High-frequency-transparent component and method for producing the same

Abstract

The invention relates to a high-frequency-transparent component comprising: a main body (2) and a coating (3) consisting of metal-doped Al2O3 sputtered thereon, and to a method for producing said component.

Claims

1. A high-frequency-transparent component comprising: a main element; and a layer comprising Al.sub.2O.sub.3 with metal doping, wherein the layer is sputtered on the main element, wherein the layer is doped such that a transmission attenuation of the component in a frequency range from 60 GHz to 90 GHz is altered by less than 0.1 dB by the layer.

2. The component according to claim 1, wherein: doping is carried out with a concentration in a range from a lower doping concentration to an upper doping concentration, and the upper doping concentration is selected such that a surface resistance of the layer is at least 10 MOhm.

3. The component according to claim 1, wherein the metal doping is doping with at least one of Au, Ag, Cu, Ni, Pt or Ti.

4. The component according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the layer is in a range from 25 nm to 100 nm.

5. The component according to claim 1, wherein the main element comprises a polymer.

6. The component according to claim 1, wherein the component is a vehicle component.

7. The component according to claim 1, wherein the component is a radar cover.

8. A process for producing a high-frequency-transparent component, the method comprising: providing a main element; and sputtering a metal-doped Al.sub.2O.sub.3 layer onto the main element, wherein the layer is doped such that a transmission attenuation of the component in a frequency range from 60 GHz to 90 GHz is altered by less than 0.1 dB by the layer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a schematic sectional view of a first illustrative component.

(2) FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of a second illustrative component.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(3) FIG. 1 shows an illustrative high-frequency-transparent component 1 which forms, for example, a radar cover. The component 1 has a main element 2 which is composed of polymer. A sapphire layer which is doped with titanium (Ti: Al.sub.2O.sub.3) has been formed on this main element. This coating has been applied by sputtering and can preferably have a thickness in the range from 25 nm to 100 nm. The doping concentration of titanium in the sapphire layer can preferably be in a range from 10.sup.16 cm.sup.−3 to a maximum upper doping concentration which is selected so that the surface resistance of the sapphire layer is still at least 10 MOhm.

(4) As an alternative to doping with titanium, the sapphire layer can also be doped with another element or with more than one element from the group consisting of Au, Ag, Cu, Ni, Pt or Ti.

(5) FIG. 2 shows a further illustrative embodiment in which the same layers and components as in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numeral and are not described again in order to avoid repetition.

(6) In the example shown in FIG. 2, the component 10 comprises not only the main element 2 and the sapphire layer 3 but also further layers 4, 5 and 6. For example, a base coat which improves the adhesion of the sapphire layer deposited thereon has been applied directly on top of the main element 2. An additional color layer 5 to vary the color effect of the component and a polymer layer 6 as mechanical protection can in turn be arranged on top of the sapphire layer. It goes without saying that these layers can be provided in combination with one another or else only single or a plurality of layers of this type can be provided.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(7) 1, 10 Component

(8) 2 Main element

(9) 3 Metal-doped sapphire layer

(10) 4 Base coat

(11) 5 Color layer

(12) 6 Polymer layer