Dual Band Interleaved Phased Array Antenna

A crossed-dipoles antenna element comprising:

• a first balun-fed dipole comprising a first substrate, a lower slot carved out of the first substrate, and a first feed-line printed on the first substrate, the first feed-line being routed around the lower slot;
• and
• a second balun-fed dipole comprising a second substrate, an upper slot carved out of the second substrate, and a second feed-line printed on the second substrate, wherein the second feed-line is routed beneath the upper slot,
• wherein a longest segment of the first feed-line is longer than a longest segment of the second feed-line, and
• wherein the second feed-line includes at least one more segment than the first feed-line.

A base station antenna comprising:

• an antenna reflector;
• an array of crossed-dipoles antenna elements mounted to the antenna reflector;
• and
• a radome encasing the array of crossed-dipoles antenna elements, wherein the array of crossed-dipoles antenna elements are positioned in between the radome and the antenna reflector, and
• wherein an uppermost portion of at least one crossed-dipoles antenna element in the array of crossed-dipoles antenna elements conforms to a contour of the radome.

A phased array antenna comprising:

• an antenna reflector;
• a plurality of radiating elements mounted to the antenna reflector, the plurality of radiating elements including an array of low-band radiating elements and an array of high-band radiating elements, wherein the high-band radiating elements are configured to radiate at a higher frequency than the low-band radiating elements;
• and
• periodic structures mounted to the antenna reflector, the periodic structures being positioned around the bases of the radiating elements.

A phased array antenna comprising:

• an antenna reflector;
• a set of columns of low-band radiating elements mounted to the antenna reflector;
• a set of columns of high-band radiating elements mounted to the antenna reflector, wherein the set of columns of high-band radiating elements are interleaved with the set of columns of low-band radiating elements;
• and
• conductive fences running vertically adjacent to the set of columns of low-band radiating elements.

A phased array antenna comprising:

• an antenna reflector;
• a set of columns of low-band radiating elements mounted to the antenna reflector;
• and
• a set of columns of high-band radiating elements mounted to the antenna reflector, wherein the set of columns of high-band radiating elements are interleaved with the set of columns of low-band radiating elements, and
• wherein adjacent columns in the set of high-band radiating elements are vertically offset with respect to one another.

A balun-fed dipole of a crossed-dipoles antenna element, the balun-fed dipole comprising:

• a substrate;
• a feed-line printed on a face of the substrate, the feed-line extending at least partially across the lower region of the substrate;
• and
• a conductive layer printed on an opposing face of the substrate, the conductive layer comprising a bottommost end that is configured to be conductively joined to a ground plane, wherein the bottommost end is notched to reduce a surface area in contact with ground plane.