Design and Simulating an X-Band Light Weight Phase Array Antenna with Integrated Phase Shifter

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Imam Hossein University, Tehran, Iran.

2 Islamic Azad University Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

The advancement of technology has significantly increased the importance of defense systems that can scan and identify attacking targets. These systems rely on phased array antennas to achieve their functionality. The beam remains fixed in a perpendicular orientation without such antennas, preventing effective target detection. Historically, beam rotation was accomplished either mechanically or electronically. Mechanical methods involved the use of levers that required constant rotation, whereas electronic beam rotation was enabled solely by phased array antennas. This process necessitates the use of phase shifters, which are typically implemented using either pin diodes or ferrites. In this article, pin diodes are utilized due to their advantages, including high switching speed, reversibility, and superior availability compared to ferrites.




row


Parameters


Amount




1


Total angle covered


45Degree




2


half power beam width


°18




3


Angle change step


Less than 5°




4


Polarization


linear




5


Return Loss (VSWR)


Less than 1.5




6


Total weight (antenna, control board, and feeding network)


1 kilogram




7


Dimensions


15 cm × 15 cm × 10 mm




8


Tolerable power


1 watt




9


A(area)


126mm




10


Horn a
 


35mm




11


Horn b


27mm




12


horn flare length


2inch




13


C


 




14


Center frequency


9.5 G




15


λ=c/f


3× /9.5=31.5




 Rather than placing all the PIN diodes on a single unit and rotating the entire antenna pattern to the desired angle, this approach proves to be inefficient, as replacing the PIN diodes each time would be impractical. Additionally, constructing such a system would be highly complex. To address these challenges, a more efficient solution involves quantizing the PIN diode phases into two discrete states: 0° (off) and 180° (on), which are incorporated into a single-bit unit cell with dimensions of 7 × 7. This configuration allows for the beam to be rotated to the desired angle while maintaining system simplicity. However, one important characteristic of this type of antenna is that, as the scanning coverage angle increases, the antenna gain decreases.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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History

  • Receive Date: 30 September 2024
  • Revise Date: 03 March 2025
  • Accept Date: 05 March 2025

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