Grid Array Antennas With Subarrays and Multiple Feeds for 60-GHz Radios

• Published in: IEEE transactions on antennas and propagation Vol. 60; no. 5; pp. 2270 - 2275
• Main Authors: Zhang, Bing, Zhang, Yue Ping
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.05.2012; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: 60-GHz; Algorithms; Antenna arrays; Antenna radiation patterns; Antennas; Applied sciences; Arrays; Bandwidth; Beams (radiation); Current distribution; Design engineering; Exact sciences and technology; Feeds; Flexibility; Gain; grid array antenna; low temperature co-fired ceramic; Radio; Radiocommunications; Simulation; Studies; Telecommunications; Telecommunications and information theory; low temperature co-fired ceramic; Circular polarization; Manufacturing process; grid array antenna; 60-GHz; Antenna array; Ceramic materials; Flexibility; T shape; Low temperature
• ISSN: 0018-926X; 1558-2221
• DOI: 10.1109/TAP.2012.2189733

A grid array antenna is presented in this paper with sub grid arrays and multiple feed points, showing enhanced radiation characteristics and sufficient design flexibility. For instance, the grid array antenna can be easily designed as a linearly- or circularly-polarized, unbalanced or balanced antenna. A design example is given for a linearly-polarized unbalanced grid array antenna in Ferro A6M low temperature co-fired ceramic technology for 60-GHz radios to operate from 57 to 66 GHz (≈ 14.6% at 61.5 GHz ). It consists of 4 sub grid arrays and 4 feed points that are connected to a single-ended 50-Ω source by a quarter-wave matched T-junction network. The simulated results indicate that the grid array antenna has the maximum gain of 17.7 dBi at 59 GHz , an impedance bandwidth (| S 11 | ≤ -10 dB) nearly from 56 to 67.5 GHz (or 18.7%), a 3-dB gain bandwidth from 55.4 to 66 GHz (or 17.2%), and a vertical beam bandwidth in the broadside direction from 57 to 66 GHz (14.6%). The measured results are compared with the simulated ones. Discrepancies and their causes are identified with a tolerance analysis on the fabrication process.