Periodically rippled antenna

A microstrip patch antenna apparatus, comprising:

• (a) a silicon substrate with a patterned top surface of a plurality of troughs;
• (b) an oxide layer disposed over the patterned top surface of the substrate;
• (c) at least one radiating patch of one or more layers of a metal conductor disposed over the oxide layer;
• (d) a first input excitation port coupled to the conductor;
• (e) a second input excitation port coupled to the conductor at a position orthogonal to the first input excitation port;
• and
• (f) a ground plane adjacent to the substrate.

A method for fabricating a periodically-rippled patch antenna structure, the method comprising:

• forming an oxide layer on a substrate;
• depositing photoresist over the oxide layer and patterning the photoresist to form a trench pattern of exposed oxide;
• etching the photoresist and exposed oxide to form a trench pattern of exposed substrate;
• etching the exposed substrate using the oxide as an etch mask to form trenches in the substrate;
• removing the oxide etch mask to expose the etched substrate;
• and
• depositing a metal layer over the etched substrate;
• wherein a plurality of metalized parallel trenches is formed;
• and
• wherein the trenches are along one in-plane direction or along two perpendicular in-plane directions.