EP-4738609-A1 - ANTENNA ELEMENT, ANTENNA ARRAY, AND ANTENNA MODULE

EP4738609A1EP 4738609 A1EP4738609 A1EP 4738609A1EP-4738609-A1

Abstract

[Object] Provided are an antenna element, an antenna array, and an antenna module that are capable of achieving miniaturization and a wider bandwidth with a simple structure. [Solving Means] An antenna element according to an embodiment of the present technology includes a first conductor layer having a planar element shape, a second conductor layer, a dielectric layer, a first interlayer connection portion, and a second interlayer connection portion. The second conductor layer is connected to a ground potential. The dielectric layer is provided between the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer. The first interlayer connection portion penetrates the dielectric layer and connects the first conductor layer to a power feed portion. The second interlayer connection portion penetrates the dielectric layer and connects the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer.

Inventors

TSUBOI, SATORU
YOSHINO, YOSHITAKA
TSUJI, Takatoshi
IMAI, TADASHI

Assignees

Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation

Dates

Publication Date: 20260506
Application Date: 20240619

Claims (20)

An antenna element, comprising: a first conductor layer having a planar element shape; a second conductor layer connected to a ground potential; a dielectric layer provided between the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer; a first interlayer connection portion that penetrates the dielectric layer and connects the first conductor layer to a power feed portion; and a second interlayer connection portion that penetrates the dielectric layer and connects the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer.
The antenna element according to claim 1, wherein the first conductor layer is formed to have a smaller area than an area of the second conductor layer.
The antenna element according to claim 2, wherein a loop length formed by the first interlayer connection portion, the first conductor layer, and the second interlayer connection portion is equal to or smaller than one wavelength of a radio wave used.
The antenna element according to claim 3, wherein the loop length is a size corresponding to half a wavelength of the radio wave used.
The antenna element according to claim 2, wherein the planar shape of the first conductor layer is a rectangular shape having a long side and a short side.
The antenna element according to claim 5, wherein the first conductor layer includes a first region to which the first interlayer connection portion is connected, and a second region to which the second interlayer connection portion is connected, and the first region and the second region are disposed away from a circumferential portion of the first conductor layer.
The antenna element according to claim 6, wherein the first region and the second region are disposed in a direction parallel to the long side.
The antenna element according to claim 6, wherein the first region and the second region are disposed in a direction intersecting with a direction parallel to the long side.
The antenna element according to claim 1, wherein the dielectric layer is a dielectric substrate made of a dielectric material, the first conductor layer is a metal layer formed on a first main surface of the dielectric substrate, and the second conductor layer is a metal layer formed on a second main surface of the dielectric substrate on a side opposite to the first main surface.
The antenna element according to claim 1, wherein the second conductor layer has an opening formed with an opening diameter larger than an outer diameter of the first interlayer connection portion.
The antenna element according to claim 1, wherein the first interlayer connection portion and the second interlayer connection portion are each a through-hole plating or an embedded via that is provided to the dielectric layer.
An antenna array, comprising a plurality of antenna elements each including a first conductor layer having a planar element shape, a second conductor layer connected to a ground potential, a dielectric layer provided between the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer, a first interlayer connection portion that penetrates the dielectric layer and connects the first conductor layer to a power feed portion, and a second interlayer connection portion that penetrates the dielectric layer and connects the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer, wherein the first conductor layer of each of the plurality of antenna elements is arrayed on one surface of the dielectric layer.
The antenna array according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the plurality of antenna elements is a transmission antenna element, and at least another one of the plurality of antenna elements is a reception antenna element.
The antenna array according to claim 13, wherein the plurality of antenna elements is arrayed in a matrix along a first axial direction and a second axial direction orthogonal to each other on the surface.
The antenna array according to claim 14, wherein the first conductor layer has a rectangular planar shape having a long side parallel to the first axial direction and a short side parallel to the second axial direction, and the short sides facing each other of two of the first conductor layers arrayed in the first axial direction each have a notch that partially widens an interval between the two first conductor layers.
The antenna array according to claim 12, wherein the second conductor layer of each of the plurality of antenna elements is formed of a common conductor layer.
The antenna array according to claim 13, further comprising a shielding layer that is provided, on the surface of the dielectric layer, between the first conductor layer of the transmission antenna element and the first conductor layer of the reception antenna element, and blocks an electric field from the transmission antenna element to the reception antenna.
The antenna array according to claim 17, wherein the shielding layer is formed in an annular shape on the surface of the dielectric layer to surround the first conductor layer of the transmission antenna element.
The antenna array according to claim 17, further comprising a third interlayer connection portion that penetrates the dielectric layer and connects the shielding layer and the second conductor layer.
The antenna array according to claim 19, wherein the third interlayer connection portion is a through-hole plating or an embedded via that is provided to the dielectric layer.

