Radiator unit for cross-band suppression
We describe a radiator unit for an antenna. The radiator unit is configured to radiate electromagnetic waves within a frequency band. The radiator unit comprises: a first radiating structure for radiating an electromagnetic wave having a first frequency within the frequency band, and a non-radiating structure coupled to the first radiating structure. One or both of (i) the first radiating structure comprises a first corrugation arranged on a first planar structure of the radiator unit, and (ii) the non-radiating structure comprises a second corrugation arranged on a second planar structure of the radiator unit.
1 . A radiator unit for an antenna, wherein the radiator unit is configured to radiate electromagnetic waves within a frequency band, and wherein the radiator unit comprises:
a first radiating structure for radiating an electromagnetic wave having a first frequency within the frequency band, and
a non-radiating structure coupled to the first radiating structure,
wherein
(i) the first radiating structure comprises a first corrugation arranged on a first planar structure of the radiator unit, and
(ii) the non-radiating structure comprises a second corrugation arranged on a second planar structure of the radiator unit.
2 . A radiator unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the non-radiating structure comprises a feeding structure electrically coupled to the first radiating structure, and wherein the feeding structure is configured to provide an electrical signal to the first radiating structure for the first radiating structure to radiate the electromagnetic wave having the first frequency.
3 . A radiator unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the first corrugation comprises a first plurality of protrusions formed on the first planar structure, and wherein the protrusions of the first plurality of protrusions are spaced apart from and electrically coupled to each other; or
the second corrugation comprises a second plurality of protrusions formed on the second planar structure, and wherein the protrusions of the second plurality of protrusions are spaced apart from and electrically coupled to each other.
4 . A radiator unit as claimed in claim 3 , wherein one or more of
a length of the protrusions of the first and/or second plurality of protrusions,
a width of the protrusions of the first and/or second plurality of protrusions, and
a distance between neighboring protrusions of the first and/or second plurality of protrusions
vary amongst the protrusions of the first and/or second plurality of protrusions.
5 . A radiator unit as claimed in claim 3 , wherein a spacing between neighboring protrusions of the first plurality of protrusions and/or the second plurality of protrusions defines a transparency of the first radiating structure and/or the non-radiating structure to an electromagnetic wave having a frequency within the frequency band.
6 . A radiator unit as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the radiator unit further comprises a transmission line, and wherein the protrusions of the first plurality of protrusions are electrically coupled to each other via the transmission line.
7 . A radiator unit as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the protrusions of the first plurality of protrusions are arranged at least partially alternately on two sides of the transmission line.
8 . A radiator unit as claimed in claim 6 , wherein one or both of the transmission line and the protrusions of the first plurality of protrusions have a thickness of less than 0.8 millimeter.
9 . A radiator unit as claimed in claim 6 , wherein one or both of the transmission line and the protrusions of the first plurality of protrusions have a thickness of less than c/(f*100), wherein c is the speed of light in vacuum, and wherein f is the first frequency or another frequency within the frequency band.
10 . A radiator unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first corrugation comprises a first metal corrugation.
11 . A radiator unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second corrugation comprises one or both of a second metal corrugation and a second dielectric corrugation.
12 . A radiator unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein one or both of the first corrugation and the second corrugation are transparent for an electromagnetic wave having a frequency above a frequency threshold within the frequency band and are shielding for an electromagnetic wave having a frequency below the frequency threshold.
13 . A radiator unit as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a resonance structure arranged on one or both of the first planar structure and the second planar structure for cross-band scattering suppression.
14 . A radiator unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein one or both of the first corrugation and the second corrugation are comprised in or formed on a printed circuit board.
15 . A radiator unit as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a second radiating structure for radiating an electromagnetic wave having a second frequency within the frequency band, wherein the first radiating structure is transparent to the electromagnetic wave having the second frequency and wherein the second frequency is higher than the first frequency.
16 . A radiator unit as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the first radiating structure and the second radiating structure are arranged such that the first radiating structure physically covers at least partially a radiation direction of the electromagnetic wave having the second frequency radiatable by the second radiating structure.
17 . A radiator unit as claimed in claim 15 , comprising a plurality of said first radiating structures, wherein each one of the plurality of first radiating structures comprises a corresponding, respective first corrugation, and wherein the radiating structures of the plurality of first radiating structures are arranged relatively to each other to obtain, independently from a location of the second radiating structure, a predefined radiation pattern of electromagnetic waves having the first frequency.
18 . A radiator unit as claimed in claim 15 , comprising a plurality of said second radiating structures, and wherein the radiating structures of the plurality of second radiating structures are arranged relatively to each other to obtain, independently from a location of the first radiating structure or radiating structures of the first plurality of radiating structures, a predefined radiation pattern of electromagnetic waves having the second frequency.
19 . A radiator unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first radiating structure comprises one or more oval shaped radiating elements, and wherein the first corrugation is comprised in one or more of the oval shaped radiating elements.
20 . A radiator unit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:
the non-radiating structure comprises a decoupling element for electromagnetically decoupling a plurality of radiating structures of the radiator unit, and wherein the decoupling element comprises the second corrugation; or
the non-radiating structure comprises a partition wall for partitioning one or more radiating structures of the antenna from one or more other radiating structures of the antenna, and wherein the partition wall comprises the second corrugation.