Low cost dielectric for electrical transmission and antenna using same
A transmission conduit for RF signal, comprising: a dielectric plate; a conductive circuit positioned on one surface of the dielectric plate; a conductive ground positioned on opposite surface of the dielectric plate; wherein the dielectric plate comprises a sandwich of at least one high-dielectric constant layer and one foam plate. The dielectric plate can be made of a sandwich of glass and foam plate, such as Rohacell®. The glass and foam plates have thickness calculated to give the sandwich the required overall dialectic constant.
1. A transmission antenna for RF signal, comprising:
a dielectric plate;
a plurality of radiating patches positioned on one surface of the dielectric plate;
a plurality of delay lines positioned on opposite surface of the dielectric plate, each one of the delay lines coupled to one of the plurality of radiating patches;
a variable dielectric constant (VDC) layer;
a plurality of conductive electrodes abutting the VDC layer, wherein each pair of conductive electrode of the plurality of conductive electrodes corresponds to one of the delay lines;
a ground plane having a plurality of windows, each aligned with one of the delay lines; and,
wherein the dielectric plate comprises a sandwich of at least one high-dielectric constant layer and one foam plate.
2. The transmission conduit of claim 1 , wherein the high-dielectric constant layer is formed to have a dielectric constant of 3.8-4.4.
3. The transmission conduit of claim 2 , wherein the high-dielectric constant layer is formed of glass.
4. The transmission conduit of claim 2 , wherein the high-dielectric constant layer is formed of polyethylene terephthalate.
5. The transmission conduit of claim 1 , wherein the foam is formed to have a dielectric constant of 1.0 to 1.1.
6. The transmission conduit of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric plate comprises a foam plate sandwiched between a top polyethylene terephthalate (PET) layer, a bottom PET layer.
7. The transmission conduit of claim 1 , wherein each radiating patch is coupled to two of the plurality of delay lines.
8. The transmission conduit of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of feed lines, each configured to transmit RE signal to one of the delay lines.
9. An antenna, comprising:
an insulating spacer;
at least one radiating patch provided on top of the insulating spacer;
at least one delay line provided below the insulating spacer;
a variable dielectric constant (VDC) layer provided below the delay line;
a dielectric plate;
a ground plane provided below the dielectric plate;
a bottom insulating plate provided below the ground plane; and,
a feed line provided below the bottom insulating plate;
wherein at least one of: the insulating spacer, the dielectric plate, and the bottom insulating plate, comprises at least one high-dielectric constant layer and one foam plate.
10. The antenna of claim 9 , wherein the high-dielectric constant layer comprises one of: Polytetrafluoroethylene, Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), glass fiber impregnated Polypropylene, or glass plate.
11. The antenna of claim 9 , wherein the high-dielectric constant layer is formed to have a dielectric constant of 3.8-4.4.
12. The antenna of claim 10 , wherein the foam is formed to have a dielectric constant of 1.0 to 1.1.
13. The antenna of claim 9 , further comprising conductive electrodes abutting the VDC layer.
14. The antenna of claim 9 , wherein at least one of: the insulating spacer, the dielectric plate, and the bottom insulating plate, comprises a foam plate sandwiched between two glass plates.
15. The antenna of claim 9 , wherein at least one of: the insulating spacer, the dielectric plate, and the bottom insulating plate, comprises a foam plate sandwiched between two PET plates.
16. The antenna of claim 9 , further comprising at least one conductive via connecting each one of the delay lines to a corresponding radiating patch.
17. The antenna of claim 9 , wherein the ground plane comprises at least one window, each aligned below a corresponding one of the radiating patches.
18. A method for fabricating an RF transmission antenna, comprising:
forming a conductive circuit over a surface of an insulating plate, the insulating plate comprising one of glass plate or Polyethylene terephthalate (PET);
attaching a ground plane to a surface of a foam plate;
adhering the insulating plate to the foam plate to form a combined plate:
forming a variable dielectric constant (VDC) layer;
forming a plurality of delay lines on a surface of the VDC layer;
forming conductive electrodes on a surface of the VDC layer:
attaching the VDC layer to the combined plate;
forming a plurality of radiating patches and coupling each radiating patch to a corresponding one of the plurality of delay lines.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein attaching a ground plane comprises one of:
forming the ground plane directly on the bottom surface of the foam plate; or
forming the ground plane on a second insulating plate and adhering the second insulating plate to the bottom surface of the foam plate.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the second insulating plate comprises one of glass plate or Polyethylene terephthalate (PET).