World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology 49 2009

Steered Microstrip Phased Array Antennas

J. Ehmouda, Z. Briqech, and A. Amer
phase of the radiating element, thereby producing a moving pattern with no moving parts. Fig. 1 schematically illustrates a phased array antenna. It consists of a power distribution network, phase shifters, and antenna elements. Phased array antennas are known for their capability to steer the beam pattern electronically with high effectiveness, managing to get minimum side-lobe levels and narrow beamwidths. Implementations beginning during the 1950s depend largely on microwave circuitry components such as phase shifters, and variable amplifiers. To achieve performance specifications such as narrow beamwidth or considerable scanning range with high angle resolution, a large number of antenna elements were needed to construct the array. Normally phase shifters are the devices in a phased array antenna that allow the radiated beam to be steered in the direction. Depending on the manufacturing method, phase shifters can be classified into the following categories; mechanical phase shifters, ferrite phase shifters, semiconductor device phase shifters and transmission line phase shifters. Various types of antennas that include wire antenna etc, microstrip patches, horn antenna and wave guide are used. Power dividers are used for splitting microwave signals to feed the radiating elements, such as, microstrip line feed, coaxial probe feed, aperture coupled feed, and proximity coupled feed.

AbstractBeam-steering antennas are the ideal solution for a

variety of system applications, including traffic control and collisionavoidance radars, smart base station antennas for WLAN and cellular communication. Beam-steering is most commonly achieved through using phased arrays, where phase shifters are used to control the relative of the main-beam. The objective of this research is to investigate and implement a phase shifter in a linear antenna array for angle scan. A microstrip antenna array is used since it is simple to design and fabricate. The phase shifter is provided using different lengths of coaxial cable. Advanced Design system Software (ADS) is used to simulate the phased array antenna. Measurements of return loss ( s11 ) and radiation pattern are obtained using a network analyzer. Conclusions related to simulation and experimental results are given.

KeywordsMicrostrip Antenna, Advanced Design System, Transmission line phase shifter, Return loss.

N single element antenna, the radiation pattern is usually very broad and the directivity is relatively low. This problem can be overcamed by enlarging the size of the element thus increasing the directivity. Another way to enlarge the antenna without changing the size of the individual elements is to assemble the radiating elements in a geometrical configuration known as an array. The individual elements forming the array are usually identical and they can be of any form (wire antenna, microstrip patches etc). Many antenna system applications require that the direction of the beam's main lobe be changed with time, or scanned. This is usually done by mechanically rotating a single antenna or an array with fixed phase to the element. However, mechanical scanning requires a positioning system that can be costly and scan too slowly. For this reason, electronic scanning antennas which are known as phased array antennas are used. It can sweep the direction of the beam by varying electronically the

I. INTRODUCTION

Fig. 1 Corporate fed phase shifter

J. M. Ehmouda is with Comprehensive Higher Institute of Electronics, Department of Electronics and Electric , Bani-walid, P.O Box 38538 Libya (phone: +218-92-5280784; e-mail: algwarey@yahoo.com). Z. M. Briqech is with Comprehensive Higher Institute of Electronics, Department of Electronics and Electric, Bani-walid, P.O Box 38538 Libya (phone: +218-91-4054128; e-mail: briqech@yahoo.com) A. A. Amer is with Comprehensive Higher Institute of Electronics, Department of Electronics and Electric, Bani-walid, P.O Box 38538 Libya (phone: +218-91-3815485; e-mail: SBDAMER@yahoo.com).

II. TRANSMISSION LINE PHASE SHIFTER In this design, it can be shown that by varying the phase of the two transmissions, the radiation pattern is changed. The switched line phase shifter model best describes the phase shifting process of this design. Two switches are used to permit either one of the two paths to be selected for the transmission path. Fig. 2 illustrates the schematic diagram of the Switched-line phase shifter.

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beam width is 25o.

Fig. 2 Switched line phase shifter

In this schematic, the lower path has transmission length L, while the upper path has a transmission length L+ L. the path length L acts as a reference line as well as the reference phase. The additional length L that gives the phase delay is determined by the equation given defined by:

= eff K L
K = 2f c
c

(1) (2) (3)

Fig. 4 3-D Radiation pattern of array antenna with scan.

2Lf eff

However, since this design is implemented using microstrip technology, the physical length, L , is determined by:

L =

c
2f eff

(4)

Where c is the speed of light, f is the operating frequency and eff is the effective dielectric constant. III. SIMULATION RESULTS USING ADVANCED DESIGN SYSTEM The antenna shown in Fig. 3 is designed to scan the beam at twenty seven degree. In this design, the beam is steered by changing the phase between elements. The phase between the elements is changed by changing the length of the feeders between elements. The different length of feeders ( L ) that is required to scan the main beam to twenty seven degree is, L =9.01 mm, 2 L =18.02 mm, 3 L =27.03 mm. Fig. 5 Polar radiation pattern of array antenna with scan.

