One or more anisotropic lenses, where the permittivity and/or permeability is directional, are used to vary one or more of beamwidth, beam direction, polarization, and other parameters for one or more antennas. Contemplated anisotropic lenses can include conductive or dielectric fibers or other particles. Lenses can be spherical, cylindrical or have other shapes depending on application, and can be rotated and/or positioned. Important applications include land and satellite communication, base station antennas.

A unit cell of a transmitter array includes a ground plane; first and second dielectric substrates, arranged on either side of the ground plane, and each having a first surface, oriented toward the ground plane, and a second, opposed, surface; first and second planar antennas, extending on the second surfaces of the first and second dielectric substrates, respectively; and a via, arranged to pass through the first and second dielectric substrates so as to electrically connect the first and second planar antennas; the via being electrically isolated from the ground plane. The unit cell further includes a third planar antenna, extending between the ground plane and the first surface of the first dielectric substrate, and electrically connected to the via.

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, calculating a Fresnel zone about a line of sight (LoS) between a pair of antennas positioned on antenna mounts. The Fresnel zone is projected onto a geospatial grid of 3D cells, each having a height above a horizontal plane. Cells that intersect the Fresnel zone projection are selected to obtain a subset cells with constraint heights determined according to heights of the subset cells that are adjusted according to the Fresnel zone. The LoS is revised according to an algorithm to obtain a set of updated LoS. Those updated LoS that do not intersect the set of adjusted constraint heights are identified as solutions that include an optimal solution, should one exist. Other embodiments are disclosed.

An antenna cover is used with an antenna for passing therethrough a radiation of the antenna in order to modify an antenna pattern of the antenna. The antenna cover includes a housing having a first surface and a second surface; and a plurality of through holes penetrating through the housing and extending from the first surface to the second surface. By way of adjusting distances between the plurality of through holes and/or adjusting sizes of the plurality of through holes, the antenna cover functions to adjust the radiation of the antenna from a first antenna pattern to a second antenna pattern.

A radio frequency antenna array uses lenses and RF elements, to provide ground-based coverage for cellular communication. The antenna array can include two spherical lenses, where each spherical lens has at least two associated RF elements. Each of the RF elements associated with a given lens produces an output beam with an output area. Each lens is positioned with the other lenses in a staggered arrangement. The antenna includes a control mechanism configured to enable a user to move the RF elements along their respective tracks, and automatically phase compensate the output beams produced by the RF elements based on the relative distance between the RF elements.

A radio frequency antenna array uses lenses and RF elements, to provide ground-based coverage for cellular communication. The antenna array can include two spherical lenses, where each spherical lens has at least two associated RF elements. Each of the RF elements associated with a given lens produces an output beam with an output area. Each lens is positioned with the other lenses in a staggered arrangement. The antenna includes a control mechanism configured to enable a user to move the RF elements along their respective tracks, and automatically phase compensate the output beams produced by the RF elements based on the relative distance between the RF elements.

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, calculating a Fresnel zone about a line of sight (LoS) between a pair of antennas positioned on antenna mounts. The Fresnel zone is projected onto a geospatial grid of 3D cells, each having a height above a horizontal plane. Cells that intersect the Fresnel zone projection are selected to obtain a subset cells with constraint heights determined according to heights of the subset cells that are adjusted according to the Fresnel zone. The LoS is revised according to an algorithm to obtain a set of updated LoS. Those updated LoS that do not intersect the set of adjusted constraint heights are identified as solutions that include an optimal solution, should one exist. Other embodiments are disclosed.

A phased array antenna system comprising a plurality of isotropic radiating elements and/or omnidirectional receiving elements addressing close in fields and a plurality of non-isotropic radiating elements and/or non-omnidirectional receiving elements addressing remote fields with the combined elements used to extend the maximum range of the antenna system without increasing the number of element nor the output power of the antenna. The non-isotropic radiating elements and/or the non-omnidirectional receiving elements can be formed by adding focusing structures such as lenses or reflective structures in the radiating path of isotropic radiating elements and/or omnidirectional receiving elements. Antennas with combined isotropic radiating and non-isotropic radiating elements can be utilized for electromagnetic phased array radar, communication and imaging systems and for acoustic phased array sonar or ultrasound systems.

A phased array antenna system comprising a plurality of isotropic radiating elements and/or omnidirectional receiving elements addressing close in fields and a plurality of non-isotropic radiating elements and/or non-omnidirectional receiving elements addressing remote fields with the combined elements used to extend the maximum range of the antenna system without increasing the number of element nor the output power of the antenna. The non-isotropic radiating elements and/or the non-omnidirectional receiving elements can be formed by adding focusing structures such as lenses or reflective structures in the radiating path of isotropic radiating elements and/or omnidirectional receiving elements. Antennas with combined isotropic radiating and non-isotropic radiating elements can be utilized for electromagnetic phased array radar, communication and imaging systems and for acoustic phased array sonar or ultrasound systems.

A 3D printed GRIN device, the formulation and the method for making the GRIN device are disclosed. The GRIN (graded-index) device comprises i) a first phase comprising at least one polymer; ii) a second phase comprising at least one first component; and, optionally, iii) an interface between the first phase and the second phase, wherein the interface has a concentration gradient of the at least one first component, whereby the concentration of the at least one first component decreases with distance away from the second phase towards the first phase, wherein the at least one first component comprises at least one functional component, at least one functional precursor component, or combinations thereof, and wherein the GRIN device is a functional GRIN device, a functional precursor GRIN device, or a combination of a functional and functional precursor GRIN device.