Compact Extended Scan Range Antenna Array based on Rotman Lens

This article proposes an innovative method for extending the scan range of phased arrays based on Rotman lens by a factor two. The main objective is to take advantage of the performance of the Rotman lens as beamforming network, resolving its intrinsic increase of phase error and coupling losses when wide scan angles are required. The proposed concept aims to overcome these limitations by introducing the combination of two specific operations called “complete beam shifting (CBS)” and “beam mirroring (BM).” The described technique is applied to a 24 GHz scanning array antenna system, designed and manufactured by taking into consideration fabrication and related cost issues. Finally, the proposed concept has been validated through measurements

Innovative Rotman lens setup for extended scan range array antennas

The aim of this work is to design a smart and cost effective 24 GHz Short Range Radar (SRR) array antenna system for automotive applications. The beam forming network consists of a hybrid solution including an analog phase shifter, realized with a Rotman lens, and an additional digital phase shifting stage on array side allowing to select between two states, and consequently to enhance the scan angle. This paper will demonstrate that this new concept allows to double the scanning capability of the array with respect to a design employing only the Rotman lens

A Dual-Frequency Series-Fed Patch Array Antenna

Abstract-A novel dual-frequency concept for series-fed microstrip patch array antennas is proposed. An identical near field distribution following an identical far field characteristic was achieved at two different frequencies. The conventional series fed array comes with a uniform aperture distribution for patches of same width. By exploiting the dispersion of this periodic structure the same cosine aperture distribution at two different frequencies is obtained. Due to the cosine aperture distribution a low side lobe level of 23 dB is intrinsically achieved for the two operating frequencies, 23 GHz and 25 GHz. This concept is particularly suited for small frequency ratios (f+/f− < 1.3)

Components of a highly integrated DBF terminal antenna for mobile Ka-band satellite communications

In this paper several components for a highly integrated digital beamforming (DBF) antenna array for Ka-band satellite systems are presented. The general concept of array construction based on a modular approach is introduced and the construction of a constituent array module discussed. Following this outline, different components, designed and tested to later be incorporated into the array module, are treated with the focus set on the Ka-band receiver and transmitter frontends

Comparison of efficiency measurement methods for small antennas

\ua9 2005 IEEE. The National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) in France launched a number of specific actions (SA) in order to identify the most challenging issues to be investigated by the French research community. One of these specific actions is dedicated to antenna miniaturisation. The aim of this action is to provide a state of the art and new direction of studies in the following topics: antenna miniaturisation techniques and designs, evaluation of small antenna Q and fundamental limitation in miniaturisations, software issues: computing and benchmark, comparison of different small antennas efficiency measurement methods. This last part gathers three French university laboratories (IETR, IREENA, LEAT) and two French companies (CEA-LETI, SAGEM). Recently, three companies (TCL & ALCATEL Mobile Phones, Bluetest AB, IMST GmbH) and the Chalmers University of Technology have been interested to participate to the efficiency round robin measurements. This paper presents the work already done from January to December 2004