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The wonderful principle of layered lens antenna: why has it become the darling of the new generation of antennas?
In today's world of rapid technological advancement, layered lens antennas have gradually become a popular choice in the field of wireless communications. This type of antenna caters to modern communication needs with its excellent performance and innovative design, and has demonstrated its superiority in different applications. People can't help but start to think: How does this kind of antenna work, and what revolutionary changes does it bring?
Layered lens antennas (or transmissive array antennas) are phase-changing surfaces that focus electromagnetic radiation and generate high-gain beams.
The design of a transmissive array antenna is based on placing a series of unit elements above a powered antenna, focusing and directing the wavefront emitted from the powered antenna by adjusting the phase of each element. This design not only avoids the feed network necessary in traditional antennas and reduces losses, but also prevents possible occlusion problems in reflect arrays.
The characteristic of the transmissive array antenna is its bidirectional transmission capability, allowing waves to pass freely through the structure in both transmitting and receiving modes. This gives it broad application potential in a variety of situations.
An important design parameter is the ratio of focal length to diameter (F/D), which directly affects the aperture efficiency of the antenna.
Technical Overview
Transmissive arrays can be divided into fixed and reconfigurable types. Fixed transmission arrays are typically designed by physically scaling or rotating the elements to obtain the desired phase distribution, so that only a single focus direction can be returned. Reconfigurable transmissive arrays allow electronic phase control so the user can freely direct the beam.
Fixed transmission array
In a fixed transmission array, each element is designed with a specific phase distribution. Through precision machining of elements, such as double-split annular groove elements, these arrays can achieve high aperture efficiencies of 55% at oblique incidence. This type of antenna is often used in the 57-66 GHz frequency band, and the use of this type of technology makes the overall antenna design more compact and efficient.
Reconfigurable methods
In the reconfigurable transmission array, real-time control of the phase through electronic means can further improve the flexibility of the beam. For example, PIN diodes are used to modify the phase quickly so that their insertion loss is less than 1 dB. This allows the antenna to continuously maintain excellent gain performance in specific beam directions, helping to meet complex requirements in high-frequency applications.
The PIN diode controlled display example shows that the scanning loss in the 40° direction is estimated to be 2.5 dB, which still maintains excellent gain performance.
Geometric shapes and radiation patterns
The geometric shape of the transmission array is usually based on planarly arranged unit units, which are driven by the power supply to drive the overall beam focusing. The phase distribution in the design is an important factor in modeling, by controlling the position of each unit to achieve optimal performance at a specific angle.
During the design process, the interaction between units and design parameters, such as incident angle and power supply location, will directly affect the overall radiation pattern and signal quality. These design challenges require continuous experimentation and improvement to achieve the best results.
Transmissive arrays are extremely flexible and can be flexibly used in different transmitting and receiving scenarios to meet the changing needs of modern users.
With the development of science and technology, the potential of layered lens antennas is increasingly recognized. This is not only of great significance in technical applications, but will also have a profound impact on the future communications environment. And behind this change, how should we prepare to meet the challenges of future communications?
