To provide a wave control medium that can absorb and control wave motion while achieving downsizing and wider bandwidth of a metamaterial and the like.

A wave control medium 5 includes a three-dimensional microstructure having a base 2, a spiral part 3, and a matching element 6 disposed between the base 2 and the spiral part 3, in which the three-dimensional microstructure includes a material selected from any one of a metal, a dielectric, a magnetic body, a semiconductor, and a superconductor, or a combination of a plurality of these materials. The wave control medium 5 can absorb the wave motion by having the matching element 6 disposed between the base 2 and the spiral part 3 to moderate a change in the entire impedance value.

Deployable reflector antenna includes a fabrication hub in which at least one additive fabrication unit disposed. The additive fabrication unit is configured to form at least one rigid structural element of a reflector antenna system. In a stowed condition, an RF reflector material comprised of a flexible webbing is disposed in a stowed configuration proximate to the fabrication hub. A fabrication control system controls the additive fabrication unit so as to form the at least one rigid structural element. The RF reflector material is arranged to transition during the additive fabrication process from the stowed configuration in which the flexible webbing material is furled compactly at the fabrication hub, to a deployed configuration in which the flexible webbing material is unfurled.

Various embodiments may relate to an antenna. The antenna may include a ridge reflector arranged along a plane. The ridge reflector may be configured to enhance an emission of at least one electromagnetic wave source providing an electromagnetic wave signal to the antenna and further configured to direct the electromagnetic wave signal in a direction at least substantially perpendicular to the plane. The ridge reflector may define a space along the plane for allowing the electromagnetic wave signal to be directed in the direction at least substantially perpendicular to the plane. The ridge reflector may include at least one of a dielectric material and a semiconductor material.

The invention relates to a method for making a dielectric reflectarray antenna, and a dielectric reflectarray antenna made using such method. The method includes removing, from a substrate having a dielectric layer and a first outer metallic layer arranged on one side of the dielectric layer, the first outer metallic layer to form an intermediate substrate. The method also includes cutting the intermediate substrate to integrally form a dielectric reflectarray with an array of dielectric reflector elements of the dielectric reflectarray antenna.

Examples disclosed herein relate to reflectarray antenna for enhanced wireless applications. The reflectarray antenna has a ground conductive plane, a dielectric substrate coupled to the ground conductive plane, and a patterned conductive plane coupled to the dielectric substrate and comprising an array of cells to generate an antenna gain. In some aspects, each cell in the array of cells includes a reflector element with a predetermined custom configuration and configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal and to generate an RF return beam at a predetermined direction. Other examples disclosed herein relate to a portable reflectarray and a method of fabricating a reflectarray antenna.

An antenna having a reflector mounted on a rigid boom uses a line feed or phased array feed to operate in the Ka band with frequencies up to 36 gigahertz while maintaining the ability to operate at frequencies down to L-Band of 1-2 GHz.

Deployable reflector antenna includes a fabrication hub in which at least one additive fabrication unit disposed. The additive fabrication unit is configured to form at least one rigid structural element of a reflector antenna system. In a stowed condition, an RF reflector material comprised of a flexible webbing is disposed in a stowed configuration proximate to the fabrication hub. A fabrication control system controls the additive fabrication unit so as to form the at least one rigid structural element. The RF reflector material is arranged to transition during the additive fabrication process from the stowed configuration in which the flexible webbing material is furled compactly at the fabrication hub, to a deployed configuration in which the flexible webbing material is unfurled.

A reflector antenna, preferably a fixed mesh reflector antenna, and a process for manufacturing the reflector antenna, is disclosed that includes forming a support structure, placing a reflector surface on a mold, attaching the support structure to the reflector surface, measuring the geometry of the reflector surface, adjusting the surface geometry of the reflector if appropriate to obtain improved accuracy for the reflector surface, and fixedly connecting the support structure and the reflector surface. In an embodiment, the antenna reflector system includes a mesh reflector surface, a plurality of spline support elements, a plurality of splines connected to the reflector surface, and a plurality of adjustable spline supports attachable to the spline support elements and the splines, wherein the adjustable spline supports are adjustably repositionable with respect to the spline support elements, and also fixedly connectable to the spline support elements.

A reflector antenna, preferably a fixed mesh reflector antenna, and a process for manufacturing the reflector antenna, is disclosed that includes forming a support structure, placing a reflector surface on a mold, attaching the support structure to the reflector surface, measuring the geometry of the reflector surface, adjusting the surface geometry of the reflector if appropriate to obtain improved accuracy for the reflector surface, and fixedly connecting the support structure and the reflector surface. In an embodiment, the antenna reflector system includes a mesh reflector surface, a plurality of spline support elements, a plurality of splines connected to the reflector surface, and a plurality of adjustable spline supports attachable to the spline support elements and the splines, wherein the adjustable spline supports are adjustably repositionable with respect to the spline support elements, and also fixedly connectable to the spline support elements.

Optimizations are provided in the design and fabrication of a parabolic antenna reflector. In particular, a parabolic antenna reflector comprises an inner reflective face being formed in a parabolic shape and a first outer circumferential portion. The parabolic antenna also includes an outer face being formed in a different parabolic shape and a second circumferential portion. The first outer circumferential portion is coupled to the second outer circumferential portion to form an inner body between the inner reflective face and the outer face. This inner body includes a monopulse comparator waveguide. As a result, the monopulse comparator waveguide is embedded between the inner reflective face and the outer face. In some instances, this waveguide includes one or more bends. Additionally, in some instances, the parabolic antenna reflector is fabricated using additive manufacturing techniques such that the parabolic antenna reflector is a single printed unit.