Surface wave antenna using graded dielectric material
AssigneeL-3 Communications Corporation
InventorsGeorge Zohn Hutcheson, Maurio Batista Grando
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A surface wave antenna system is presented. The surface wave antenna system is configured to be coupled to a surface and includes an antenna and a radiation modifier. The radiation modifier includes a material having a graded dielectric constant. A final portion of the radiation modifier includes material having a dielectric constant that produces a signal phase velocity in signals emitted from the radiation modifier that is substantially equal to a phase velocity of signals on the surface.
Claims31
A surface wave antenna system configured to be coupled to a surface, comprising:
- an antenna;
- and
- a radiation modifier comprising a material having a graded dielectric constant, where the graded dielectric constant of the material reduces signals emitted from or received by the antenna system in directions other than a desired direction of propagation and increases the gain of the antenna system in the desired direction of propagation, wherein a final portion of the radiation modifier comprises material having a dielectric constant that produces a desired phase velocity in signals emitted from or received by the radiation modifier.
A surface wave antenna system configured to be coupled to a surface, comprising:
- an antenna;
- and
- a radiation modifier comprising a material having a graded dielectric constant, wherein a final portion of the radiation modifier comprises material having a dielectric constant that produces a desired phase velocity in signals emitted from the radiation modifier:
- wherein an initial portion of the radiation modifier comprises material having a dielectric constant that reduces reflections from the surface of the initial portion of signals emitting from the antenna and entering the radiation modifier.
A radiation modifier configured to be used with an antenna as part of an antenna system and to be coupled to a surface, the radiation modifier comprising a material having a graded dielectric constant, where the graded dielectric constant of the material reduces signals emitted from or received by the antenna system in directions other than a desired direction of propagation and increases the gain of the antenna system in the desired direction of propagation, and wherein a final portion of the radiation modifier comprises material having a dielectric constant that produces a desired phase velocity in signals emitted from the radiation modifier.
A method, comprising:
- emitting or receiving signals of desired phase velocity from a final portion of a radiation modifier of a surface wave antenna system that is coupled to a surface, the final portion of the radiation modifier comprising a material having a dielectric constant producing a desired phase velocity in the emitted or received signals, and the radiation modifier being coupled between an antenna and the surface;
- and
- where the radiation modifier comprises a material having a graded dielectric constant that reduces signals emitted from or received by the antenna system in directions other than a desired direction of propagation and increases the gain of the antenna system in the desired direction of propagation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.