Electronic Beam Steering Using Switched Parasitic Smart Antenna Arrays

The features of the use of finite waveguide antenna arrays in the structure of modern smart antenna systems are considered. The paper deals with the problem of diffraction of an electromagnetic wave on a finite waveguide antenna array scanning in the E-plane. Antenna array consists of five radiating elements. The open ends of the waveguides are surrounded by a metal screen. The resonator coupling region was chosen as matching elements. The solution of the problem is carried out by the integral equation method on the basis of the selection of overlapping regions. The problem reduces to solving the Fredholm integral equation of the second kind. An array of infinitely thin plates and that of waveguides with a finite wall thickness are considered. The main regularities for choosing the optimal geometric dimensions of the antenna array are established. Studies were carried out for arrays with a number of elements from five to fifteen. The analysis of edge effects in the final antenna array is carried out. It is shown that the introduction of a resonator region into a five-element lattice makes it possible to expand the sector of the radiation angles and avoid the effect of blinding. It is shown that this statement is valid not only for five-element lattices, but also for arrays with a large number of radiating elements. The radiation patterns are calculated. The coefficients of mutual coupling in an array with five elements are investigated. General recommendations for choosing optimal sizes of the resonator coupling region of radiators are considered.

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Microwave Liquid Crystal Technology

Crystals ◽

10.3390/cryst8090355 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (9) ◽

pp. 355 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Holger Maune ◽

Matthias Jost ◽

Roland Reese ◽

Ersin Polat ◽

Matthias Nickel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Liquid Crystal ◽

Millimeter Wave ◽

Antenna Arrays ◽

High Performance ◽

Beam Steering ◽

Phase Shifters ◽

Dielectric Waveguides ◽

Microwave Components ◽

Recent Developments ◽

Rectangular Waveguides

Tunable Liquid Crystal (LC)-based microwave components are of increasing interest in academia and industry. Based on these components, numerous applications can be targeted such as tunable microwave filters and beam-steering antenna systems. With the commercialization of first LC-steered antennas for Ku-band e.g., by Kymeta and Alcan Systems, LC-based microwave components left early research stages behind. With the introduction of terrestrial 5G communications systems, moving to millimeter-wave communication, these systems can benefit from the unique properties of LC in terms of material quality. In this paper, we show recent developments in millimeter wave phase shifters for antenna arrays. The limits of classical high-performance metallic rectangular waveguides are clearly identified. A new implementation with dielectric waveguides is presented and compared to classic approaches.

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