Optically transparent and quasi-transparent reflectarrays for 5G applications
Examples disclosed herein relate to an Insulated Glass Unit (“IGU”) to enhance wireless communications in a wireless network. The IGU has a first and a second glass layers, a first and a second spacers, and a first and a second ground planes, the first ground plane in contact with the first glass layer and the second ground plane in contact with the second glass layer. The IGU also includes a gas layer in between the first and the second ground planes, a reflectarray comprising a metastructure array of reflector elements, and a third glass layer on top of the metastructure reflectarray.
1. An Insulated Glass Unit (“IGU”) to enhance wireless communications in a wireless network, comprising:
a first and a second glass layers;
a first and a second spacers;
a first and a second ground planes, the first ground plane in contact with the first glass layer and the second ground plane in contact with the second glass layer;
a gas layer disposed in between the first and the second ground planes;
a reflectarray comprising a metastructure array of reflector elements; and
a third glass layer disposed on top of the metastructure reflectarray.
2. The IGU of claim 1 , further comprising a PVB layer in contact with the second glass layer.
3. The IGU of claim 2 , wherein the reflectarray is in contact with the PVB layer.
4. The IGU of claim 1 , wherein the metastructure array of reflector elements comprises an array of reflector elements having configurable dimensions.
5. The IGU of claim 4 , wherein the configurable dimensions are based on a phase distribution.
6. The IGU of claim 1 , wherein each reflector element in the metastructure array comprises one of a microstrip, a gap, a patch and a via.
7. The IGU of claim 1 , wherein the metastructure array of reflector elements comprises a relay between a base station and users in a wireless network served by the base station.
8. The IGU of claim 7 , wherein the metastructure array of reflector elements reflects incident beams from the base station at a given phase and direction.
9. The IGU of claim 8 , wherein the given phase is determined from a spatial phase delay of the base station and a progressive phase distribution reflected by each reflector element in the metastructure array of reflector elements.
10. The IGU of claim 9 , wherein each reflector element in the metastructure array of reflector elements is designed to match the progressive phase distribution.
11. An Insulated Glass Unit (“IGU”) to reflect incident signals from a base station into a given phase and direction, comprising:
a first and a second glass layers;
a first and a second spacers;
a ground plane in contact with the first glass layer;
a reflectarray comprising a metastructure array of reflector elements; and
a gas layer disposed in between the ground plane and the reflectarray.
12. The IGU of claim 11 , wherein the reflectarray reflects the incident signals at a higher gain.
13. The IGU of claim 11 , wherein each reflector element in the metastructure array of reflector elements is designed to match the progressive phase distribution.