Antennas formed using multilayer ceramic substrates

An antenna comprising:

• a first ceramic layer and a second ceramic layer;
• metal layer disposed between the first and second ceramic layers;
• a plurality of radiating elements mounted on the first ceramic layer;
• a plurality of control circuits mounted on the second ceramic layer and coupled to the radiating elements through a plurality of conductive vias extending through the metal layer;
• and
• a waveguide embedded in the first ceramic layer and coupled to the radiating elements through conductive vias extending through the metal layer to route signals to the radiating elements.

An array antenna comprising:

• a first ceramic layer having a first feed element embedded therein;
• a second ceramic layer having a second feed element embedded therein;
• a radiating element disposed proximate the second ceramic layer opposite the first ceramic layer;
• a first ground plane disposed between the first and second ceramic layers, and a second ground plane disposed between the second ceramic layer and the radiating element;
• a first shielded coaxial transmission line which feeds through the first and the second ground planes to couple the first feed element to the radiating element;
• and
• a second shielded coaxial transmission line which feeds through the second ground plane to couple the second feed element to the radiating element.

An antenna comprising:

• a metal base layer;
• a first ceramic layer stacked on top of the metal base layer;
• a ground plane stacked on top of the first ceramic layer;
• a second ceramic layer stacked on top of the ground plane;
• a plurality of radiating elements mounted on top of the second ceramic layer;
• a third ceramic layer stacked on top of the radiating elements and the second ceramic layer;
• a plurality of parasitic radiating elements mounted on top of the third ceramic layer, each parasitic radiating element being proximate to and paired with a respective radiating element such that the pairs are capacitively coupled.

A planar antenna comprising:

• a metal base layer;
• a first ceramic layer disposed on top of the metal base layer;
• a first ground plane disposed on top of the first ceramic layer;
• a second ceramic layer disposed on top of the ground plane;
• a second ground plane disposed on top of the second ceramic layer;
• a third ceramic layer disposed on top of the second ground plane;
• a plurality of radiating elements mounted on top of the third ceramic layer;
• a first distributed network embedded in the first ceramic layer and coupled to the radiating elements through a plurality of vias extending through the first and second ground planes to provide a first signal having a first polarization to the radiating elements;
• and
• a second distributed network embedded in the second ceramic layer and coupled to the radiating elements through a plurality of vias extending through the second ground plane to provide a second signal having a second polarization to the radiating elements;
• whereby a radiated signal provided by the radiating elements may be controlled in polarity by controlling the first and second signals in magnitude.