Antenna

1. An antenna, comprising:

a dielectric body comprising a first portion operable as a dielectric lens and a second portion operable as a dielectric resonator; and

a feed arrangement operably coupled with the dielectric body, for operating the antenna as a dielectric lens antenna and a dielectric resonator antenna;

wherein the feed arrangement comprises:

a first feed mechanism operably coupled with the dielectric body, for operating the antenna as the dielectric lens antenna; and

a second feed mechanism operably coupled with the dielectric body, for operating the antenna as the dielectric resonator antenna.

2. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein the antenna is operable as the dielectric lens antenna and the dielectric resonator antenna simultaneously.

3. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein the first portion is further operable as a dielectric resonator.

4. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein:

the antenna is arranged to operate as the dielectric lens antenna at a first frequency band; and

the antenna is arranged to operate as the dielectric resonator antenna at a second frequency band different from the first frequency band.

5. The antenna of claim 4 , wherein the first frequency band is spaced apart from the second frequency band.

6. The antenna of claim 5 , wherein the first frequency band is higher than the second frequency band.

7. The antenna of claim 6 , wherein the first frequency band comprises X-band and/or the second frequency band comprises S-band.

8. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein:

the first portion has a first dielectric constant; and

the second portion has a second dielectric constant larger than the first dielectric constant.

9. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein:

the first portion has a first effective dielectric constant; and

the second portion has a second effective dielectric constant larger than the first effective dielectric constant.

10. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein the first portion defines, at least, a generally dome shaped boundary surface.

11. The antenna of claim 10 , wherein the first portion comprises a waffle structure.

12. The antenna of claim 11 , wherein the waffle structure comprises a first array of ribs and a second array of ribs intersecting with the first array of ribs in a decussate manner.

13. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein the second portion defines, at least, a generally cylindrical boundary surface.

14. The antenna of claim 13 , wherein the second portion comprises a waffle structure.

15. The antenna of claim 14 , wherein the waffle structure comprises a first array of ribs and a second array of ribs intersecting with the first array of ribs in a decussate manner.

16. The antenna of claim 9 , wherein the first portion has a first air-filling ratio and the second portion has a second air-filling ratio less than the first air-filling ratio.

17. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein the first portion is arranged directly above the second portion, relative to the feed arrangement.

18. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein the first feed mechanism comprises one or more feed antennas.

19. The antenna of claim 18 , wherein each of the one or more feed antennas comprises a slot-coupled dielectric resonator antenna.

20. The antenna of claim 19 , wherein the slot-coupled dielectric resonator antenna comprises:

a dielectric resonator element;

a coupling slot arranged in a ground plane on one side of a substrate; and

a feedline arranged on another side of the substrate and operably coupled with the coupling slot.

21. The antenna of claim 20 , wherein the dielectric resonator element is received by or substantially enclosed by the dielectric body.

22. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein the second feed mechanism comprises:

a feed strip attached to the dielectric body or the second portion;

a feedline arranged on one side of a substrate; and

a conductor arranged to electrically connect the feed strip and the feedline.

23. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric body is additively manufactured.

24. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein the antenna is a multi-band antenna.

25. An antenna, comprising:

a dielectric body comprising a first portion operable as a dielectric lens and a second portion operable as a dielectric resonator; and

a feed arrangement operably coupled with the dielectric body, for operating the antenna as a dielectric lens antenna and a dielectric resonator antenna;

wherein the first portion comprises a waffle structure and defines, at least, a generally dome shaped boundary surface.

26. The antenna of claim 25 , wherein the waffle structure comprises a first array of ribs and a second array of ribs intersecting with the first array of ribs in a decussate manner.

27. An antenna, comprising:

a dielectric body comprising a first portion operable as a dielectric lens and a second portion operable as a dielectric resonator; and

a feed arrangement operably coupled with the dielectric body, for operating the antenna as a dielectric lens antenna and a dielectric resonator antenna;

wherein the second portion comprises a waffle structure and defines, at least, a generally cylindrical boundary surface.

28. The antenna of claim 27 , wherein the waffle structure comprises a first array of ribs and a second array of ribs intersecting with the first array of ribs in a decussate manner.

29. An antenna, comprising:

a dielectric body comprising a first portion operable as a dielectric lens and a second portion operable as a dielectric resonator; and

a feed arrangement operably coupled with the dielectric body, for operating the antenna as a dielectric lens antenna and a dielectric resonator antenna;

wherein the first portion has a first effective dielectric constant and a first air-filling ratio; and

wherein the second portion has a second effective dielectric constant larger than the first effective dielectric constant and a second air-filling ratio less than the first air-filling ratio.

30. The antenna of claim 29 , wherein the first portion defines, at least, a generally dome shaped boundary surface.

31. The antenna of claim 29 , wherein the first portion comprises a waffle structure.

32. The antenna of claim 31 , wherein the waffle structure comprises a first array of ribs and a second array of ribs intersecting with the first array of ribs in a decussate manner.

33. The antenna of claim 29 , wherein the second portion defines, at least, a generally cylindrical boundary surface.

34. The antenna of claim 29 , wherein the second portion comprises a waffle structure.

35. The antenna of claim 34 , wherein the waffle structure comprises a first array of ribs and a second array of ribs intersecting with the first array of ribs in a decussate manner.