Description

Technical Field The present technology relates to an antenna element, an antenna array, and an antenna module that are capable of transmitting or receiving electromagnetic waves of a millimeter wave, for example. Background Art In antennas used in a high frequency range, miniaturization of elements is enabled due to a short wavelength, and thus pattern antennas formed of a conductive material on an electronic substrate are generally used. In particular, recently, in small-sized antennas in a millimeter-wave range used for cellular or radar applications, there has been a demand for an antenna structure being more inexpensive and smaller-sized, having high gain and further having high directivity in a wide bandwidth in a limited space. As an antenna structure that has high mass productivity and has been most widely used as a directional antenna, a patch antenna serving as a planar antenna is widely known (see, e.g., Patent Literature 1). Citation List Patent Literature Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2022-51890 Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem However, in the patch antenna, a fractional bandwidth that can be covered by a single element is approximately several percentages. Providing a wider bandwidth needs a more complicated structure such as an array of a plurality of elements or a resonant structure of elements disposed across laminates, which limits the space and cost. In view of the circumstances as described above, it is an object of the present technology to provide an antenna element, an antenna array, and an antenna module that are capable of achieving miniaturization and a wider bandwidth with a simple structure. Solution to Problem An antenna element according to an embodiment of the present technology includes a first conductor layer having a planar element shape, a second conductor layer, a dielectric layer, a first interlayer connection portion, and a second interlayer connection portion. The second conductor layer is connected to a ground potential. The dielectric layer is provided between the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer. The first interlayer connection portion penetrates the dielectric layer and connects the first conductor layer to a power feed portion. The second interlayer connection portion penetrates the dielectric layer and connects the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer. In the antenna element, the first conductor layer functions as a radiation element and the second conductor layer functions as a ground conductor plate, and the first interlayer connection portion, the first conductor layer, and the second interlayer connection portion form a loop antenna. This makes it possible to achieve miniaturization and a wider bandwidth with a simple structure. The first conductor layer is typically formed to have a smaller area than an area of the second conductor layer. This makes it possible to achieve stable resonance in a target frequency band. A loop length formed by the first interlayer connection portion, the first conductor layer, and the second interlayer connection portion may be equal to or smaller than one wavelength of a radio wave used, for example, may be a size corresponding to half a wavelength of the radio wave used. This makes it possible to achieve further miniaturization of the antenna element. The planar shape of the first conductor layer may be a rectangular shape having a long side and a short side. The first conductor layer may include a first region to which the first interlayer connection portion is connected, and a second region to which the second interlayer connection portion is connected, and the first region and the second region may be disposed away from a circumferential portion of the first conductor layer. This makes it possible to widen the directivity of radio waves. The first region and the second region may be disposed in a direction parallel to the long side or in a direction intersecting with a direction parallel to the long side. The dielectric layer may be a dielectric substrate made of a dielectric material, the first conductor layer may be a metal layer formed on a first main surface of the dielectric substrate, and the second conductor layer may be a metal layer formed on a second main surface of the dielectric substrate on a side opposite to the first main surface. The second conductor layer may have an opening formed with an opening diameter larger than the first interlayer connection portion. This makes it possible to simplify an electrically insulating structure between the first interlayer connection portion and the second conductor layer. The first interlayer connection portion and the second interlayer connection portion may be each a through-hole plating or an embedded via that is provided to the dielectric layer. An antenna array according to an embodiment of the present technology includes a plurality of antenna elements. Each of the plurality of antenna elem