Patent ID: 7994997
Filing Date: 2011-08-09
Classification: H01Q

Abstract:
1. An antenna element configured to transmit and/or receive a beam of radiation, comprising: a first patterned conductive layer having one or more conductors and one or more slots formed therein; an unbalanced feed line configured to transmit electrical signals associated with a beam of radiation without the use of a balun; an impedance transformer electrically connected to the feed line; one or more single unbalanced excitation probes spanning at feast one of the one or more slots, and electrically connected to the impedance transformer and the first patterned conductor layer, the one or more excitation probes configured to excite, or to be excited by, radiation from the one or more slots; wherein the impedance transformer is configured to reduce the difference in impedance between the feed line and the one or more excitation probes such that the impedance of the feed line is matched to the impedance of the one or more excitation probes.