Antenna array

A method of manufacturing an antenna array, the method comprising:

• forming a plurality of antenna modules, each of the said plurality of antenna modules being formed by supporting at least a portion of a signal conductor on a MEMS substrate, supporting one or more RF microelectromechanical (MEMS) switches on the said MEMS substrate, providing an antenna and conductively connecting the antenna to the signal conductor;
• providing one or more integrated circuits (ICs) comprising one or more MEMS controllers configured to control the said one or more MEMS switches of the antenna modules and/or signal processing circuitry configured to process signals received and/or to be transmitted by the antennas of the antenna modules;
• and supporting the antenna modules and integrated circuits on a common carrier substrate comprising any one or more of the group comprising:
• the antennas of the antenna modules;
• the MEMS switches of the antenna modules;
• and the said one or more integrated circuits, wherein the MEMS controllers comprise a plurality of MEMS controllers each of which is configured to control the MEMS switches of a plurality of antenna modules of the array and/or signal processing circuitry configured to process signals received and/or to be transmitted by the antennas of a plurality of antenna modules of the array, and one or more ICs comprises a master MEMS controller and a plurality of local MEMS controllers and wherein the master MEMS controller is configured to control the MEMS switches of the said plurality of antenna modules by providing control signals to the said local MEMS controllers responsive to input target steering directions/phase shifts/signal amplitudes/gains/polarisations to be implemented by the said plurality of antenna modules, wherein the master MEMS controller is configured to receive the said inputs from circuitry external to the array, and one or more MEMS controllers are configured to preload a plurality of registers with control signal data indicative of the next control signal for a respective MEMS switch and to transmit the control signals indicated by the preloaded registers to the MEMS switches responsive to a trigger signal.

An antenna array comprising:

• a plurality of antenna modules, each of the antenna modules comprising an antenna, a signal conductor and one or more radio frequency (RF) microelectromechanical (MEMS) switches, the antenna being conductively connected to the signal conductor, the MEMS switches and at least a portion of the signal conductor being supported by a MEMS substrate;
• and one or more integrated circuits (ICs) comprising one or more MEMS controllers configured to control the said one or more MEMS switches of the antenna modules and/or signal processing circuitry configured to process signals received and/or to be transmitted by the antennas of the antenna modules, wherein the antenna modules and integrated circuit(s) are supported by a common carrier substrate comprising any one or more of the group comprising:
• the antennas of the antenna modules;
• the MEMS switches of the antenna modules;
• and the said one or more integrated circuit(s), wherein the said one or more ICs comprises a plurality of MEMS controllers, wherein a discrete MEMS controller of the plurality of MEMS controllers is provided for each said antenna module, the said discrete MEMS controller being configured to control the MEMS switches of the said antenna module, wherein the discrete MEMS controller of each said antenna module is provided on a capping substrate comprising a capping portion wherein an enclosed volume is formed around the MEMS switches of that antenna module between the capping portion and at least a portion of the MEMS substrate of that antenna module, and each said MEMS controller is provided on a semiconductor IC substrate comprising a plurality of capping portions wherein respective enclosed volumes are formed around the MEMS switches of the antenna modules, the MEMS switches of which the said MEMS controller is configured to control between the respective capping portions and at least portions of the MEMS substrates of those antenna modules.

A method of manufacturing an antenna array, the method comprising:

• forming a plurality of antenna modules, each of the said plurality of antenna modules being formed by supporting at least a portion of a signal conductor on a MEMS substrate, supporting one or more RF microelectromechanical (MEMS) switches on the said MEMS substrate, providing an antenna and conductively connecting the antenna to the signal conductor;
• providing one or more integrated circuits (ICs) comprising one or more MEMS controllers configured to control the said one or more MEMS switches of the antenna modules and/or signal processing circuitry configured to process signals received and/or to be transmitted by the antennas of the antenna modules;
• and supporting the antenna modules and integrated circuits on a common carrier substrate comprising any one or more of the group comprising:
• the antennas of the antenna modules;
• the MEMS switches of the antenna modules;
• and the said one or more integrated circuits, wherein the said one or more ICs comprises a plurality of MEMS controllers, wherein a discrete MEMS controller of the plurality of MEMS controllers is provided for each said antenna module, the said discrete MEMS controller being configured to control the MEMS switches of the said antenna module, wherein the discrete MEMS controller of each said antenna module is provided on a capping substrate comprising a capping portion wherein an enclosed volume is formed around the MEMS switches of that antenna module between the capping portion and at least a portion of the MEMS substrate of that antenna module, and each said MEMS controller is provided on a semiconductor IC substrate comprising a plurality of capping portions wherein respective enclosed volumes are formed around the MEMS switches of the antenna modules, the MEMS switches of which the said MEMS controller is configured to control between the respective capping portions and at least portions of the MEMS substrates of those antenna modules.