PLANAR ARRAY FEED FOR SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS

摘要

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for wireless communications. A planar antenna element (106) is disposed on a surface of a substrate (302). The planar antenna element (106) may be arranged in a planar antenna array (102) as a feed for a reflector antenna (104) or as an aperture array (112). The planar antenna element 106 may comprise a slot patch antenna element (106) with a slot (108) in electrically conductive material of the planar antenna element 106 circumscribing the planar antenna element (106). The slot (108) exposes dielectric material of the substrate (302). A ground plane (110) of electrically conductive material may be disposed on the surface of the substrate (302). The slot (108) may be disposed between the ground plane (110) and the patch antenna element (106). The substrate (302) may include electronic components (316) for beam steering, upconversion, downconversion, amplification, or other functions.