Patent ID: 6317094
Filing Date: 2001-11-13
Classification: H01Q

Abstract:
A tapered slot antenna structure comprising:(a) a transmission line having a dielectric substrate, a strip conductor feed, and a ground layer, the dielectric substrate having first and second opposing surfaces and the ground layer having front and back opposing surfaces, the strip conductor feed running along one of said first and said second surfaces of the dielectric substrate, the back surface of the ground layer facing and being disposed in parallel to the second surface of the dielectric layer, and the ground layer further having a feed slot formed within it;(b) a metallization layer lying in a plane which intersects the ground layer at an intersection angle, said metallization layer having a base end connected to the front surface of the ground layer and an aperture end, and said metallization layer having a tapered slot formed within it, said tapered slot having an aperture width at the aperture end of said metallization layer and said tapered slot forming a slot line having a slot line width narrower than the aperture width at the base end of said metallization layer; and(c) said feed slot having a first portion, a second portion and a transition portion which couples the first and second portions, the first portion of said feed slot intersecting the slot line in the ground layer and the second portion of said feed slot crossing over the strip conductor feed in a parallel plane manner, whereby the slot line and the strip conductor feed are electromagnetically coupled and the first and second portions are not co-linear.