Repository hosted by TU Delft Library

Symposium over hulpverlening en beleid Utrecht, 9 maart 1989.

The invention relates to a phased array antenna signal processing structure. The structure comprises a processor that includes a digital beam forming unit for generating partial beam data from digitized samples of a set of phased array antenna elements. The processor further comprises a set of input terminals for receiving intermediate beam data from another processor. The processor also comprises an adder for generating new intermediate beam data by adding partial beam data generated by the digital beam forming unit to corresponding received partial beam data. In addition, the processor comprises a set of output terminals for transmitting the new intermediate beam data.

A leaky wave antenna contains a first and a second leaky wave antenna structure back to back against each other. Each antenna structure comprises a dielectric body and an elongated wave carrying structure, such as a slot in a conductive ground plane. In each leaky wave antenna structure the body and wave carrying structure are mutually arranged to radiate a leaky wave from the wave carrying structure through the dielectric body, the leaky wave radiating at a respective angle to the wave carrying structure. The dielectric bodies of the first and second wave antenna structure adjoin each other in a common plane that is at said respective angles to the wave carrying structures of the first and second wave antenna structure respectively, so that the ground planes are at an angle with respect to each other.; The respective wave carrying structures run over into each other at said common plane, the antenna comprising a feed arranged to excite waves in both the respective wave carrying structures together. In this way bandwidth limitations due to the feed structure are reduced.

The European 1ST project ARHMS is covering a wide field of R&D activities with the final goal: a satellite based car communication system with a fiat electronically steerable roof antenna based on RF-MEMS. The required phase shift for beam steering will be done with MEMS switches and RF networks. An integratable LTCC packaging and wiring module with the MEMS and the passives has to be placed and connected close to the patch antenna. LTCC as a ceramic interconnection technology for processing multilayer boards, multi-chip-modules and packages, enables increased circuit density and high reliable structures. Within this work the good integration opportunities and the low loss of LTCC were reasons for the choice as well as thermal conductivity and the possibility to build cavities and windows, to integrate the RF-switches and SMDs and to guide the RF signal in a power range around 5 watt (Tx). Initial material studies and investigation, simulations of the RF conditions, technology improvements in structuring and processing LTCC as well as numerous test runs and measurements had been done to develop an initial test substrate. These early test structures were used to verify the design and simulation surrounding. The extracted correlation data allow the most promising layout work. Copyright © 2005 IMAPS.

The invention relates to a phased array antenna signal processing structure. The structure comprises a processor that includes a digital beam forming unit for generating partial beam data from digitized samples of a set of phased array antenna elements. The processor further comprises a set of input terminals for receiving intermediate beam data from another processor. The processor also comprises an adder for generating new intermediate beam data by adding partial beam data generated by the digital beam forming unit to corresponding received partial beam data. In addition, the processor comprises a set of output terminals for transmitting the new intermediate beam data.

A 3-14 GHz pseudo-differential distributed low noise amplifier, henceforth referred to as the distributed amplifier (DA), is reported. The DA is realized in the WIN PL15-10 process, which is a 0.15 μm Al_0.3Ga _0.7As/In_0.5Ga_0.5As low-noise depletion-mode pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistor (pHEMT) process. The DA features 10 pseudo-differential cascode pair unit cells. The chip also features V _GS and V_G2 gate bias circuits for threshold voltage, V_T offset compensation. Measured values for the figures of merit are: a 3-14 GHz bandwidth, 17 ± 1 dB of small-signal gain, a < 2.3 dB noise figure, a 7gt; 10 dB input and output return loss, and a one dB compression point of better than 15 dBm at 10 GHz. The DA draws 200 mA from a 3 V supply, and its dimensions are: 3.1 × 2.4 mm².

The transmit and receive modules of a large phased array are often calibrated for amplitude and phase variations by an internal calibration network and an offline characterization of the complete array in an anechoic chamber. Such a solution is less obvious in view of current trends towards integration and modularity. An alternative to surpass network and offline characterization is mutual-coupling based calibration. However, existing stepwise procedures for resolving the module transfer characteristics from (active) coupling measurements can be subject to propagaring errors originating from e.g. measurement noise, manufacturing differences, and defective modules. In this paper we propose an alternative approach, which is more versatile and robust than a stepwise procedure, and we test this approach for two different array architectures with simulated coupling data.

A Ku-band downconverter MMIC for satellite reception has been developed. This four channel downconverter contains four dual input LNAs, mixers and IF amplifiers and a single LO balun. The MMIC was designed in the PL15-10 pHEMT InGaAs low noise process of WIN Semiconductors.

This paper presents an overview of low-cost advanced SiGe based BiCMOS technologies for future RF, Miwrowave and THz applications. Illustrative design examples ranging from elite passives, Slow-Wave On-Chip and On-Package integrated antennas for mm-Wave applications, to Schottky diodes demonstrating supra THz performances are presented

A frequency doubler with pre-amplifier and driver amplifier for the LO chain of a 60 GHz communication system has been designed and tested. The circuit has been designed in conjunction with other transceiver sub-systems in the 0.15 μm GaAs pHEMT process of UMS (PH15). The measurements show good fundamental suppression of 35 dBc and an output power that can drive the co-designed mixer circuit. The doubler chain with amplifiers is approx. 3x1.3 mm, has a gain of 11 dB and a P-1dB at the output of +11 dBm.

A frequency doubler with pre-amplifier and driver amplifier for the LO chain of a 60 GHz communication system has been designed and tested. The circuit has been designed in conjunction with other transceiver sub-systems in the 0.15 μm GaAs pHEMT process of UMS (PH15). The measurements show good fundamental suppression of 35 dBc and an output power that can drive the co-designed mixer circuit. The doubler chain with amplifiers is approx. 3x1.3 mm, has a gain of 11 dB and a P-1dB at the output of +11 dBm.

A novel approach is presented to accurately measure the scattering parameters as well as the radiation pattern of planar antennas that operate in the millimeter-wave frequency band. To avoid interconnection problems, RF probes have been used to connect to the antenna. These RF probes are normally used for the characterisation of devices on a semiconductor wafer. Here, they are used to characterise antennas that can be realised in any planar manufacturing technology. A completely planar transition is designed to transform the coplanar waveguide transmission line that is required by the RF probe to a microstrip line. It is shown that this transition can be de-embedded from the measurements. Moreover, a measurement setup has been built for the measurement of the far-field radiation pattern of millimeterwave antennas and antenna arrays. This setup allows to connect the antenna under test with an RF probe and can measure the radiation pattern in the whole upper hemisphere