Patent ID: 6670921
Filing Date: 2003-12-30
Classification: H01P,H01Q

Abstract:
A method of making a thin, flexible antenna comprising the steps of:(a) depositing a layer of a flexible insulating medium on a release layer or substrate and patterning the layer of insulating medium to form openings therein; (b) depositing a metal layer on the previously deposited insulating layer, as patterned, and pattering the metal layer as needed; (c) depositing a layer of a flexible insulating medium on the previously deposited metal layer, as patterned, and patterning the layer of insulating medium to form openings therein; (d) repeating steps (b) and (c) as needed to form a multilayered high impedance surface having an upper surface with antenna segments having been patterned from a metal layer previously deposited thereat in accordance with step (b), an array of metallic top elements formed in a layer spaced from the upper surface, the array of metallic top elements having been patterned from a metal layer previously deposited thereat in accordance with step (b), a metallic ground plane formed in a layer spaced from the array of metallic top elements, the metallic ground plane having been formed from a metal layer previously deposited thereat in accordance with step (b); (e) placing optically controlled switches adjacent at least selected ones of said antenna segments for coupling the adjacent antenna segments together in response to light impinging a photovoltaic cell associated each optically controlled switch; and (f) disposing optic wave guides or fibers on or adjacent said high impedance surface with distal ends of each optic wave guide or fiber being coupled to a respective one of said optically controlled switches for coupling light carried by the optic wave guide or fibre to the photovoltaic cells associated with the optically controlled switch.