An antenna that provides a radiation pattern that is tilted relative to the perpendicular to the plane of the antenna is provided. The antenna may be located on an angled surface, but have its tilted beam reach maximum gain at its zenith. In alternative embodiments, the antenna may be substantially transparent or translucent allowing placement on a surface without blocking viewing through the surface.

A linear-to-circular polarizer antenna is disclosed. In accordance with embodiments of the invention, the polarizer antenna includes an antenna operable to transmit and receive polarized signals and a linear-to-circular polarizer coupled to the antenna. The polarizer includes a plurality of cascaded elements, waveplates or anisotropic sheets, having biaxial permittivity. Each cascaded element has a principal axis rotated at different angles relative to an adjacent element about a z-axis of a 3-dimensional x, y, z coordinate system, and each element is composed of an artificial anisotropic dielectric. The polarizer further includes impedance matching layers disposed adjacent the cascaded elements.

A linear-to-circular polarizer antenna is disclosed. In accordance with embodiments of the invention, the polarizer antenna includes an antenna operable to transmit and receive polarized signals and a linear-to-circular polarizer coupled to the antenna. The polarizer includes a plurality of cascaded elements, waveplates or anisotropic sheets, having biaxial permittivity. Each cascaded element has a principal axis rotated at different angles relative to an adjacent element about a z-axis of a 3-dimensional x, y, z coordinate system, and each element is composed of an artificial anisotropic dielectric. The polarizer further includes impedance matching layers disposed adjacent the cascaded elements.

There is provided a parallel plate unit cell for a parallel plate arrangement. The parallel plate unit cell comprises a top layer, and a bottom layer. Each of the top layer and the bottom layer has a respective metasurface. The top layer and the bottom layer are arranged in a parallel plate configuration with respect to each other such that the metasurfaces face each other. The top layer and the bottom layer are physically separated by a gap. The gap at least partly is filled with a material having a refractive index n1, where n1>1.2.

There is provided a parallel plate unit cell for a parallel plate arrangement. The parallel plate unit cell comprises a top layer, and a bottom layer. Each of the top layer and the bottom layer has a respective metasurface. The top layer and the bottom layer are arranged in a parallel plate configuration with respect to each other such that the metasurfaces face each other. The top layer and the bottom layer are physically separated by a gap. The gap at least partly is filled with a material having a refractive index n1, where n1>1.2.

A communication device may include a millimeter wave (mm-wave) antenna array having antenna elements, a mm-wave element (e.g. lens), and one or more transceivers (e.g. first and second transceivers). The mm-wave lens may be configured to adjust the first beam and the second beam as the first and second beams pass through the mm-wave lens. The first transceiver can selectively couple to the antenna elements, the first transceiver being configured to drive a first selected antenna element of the antenna elements to transmit a beam from the selected first antenna element. The second transceiver may selectively couple to the antenna elements, the second transceiver being configured to drive a second selected antenna element of the antenna elements to transmit a second beam from the selected second antenna element.

A communication device may include a millimeter wave (mm-wave) antenna array having antenna elements, a mm-wave element (e.g. lens), and one or more transceivers (e.g. first and second transceivers). The mm-wave lens may be configured to adjust the first beam and the second beam as the first and second beams pass through the mm-wave lens. The first transceiver can selectively couple to the antenna elements, the first transceiver being configured to drive a first selected antenna element of the antenna elements to transmit a beam from the selected first antenna element. The second transceiver may selectively couple to the antenna elements, the second transceiver being configured to drive a second selected antenna element of the antenna elements to transmit a second beam from the selected second antenna element.

Provided herein is an artificial dielectric material comprising a plurality of sheets of a dielectric material and a plurality of conductive elements disposed in holes made in the sheets of the dielectric material, wherein each conductive element is a three-dimensional object consisting of side plates connected to a central support and disposed to form conductive surfaces surrounding an empty space. Also provided are conductive elements and focusing lenses comprising the artificial dielectric materials and conductive elements along with methods for manufacture of such materials and method for their use. The artificial dielectric materials, lenses and their manufacture may provide desirable dielectric and radio wave focusing properties compared with known materials and manufacturing advantages.

Provided herein is an artificial dielectric material comprising a plurality of sheets of a dielectric material and a plurality of conductive elements disposed in holes made in the sheets of the dielectric material, wherein each conductive element is a three-dimensional object consisting of side plates connected to a central support and disposed to form conductive surfaces surrounding an empty space. Also provided are conductive elements and focusing lenses comprising the artificial dielectric materials and conductive elements along with methods for manufacture of such materials and method for their use. The artificial dielectric materials, lenses and their manufacture may provide desirable dielectric and radio wave focusing properties compared with known materials and manufacturing advantages.

An antenna module and communication device containing the antenna module are disclosed. The antenna module is disposed in a metal cavity. The antenna module includes a switched beam mm-wave antenna array having radiating elements separated by less than a wavelength of the radiating elements. The array is fed by a single transceiver chain. The array is disposed at the focal length of a low-profile mm-wave lens configured to steer the beam. A sub-10 GHz antenna is disposed closer to the opening of the cavity than the lens. The lens is a Fresnel Zone Plate lens having a focal length of less than about the wavelength of the beam, or a Saucer lens having shells of different refractive indexes and having a profile that is more than 6 times smaller than a Luneburg lens with a same focal length.