical levels, creating a spatial distribution that reduces grating lobes while maintaining compact horizontal footprint.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If conventional single-layer slot array design is used, then device complexity is low, but grating lobe suppression performance is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The radiation function is segmented across multiple independent radiation plates, each with specific slot configurations for different polarization components. This segmentation allows each plate to be optimized for specific grating lobe suppression requirements while maintaining manageable individual plate complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple radiation plates are stacked in a nested configuration where the first, second, and third radiation plates are positioned at different vertical levels within the same spatial envelope. This nested arrangement achieves complex three-dimensional slot distribution for grating lobe suppression while containing the overall structure within a compact volume.
3Manufacturing precision
If slot arrangement interval is increased to meet radiation standards, then radiation pattern accuracy improves, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the antenna into multiple radiation plates with fewer slots per plate, the manufacturing precision requirements for individual slots are reduced while maintaining overall radiation pattern accuracy. Each plate can be manufactured and assembled separately, simplifying the processing of individual components.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves from increasing slot intervals in a single plane to utilizing the vertical dimension with stacked radiation plates. This allows maintaining smaller horizontal intervals (simpler manufacturing) while achieving grating lobe suppression through three-dimensional spatial distribution of slots across multiple plates.
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
This design effectively suppresses grating lobes, maintains proper antenna arrangement, and reduces unnecessary size and processing complexity, thereby enhancing the antenna's performance and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a first auxiliary radiation plate installed on the main radiation plate and configured to rotate a polarization plane of the signal radiated by the excitation slot array of the main radiation plate
Implementation Method 2
The waveguide has lower attenuation than a parallel two-wire line, a coaxial cable, etc., and thus is mostly used for high power in a microwave transmission line
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a waveguide slot array antenna having an excitation slot arrangement radiating a signal corresponding to an operating frequency in a radiation plate, the waveguide slot array antenna comprising: a first auxiliary radiation plate installed on a main radiation plate and rotating a polarization plane of a signal radiated from the excitation slot arrangement of the main radiation plate; and a second auxiliary radiation plate installed on the first auxiliary radiation plate and distributing and radiating the signal, the polarization plane of which has been rotated in the first auxiliary radiation plate.