Three-dimensional array antenna on a substrate with enhanced backlobe suppression for mm-wave automotive applications

A multilayer antenna array comprising:

• a substrate;
• a plurality of rows of receive antenna elements positioned on the substrate;
• and
• a plurality of rows of transmit antenna elements positioned on the substrate and spaced apart from the plurality of rows of receive antenna elements, each of the plurality of rows of receive antenna elements and each of the plurality of rows of transmit antenna elements comprise:
• a first microstrip patch positioned along a first plane;
• a second microstrip patch positioned along a second plane that is substantially parallel to the first plane;
• a ground plane having a slot formed therein;
• a microstrip feeding line positioned within a cavity defined in the substrate for propagating signals through the slot in the ground plane and to the second microstrip patch;
• and
• a backlobe suppression reflector for receiving some of the signals and reflecting the signals to the slot in the ground plane.