# US 2021/0242601 A1 · A cavity-backed antenna element and array antenna arrangement > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0242601 A1 - Document ID: US20210242601A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/052,576 - Filed: 2018-05-04 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-04 - Assignees: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) - Applicants: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ) - Inventors: Stefan JOHANSSON; Hawal RASHID - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210242601A1 ## CPC - H01Q 21/0025: {Modular arrays} - H01Q 1/523: {between antennas of an array} - H01Q 9/0414: {in a stacked or folded configuration} - H01Q 9/0435: {using two feed points} - H01Q 9/045: {with particular feeding means (for circular polarisation H01Q9/0428)} - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) ## Abstract The present disclosure relates to an antenna element (1) comprising a lower conducting plane (2), an upper conducting plane (3) and an upper dielectric layer structure (4) that is positioned between the conducting planes (2, 3). The upper dielectric layer structure (4) comprises a plurality of conducting vias (5) that electrically connect the conducting planes (2, 3) to each other and circumvent an upper radiating patch (6) formed in, below or above the upper conducting plane (3). The conducting vias (5) circumvent at least one intermediate radiating patch (7, 8) that is formed in the upper dielectric layer structure (4), and a lowest intermediate radiating patch (7) that is closest to the lower conducting plane (2) is connected to a feed arrangement (9, 10) that comprises at least one feeding probe (9, 10) that extends via a corresponding aperture (13) in the lower conducting plane (2) and is electrically connected to the lowest intermediate radiating patch (7). ## Claims ### Claim 1 An antenna element comprising: a lower conducting plane; an upper conducting plane; and an upper dielectric layer structure that is positioned between the conducting planes, wherein the upper dielectric layer structure comprises a plurality of conducting vias that electrically connect the conducting planes to each other and circumvent an upper radiating patch formed in, below, or above the upper conducting plane, the conducting vias circumvent at least one intermediate radiating patch that is formed in the upper dielectric layer structure, a lowest intermediate radiating patch that is closest to the lower conducting plane is connected to a feed arrangement that comprises at least one feeding probe that extends via a corresponding aperture in the lower conducting plane and is electrically connected to the lowest intermediate radiating patch. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The antenna element of claim 1, wherein the upper dielectric structure comprises a separate dielectric layer formed for each radiating patch. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The antenna element of claim 1, wherein the upper conducting plane comprises an electrically conducting frame to which the vias are connected. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The antenna element of claim 1, wherein each feed arrangement is connected to a power distribution arrangement that extends in a lower dielectric layer structure, where the lower conducting plane is positioned between the upper dielectric layer structure and the lower dielectric layer structure. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The antenna element of claim 4, wherein the lower dielectric layer structure comprises at least one signal layer comprising the power distribution arrangement, and at least one dielectric layer for each signal layer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The antenna element of claim 5, wherein the lower dielectric layer structure comprises a bottom conducting plane and at least one dielectric layer positioned between the bottom conducting plane and the closest signal layer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The antenna element of claim 4, wherein the upper dielectric layer structure is formed as a separate upper part and where the lower dielectric layer structure is formed as a separate lower part, where furthermore the upper dielectric layer structure is adapted to be surface-mounted to the lower dielectric layer structure. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The antenna element of claim 7, wherein the upper dielectric layer structure comprises upper feeding probe parts and a first lower conducting plane, and the lower layer structure comprises lower feeding probe parts and a second lower conducting plane. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The antenna element of claim 1, wherein a first distance between the lowest intermediate radiating patch and the lower conducting plane falls below a second distance between the upper radiating patch and a closest intermediate patch. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) An array antenna arrangement comprising a plurality of antenna elements of claim 1, wherein the array antenna arrangement further comprises a feed assembly comprising the power distribution arrangements. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The array antenna arrangement of claim 10, wherein the feed assembly comprises a plurality of branches, where each branch is adapted to feed at least two antenna elements, such that each branch is adapted to feed a sub-array. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The array antenna arrangement of claim 10, wherein the feed assembly is connected to radio frequency, RF, circuitry. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The array antenna arrangement of claim 10, wherein each upper dielectric layer structure is formed as a separate upper part and where the lower dielectric layer structure is constituted by a common feeding arrangement, where a plurality of upper dielectric layer structures are adapted to be surface-mounted to the lower dielectric layer structure. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The array antenna arrangement of claim 13, wherein each upper dielectric layer structure comprises upper feeding probe parts and a first lower conducting plane, and the lower layer structure comprises lower feeding probe parts and a second lower conducting plane. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The array antenna arrangement of claim 10, wherein each antenna element is adapted to be surface-mounted to a common dielectric layer structure. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The array antenna arrangement of claim 15, wherein the common dielectric layer structure comprises a first conducting plane, a second conducting plane and a third conducting plane, where the first conducting plane comprises a first ground plane, the second conducting plane comprises a feeding network and is separated from the first conducting plane by a first dielectric layer, and where the third conducting plane comprises a second ground plane and is separated from the second conducting plane by a second dielectric layer, where furthermore each antenna element comprises a lower dielectric layer structure that comprises at least one upper feeding sub-probe part that is connected to the power distribution arrangements and where the common dielectric layer structure comprises a lower feeding sub-probe part for each upper feeding sub-probe part, where the lower feeding sub-probe parts are connected to the feeding network in the second conducting plane. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) A method for manufacturing an array antenna arrangement of claim 14, wherein, for each antenna element in the array antenna arrangement, the method comprises: applying a solder coating between the first lower conducting plane and the second lower conducting plane; placing an upper dielectric layer structure on the lower layer structure; and applying heat such that the solder coating melts. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) A method for manufacturing an array antenna arrangement of claim 16, wherein the method comprises: applying a solder coating between the bottom ground plane of the lower dielectric layer structure of the antenna elements and the first ground plane in the first conducting plane; placing the antenna elements on the common dielectric layer structure and applying heat such that the solder coating melts.