Radio frequency lens and method of suppressing side-lobes

A beam manipulating device to manipulate a radio frequency (RF) beam comprising:

• a refraction layer to refract an incident RF beam at a desired angle, wherein said refraction layer includes a first photonic crystal structure that produces an electromagnetic field to refract said incident RF beam, wherein said first photonic crystal structure includes:
• a first parent material including a first dielectric constant;
• and
• a first series of holes defined in said first parent material in a manner to vary said dielectric constant across said first parent material to produce said electromagnetic field for refracting said incident RF beam at said desired angle;
• and
• at least one impedance matching layer to impedance match said refraction layer, wherein at least one impedance matching layer includes a second photonic crystal structure including:
• a second parent material including a second dielectric constant;
• and
• a second series of holes defined in said second parent material in a manner to vary said dielectric constant across said second parent material in proportion to said first dielectric constant of said first parent material to impedance match said refraction layer.

A beam manipulating device to manipulate a radio frequency (RF) beam comprising:

• a refraction layer to refract an incident RF beam at a desired angle, wherein said refraction layer includes a first photonic crystal structure that produces an electromagnetic field to refract said incident RF beam;
• at least one impedance matching layer to impedance match said refraction layer;
• and
• an absorbing mask layer to absorb extraneous energy and suppress emission of side-lobes from said incident RF beam, wherein said absorbing mask layer includes a photonic crystal structure including:
• a parent material including an absorbing property;
• and
• a series of holes defined in said parent material in a manner to vary said absorbing property across said parent material to provide a desired absorption profile and reduce said side-lobes from said incident RF beam.

In a beam manipulating device including a refraction layer and at least one impedance matching layer, a method of manipulating a radio frequency (RF) beam comprising:

• (a) refracting an incident RF beam at a desired angle by producing an electromagnetic field via a first photonic crystal structure within said refraction layer, wherein said first photonic crystal structure includes a first parent material with a first dielectric constant, and step (a) further includes:
• (a.1) defining a first series of holes within said first parent material in a manner to vary said dielectric constant across said first parent material to produce said electromagnetic field for refracting said incident RF beam at said desired angle;
• and
• (b) impedance matching said refraction layer via at least one impedance matching layer, wherein at least one impedance matching layer includes a second photonic crystal structure including a second parent material with a second dielectric constant, and step (b) further includes:
• (b.1) defining a second series of holes within said second parent material in a manner to vary said second dielectric constant across said second parent material in proportion to said first dielectric constant of said first parent material to impedance match said refraction layer.

In a beam manipulating device including a refraction layer, at least one impedance matching layer and an absorbing mask, a method of manipulating a radio frequency (RF) beam comprising:

• (a) refracting an incident RF beam at a desired angle by producing an electromagnetic field via a first photonic crystal structure within said refraction layer;
• (b) impedance matching said refraction layer via at least one impedance matching layer;
• and
• (c) absorbing extraneous energy and suppressing emission of side-lobes from said incident RF beam via said absorbing mask, wherein said absorbing mask includes a photonic crystal structure including a parent material with an absorbing property, and step (c) further includes:
• (c.1) defining a series of holes within said parent material in a manner to vary said absorbing property across said parent material to provide a desired absorption profile and reduce said side-lobes from said incident RF beam.

A system for manipulating a radio frequency (RF) beam comprising:

• a signal source providing an RF beam;
• a beam manipulating device to refract said RF beam at a desired angle, wherein said beam manipulating device includes:
• a refraction layer including a first photonic crystal structure with a first parent material including a first dielectric constant varied across said first parent material to produce an electromagnetic field to refract said RF beam;
• and
• at least one impedance matching layer to impedance match said refraction layer, wherein said at least one impedance matching layer includes a second photonic crystal structure with a second parent material including a second dielectric constant varied across said second parent material in proportion to said first dielectric constant of said first parent material to impedance match said refraction layer and minimize surface reflections.

A system for manipulating a radio frequency (RF) beam comprising:

• a signal source providing an RF beam;
• a beam manipulating device to refract said RF beam at a desired angle, wherein said beam manipulating device includes a refraction layer including a first photonic crystal structure that produces an electromagnetic field to refract said RF beam, wherein said first photonic crystal structure includes:
• a first parent material including a first dielectric constant;
• and
• a first series of holes defined in said first parent material in a manner to vary said first dielectric constant across said first parent material to produce said electromagnetic field for refracting said RF beam at said desired angle;
• at least one impedance matching layer to impedance match said refraction layer, wherein at least one impedance matching layer includes a second photonic crystal structure including:
• a second parent material including a second dielectric constant;
• and
• a second series of holes defined in said second parent material in a manner to vary said second dielectric constant across said second parent material in proportion to said first dielectric constant of said first parent material to impedance match said refraction layer;
• and
• an absorbing mask layer to absorb extraneous energy and suppress emission of side-lobes from said RF beam.

In a system for manipulating a radio frequency (RF) beam including a signal source and a beam manipulating device, wherein said beam manipulating device includes a refraction layer including a first photonic crystal structure, at least one impedance matching layer and an absorbing mask, a method of manipulating said RF beam comprising:

• (a) providing an RF beam from said signal source;
• and
• (b) refracting said RF beam at a desired angle by producing an electromagnetic field via said first photonic crystal structure within said beam manipulating device, wherein step (b) further includes:
• (b.1) refracting said RF beam via said refraction layer;
• (b.2) impedance matching said refraction layer via said at least one impedance matching layer;
• and
• (b.3) absorbing extraneous energy and suppressing emission of side-lobes from said RF beam via said absorbing mask.