Broadband multiple layer dielectric resonator antenna and method of making the same

A dielectric resonator antenna (DRA), comprising:

• an electrically conductive ground structure;
• a plurality of volumes of dielectric materials disposed on the ground structure comprising N volumes, N being an integer equal to or greater than 3, disposed to form successive and sequential layered volumes V(i), i being an integer from 1 to N, wherein volume V(1) forms an innermost volume, wherein a successive volume V(i+1) forms a layered shell disposed over and at least partially embedding volume V(i), wherein volume V(N) at least partially embeds all volumes V(1) to V(N−1);
• and
• a signal feed disposed and structured to be electromagnetically coupled to one or more of the plurality of volumes of dielectric materials;
• wherein a peripheral geometrical path at a periphery of the plurality of volumes of dielectric materials has a dielectric constant that supports a TM radiating mode in the peripheral geometrical path;
• and
• wherein a central geometrical path within the plurality of volumes of dielectric materials has a dielectric constant that suppresses the TM radiating mode in the central geometrical path.

A dielectric resonator antenna (DRA), comprising:

• an electrically conductive ground structure;
• a plurality of volumes of dielectric materials disposed on the ground structure comprising N volumes, N being an integer equal to or greater than 3, disposed to form successive and sequential layered volumes V(i), i being an integer from 1 to N, wherein volume V(1) forms an innermost volume, wherein a successive volume V(i+1) forms a layered shell disposed over and at least partially embedding volume V(i), wherein volume V(N) at least partially embeds all volumes V(1) to V(N−1);
• and
• a signal feed disposed and structured to be electromagnetically coupled to one or more of the plurality of volumes of dielectric materials;
• wherein the plurality of volumes of dielectric materials have a first electrical path with a first path length defined by a TE half wavelength resonance, and have a second geometrical path with a second path length defined by a TM half wavelength resonance, a ratio of the first path length to the second path length being equal to or greater than 1.6.

A dielectric resonator antenna (DRA), comprising:

• an electrically conductive ground structure;
• a plurality of volumes of dielectric materials disposed on the ground structure comprising N volumes, N being an integer equal to or greater than 3, disposed to form successive and sequential layered volumes V(i), i being an integer from 1 to N, wherein volume V(1) forms an innermost volume, wherein a successive volume V(i+1) forms a layered shell disposed over and at least partially embedding volume V(i), wherein volume V(N) at least partially embeds all volumes V(1) to V(N−1);
• and
• a signal feed disposed and structured to be electromagnetically coupled to one or more of the plurality of volumes of dielectric materials;
• and further comprising:
• a volume V(A) of one or more materials disposed within the plurality of volumes of dielectric materials, the volume V(A) being disposed diametrically opposing the signal feed and at least partially embedded in the same volume V(i) of the plurality of volumes of dielectric materials that the signal feed is disposed in or is in signal communication with, the volume V(A) having less volume than the volume V(i) that it is at least partially embedded in, the volume V(A) having a dielectric constant that is different from the dielectric constant of the volume V(i) that it is at least partially embedded in.

A dielectric resonator antenna (DRA), comprising:

• an electrically conductive ground structure;
• a plurality of volumes of dielectric materials disposed on the ground structure;
• a signal feed disposed and structured to be electromagnetically coupled to one or more of the plurality of volumes of dielectric materials;
• and
• an electrically conductive fence disposed circumferentially around the plurality of volumes of dielectric materials, and electrically connects with and forms part of the ground structure;
• wherein the electrically conductive fence has a non-uniform interior shape that provides at least one alignment feature;
• wherein the plurality of volumes of dielectric materials has a complementary exterior shape that complements the non-uniform interior shape and the at least one alignment feature of the fence, such that the fence and the plurality of volumes of dielectric materials have a defined and fixed alignment relative to each other via the at least one alignment feature.