Phase management for extended scan range antenna arrays based on Rotman lens

This paper presents an implementation of a technique aimed to double the scanning range of a 24 GHz array antenna system based on Rotman lens beamforming. The new concept of the enhanced beam forming network consists of a combination of Rotman lens and 1-bit phase shifters, positioned in a peculiar way on the array side of the lens, and together with a particular beam arrangement allows to overcome the scan limitations which is typical of the standalone Rotman lens solution. Simulations will demonstrate that a Rotman lens, designed to steer the beam up to ±30°, when arranged in combination with properly designed Ratrace based phase shifters, allows to increase the scan range up to ±60°

Phase shifters design for Rotman lens based beamforming network scan range extension

The design of the phase management unit needed for extending the scan range of a 24 GHz array antenna system based on Rotman lens beamforming is presented. The developed phase management unit consists of both static and switchable reflective type phase shifters, whose particular arrangement, in combination with a Rotman lens, allows increasing the maximum steering beam angle by 100%. Finally, the proposed concept is validated through simulation including the complete beamforming network and antenna array system

Circularly Polarized Lens Antenna for Tbps Wireless Communications

The exponentially increasing demand for highspeed wireless links can be only efficiently satisfied with the development of future XG wireless communication networks, based on higher carrier signal frequencies, starting from 100 GHz. In this contribution, a circularly polarized G-band leaky-wave fed lens antenna with an integrated dielectric grid polarizer is presented, which can fulfill the challenging requirements for these future XG networks. A design is proposed in low dielectric permittivity material with a feed matching better than -10dB over a 44 % of relative bandwidth. The circularly polarized lens aperture efficiency is higher than 75% over a 35 % relative bandwidth, with an axial ratio lower than 3dB. Analytical tools have been applied to optimize the lens aperture efficiency, validating the results via full wave simulations. A lens prototype has been now fabricated and is currently being measured.</p

Dielectric-Grating In-Lens Polarizer for beyond 5G Communications

A high-gain broadband leaky-wave fed lens antenna with an integrated dielectric gratings polarizer covering the whole G-band (140-220GHz) is presented. This work focuses on the polarizer gratings manufacturing and in particular on the selection of plastic materials and the fabrication process refinement. The polarizer geometry has been designed and optimized to be compatible with standard milling techniques. A quasi-analytical method based on an analysis of the lens antenna in reception is used to validate the in-lens polarizer performance. Several prototypes have been fabricated, finally obtaining an excellent match between measurements and quasi-analytical results.Tera-Hertz Sensin

Wideband Circularly Polarized Antenna with In-Lens Polarizer for High-Speed Communications

In this contribution, a broadband G-band leaky-wave (LW) fed lens antenna with an integrated dielectric grid polarizer is presented. The proposed wideband polarizer unit cell geometry enables its fabrication at frequencies higher than 100 GHz, presenting high transmission properties and low axial ratio (AR). A quasi-Analytic technique based on multilayer spectral Green's function combined with a numerical Floquet modes' solver is used to optimize the lens aperture efficiency and AR. The proposed technique is validated via full-wave (FW) simulations. A design is proposed in low dielectric permittivity material, achieving FW simulated aperture efficiency higher than 75% over 44% relative bandwidth, and an AR lower than 3 dB over 35% relative bandwidth. The antenna is able to achieve multiple directive circularly polarized (CP) beams when fed by a focal plane array, preserving the AR bandwidth. A prototype has been fabricated and measured, exhibiting an excellent agreement with quasi-Analytic and FW simulations. Tera-Hertz Sensin

Circularly Polarized Lens Antenna for Tbps Wireless Communications

The exponentially increasing demand for highspeed wireless links can be only efficiently satisfied with the development of future XG wireless communication networks, based on higher carrier signal frequencies, starting from 100 GHz. In this contribution, a circularly polarized G-band leaky-wave fed lens antenna with an integrated dielectric grid polarizer is presented, which can fulfill the challenging requirements for these future XG networks. A design is proposed in low dielectric permittivity material with a feed matching better than -10dB over a 44 % of relative bandwidth. The circularly polarized lens aperture efficiency is higher than 75% over a 35 % relative bandwidth, with an axial ratio lower than 3dB. Analytical tools have been applied to optimize the lens aperture efficiency, validating the results via full wave simulations. A lens prototype has been now fabricated and is currently being measured.Accepted author manuscriptTera-Hertz Sensin

SANTANA – Smart Antenna Terminal for Broadband Mobile Satellite Communications at Ka-Band

Smart antennas employing Digital BeamForming (DBF) at Ka-band frequencies will be key elements for the next generation of broadband satellite communication systems. This frequency band offers high bandwidth, whereas DBF provides a high degree of system flexibility. Scope of the two-phase project Smart Antenna Terminal (SANTANA) is the development of advanced satellite communication terminals for mobile segments (e.g. aircrafts). The antenna consists of an Rx (20 GHz) and a separate Tx (30 GHz) array. In order to realise high gain DBF arrays, the Tx/Rx antennas are composed of 4x4 array modules which are used as basic building blocks. After a short introduction explaining the background and vision of the SANTANA project, a general system overview on the terminal-antenna concept will be given, followed by the presentation of measurement results. After that, the focus will be on novel concepts of an improved terminal architecture which is currently developed in the second project phase: • An enhanced RF-to-antenna interconnect design, which enables separate testing of RF- and antenna structures before integration and allows for a new architecture to enhance the thermal management. • An improved Rx-antenna element and feeding structure. • A new Tx antenna layout, based on a LTCC multilayer structure, featuring hybrid couplers, shielding cavities and a calibration network. An outlook on the fixed and mobile tests of a system, composed of 4 basic building blocks for high data rate planned to be carried out in 2006 will conclude this contribution