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US 2024/0195071 A1Published application
Flat Panel Antenna
AssigneeSN Space Systems Limited
InventorsShafaq Kauser, Ninh Le, Erik Fountain
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Abstract
A flat panel antenna fed by a planar feed array and steered by varactors performs the function of a single beam phased array antenna. This flat panel antenna has a planar array to passively amplify radio frequency (RF) signals, and a transmitarray metasurface having an array of unit cells to steer the antenna's main beam. It uses varactors to dynamically control the phase shift for each unit cell.
Claims17
A steerable antenna comprising:
- a feed array configured to generate plane waves;
- a metasurface comprising an array of unit cells;
- wherein a unit cell comprises multiple spaced-apart unit cell layers, each unit cell layer having a substrate and a conductive overlay including at least one variable capacitor (varactor);
- a bias layer;
- and
- vias connected to the bias layer and passing through the unit cell layers;
- wherein the bias layer is configured to separately control varactor capacitances with the vias such that each unit cell independently shifts the phase of electromagnetic waves.
4 more elements
A method of steering a beam comprising:
- providing a flat feed array;
- generating plane waves with the feed array;
- providing a metasurface comprising an array of unit cells having varactors, the unit cells configured to steer beams according to capacitance of the varactors;
- impinging the plane waves on the metasurface;
- and
- varying the capacitance of the varactors to steer beams resulting from the plane waves.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.