Patent ID: 8378893

Claim:
A patch antenna comprising: a stacked plurality of radiating layers, each radiating layer comprising: a planar-shaped dielectric layer; a radiating element formed on a first side of the dielectric layer; a single, contiguous, substantially empty moat formed in the dielectric layer around the perimeter of the radiating element forming a single continuous inner perimeter sidewall and single continuous outer perimeter sidewall; a plurality of tabs extending between the inner perimeter sidewall and the outer perimeter sidewall, the plurality of tabs operable to maintain an inner substrate portion of the dielectric layer in a fixed physical relation to an outer substrate portion of the dielectric layer; a conductive coating disposed on the inner perimeter sidewall and the outer perimeter sidewall; and a second planar-shaped dielectric layer having a third side and an opposing fourth side, the second dielectric layer comprising: a microstrip feed line disposed on the third side; and a ground plane disposed on the fourth side, the ground plane having a hole between at least one of the radiating elements and the microstrip feed line.