# US 9,437,921 B2 · Optically reconfigurable RF fabric > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,437,921 B2 - Document ID: US9437921B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/172,190 - Filed: 2014-02-04 - Published: 2015-08-06 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-02-04 - Assignees: Raytheon Company - Applicants: Raytheon Company - Inventors: Michael H. Robson; Michael T. Pace - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9437921B2 ## CPC - H01Q 1/364: {using a particular conducting material, e.g. superconductor} - H01Q 3/01: varying the shape of the antenna or antenna system - H01Q 9/0442: {with particular tuning means} - H10P 95/00: Generic processes or apparatus for manufacture or treatments not covered by the other groups of this subclass - H10K 59/60: OLEDs integrated with inorganic light-sensitive elements, e.g. with inorganic solar cells or inorganic photodiodes - H01Q: ANTENNAS, i.e. RADIO AERIALS (radiators or antennas for microwave heating H05B6/72) - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES ## Abstract A system to configure a planar microwave circuit, a method of forming a configurable planar microwave circuit, and a microwave circuit are described. The system includes a ground plane and a substrate disposed on the ground plane. The system also includes a photosensitive layer disposed on the substrate. A light source controllably changes a pattern of illumination on the photosensitive layer to controllably configure a transmission line in the photosensitive layer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system to configure a planar microwave circuit, comprising: a ground plane; a substrate disposed on the ground plane; a photosensitive layer disposed on the substrate; and a light source configured to controllably illuminate a selected portion of the photosensitive layer according to a pattern to controllably configure a transmission line only in the selected portion of the photosensitive layer corresponding with the pattern. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the ground plane is a copper plane and the substrate is a dielectric layer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the light source is configured to illuminate the photosensitive layer through backlighting or through projection. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, wherein the planar microwave circuit is one of a filter, phase shifter, matching network, or power divider. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1, further comprising a microstrip transmission line layer and a second substrate disposed on the microstrip transmission line layer, the ground plane being disposed on the second substrate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system according to claim 5, wherein the planar microwave circuit is a patch antenna, a patch layer of the patch antenna comprises the photosensitive layer and the light source, the light source being a layer of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system according to claim 6, wherein the microstrip transmission line layer and the ground plane are comprised of copper, and the second substrate is a dielectric layer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The system according to claim 6, wherein the microstrip transmission line layer includes a second photosensitive layer and a second layer of OLEDs and the ground plane includes a third photosensitive layer and a third layer of OLEDs, the second substrate is a dielectric layer, and the second layer of OLEDs and the third OLEDs are controlled to control conductivity of the second photosensitive layer and the third photosensitive layer, respectively. ### Claim 9 A method of forming a configurable planar microwave circuit, the method comprising: disposing a substrate on a ground plane; disposing a photosensitive layer on the substrate; and configuring a light source above the photosensitive layer, the light source operable to illuminate a selected portion of the photosensitive layer according to a pattern to controllably configure a transmission line only in the selected portion of the photosensitive layer corresponding with the pattern. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the disposing the substrate on the ground plane includes disposing a dielectric layer on a copper plane. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the configuring the light source to overlay the pattern of illumination includes configuring the light source to illuminate the photosensitive layer through backlighting or through projection. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the forming the configurable planar microwave circuit includes forming a filter, phase shifter, matching network, or power divider. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, further comprising disposing a microstrip transmission line layer and a second substrate disposed on the microstrip transmission line layer and disposing the ground plane on the second substrate. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the forming the configurable planar microwave circuit includes forming a patch antenna, and forming a patch layer includes the disposing the photosensitive layer and depositing a layer of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) as the light source over the photosensitive layer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein the disposing the microstrip transmission line layer and the disposing the ground plane both include disposing a copper layer, and the disposing the second substrate includes disposing a dielectric layer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein the disposing the microstrip transmission line layer includes disposing a second photosensitive layer and depositing a second layer of OLEDs on the second photosensitive layer, and the disposing the ground plane includes disposing a third photosensitive layer and depositing a third layer of OLEDs on the third photosensitive layer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method according to claim 16, further comprising configuring the second layer of OLEDs and the third layer of OLEDs to control conductivity of the second photosensitive layer and the third photosensitive layer, respectively, based on input from a controller. ### Claim 18 A microwave circuit, comprising: a ground plane; a substrate disposed on the ground plane; a photosensitive layer disposed on the substrate; and a transmission line formed in an illuminated portion of the photosensitive layer corresponding with a pattern, the transmission line being configured to channel radio frequency energy and the transmission line being reconfigured based on illumination of a different portion of the photosensitive layer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The microwave circuit according to claim 18, wherein the ground plane is a copper plane and the substrate is a dielectric layer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The microwave circuit according to claim 18, wherein the microwave circuit is one of a filter, phase shifter, matching network, or power divider.