Phased array antenna using piezoelectric actuators in variable capacitors to control phase shifters and method of manufacture thereof
US6016122A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 1, 1998 |
| Grant date | Jan 18, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 1, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01Q3/443
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A phased array antenna (1000) is formed using a number of independently controllable piezoelectric phase shifters (1300) which results in a low cost phased array antenna that is functional at microwave and/or millimeter wave frequencies. In addition, the independently controllable piezoelectric phase shifters (1300) have sufficient phase range to allow a single antenna to be steered over a wide angle field of view. Piezoelectric phase shifters (1300) comprise at least one-voltage variable capacitor (1310, 1320, FIG. 2). Typically, the piezoelectric material used in the voltage variable capacitors is selected from a group consisting of lead-titanate (PbTiO.sub.3), lead-zirconate (PbZrO.sub.3), barium-titanate (BaTiO.sub.3), and lead-zirconate-titanate (PbZr.sub.x Ti.sub.1-x O.sub.3), where x varies from zero to one.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.