Fig. 3 Antenna with scan configuration

Fig. 6 Rectangular radiation pattern of array antenna with san

A. Radiation Pattern Using ADS software, the radiation pattern of the designed antenna is shown in Fig. 4, Fig. 5, and Fig. 6. The half power

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B. Return Loss The return loss of the antenna is shown in Fig. 7. From the Fig. the resonance frequency of the antenna is at 9.9 GHz and S 11 = - 26 dB. The band width of the antenna is 5.5 %.

Dielectric constant, r =4.4. Dielectric height, h =1.58 mm Spacing between element, d = 0.6 Length of delay cables, L = 3cm , 2L = 6cm , 3L = 9cm .

Fig. 7 Return loss of array antenna with scan Fig. 9 Polarization of array antenna

C. Directivity and Gain The directivity and gain are plotted in Fig. 8. The gain of the antenna is 11 dB in the main beam at theta equal twenty seven.

Fig. 10 Antenna array configuration

Fig. 8 Directivity and gain of array antenna with scan

D. Polarization The antenna is linearly polarized. The isolation between copolarization and cross-polarization is less than -18 dB as shown Fig. 9. IV. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS A. Designed Antenna The designed antenna array with phase shifters is shown in Fig. 10 and Fig. 11 has the following parameters: Resonant frequency at, f=1.521 GHz.
Fig. 11 Transmission line phase shifter

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B. Return Loss

4.

The return loss of the antenna is shown in Fig. 12. From the Fig. the resonance frequency of the antenna 1.53165 GHz and S 11 = - 24.49dB. The band width of the antenna is 1.958%.

5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

A problem associated with all electronic scanning is beam distortion with scan angle. It results in spread of the beam shape and a consequent reduction in gain known as "scan loss". When elements are spaced greater than /2 a part, grating lobes are possible. Increase the spacing between elements less than /2 will reduce the HPBW and increase the antenna directivity due to increase size. Increase number of elements will decrease HPBW so will increase the directivity. The bandwidth becomes smaller as the array is made larger or as the scan angle is increased. The use of coaxial delay lines is impractical due to increased cost, complexity and weight. ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Fig. 12 Measured return loss C. Measure Radiation Pattern The measured radiation pattern is shown in Fig. 13, if

The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to the Academy of Graduate Studies [Tripoli-Libya] , the Higher Institute of Electronics [Bani-Walid / Libya] and Comprehensive Higher Institute [Bani-Walid / Libya] for the providing needed support. REFERENCES [1]
[2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] C. A. Balanis, Antenna Theory Analysis and Design, John Wile y& Sons, Inc.,New York, 1997. I. J. Bahi and P. Bhartia, Microstrip antennas, Artech House Inc., Dehdam, Massachusetts, 1980. Koul. S. K and Bhat. B, Microwave and Millimeter Wave Phase Shifters dielectric and ferrite Phase Shifters Volume One Dielectric and Ferrite Phase. Shifters, Artech House, Inc., Norwood, MA., 1991. R. C. Hancen, Phase Array Antennas, John Wile y& Sons, Inc., ISBNs, 1998. D. M. Pozer, Microwave Engineering, Addison-wesley Publishing Company, Mass.,1990. L. Josefsson and P. Persson, Conformal Array Antenna Theory and Design, John Wile y& Sons, Inc., New Jersey, 2006 T. A . Milligan, Modern Antenna Design, John Wiley& Sons, Inc., New Jersey, 2005. S. J. Orfanidis, Electromagnetic Wave and Antennas, April 2003. Marine. U. S Corps "Antenna Handbook", Marsh 1991. R. C. Johnson, Antenna Engineering Handbook, McGraw-Hill, Inc., USA, 1993. M. Skolnik, Radar Hand Book, McGraw-Hill, Inc., USA, 1976. J. A. Fenn, D. H. Temme, W. P. Delaney and W. E. Courtney, "The Development of Phase Array Radar Teqnology" Labaratory journal, vol. 12, No. 2, 2000. X. Guan, H. Hashemi and Hajimir, "A fully Integrated 24 GHz EgithElement Phase-Array Receiver in silicon" IEEE Journal of solid-state circuits,vol. 39, No. 12, December 2004. M. D. Deshpande and M. C. Bailey, "Analysis of Finite Phased Arrays of Circular Microstrip Patches", IEEE Transcation Antennas and Propagation, vol, 37, no,11, November 1989. R. B. Waterhouse, "Design and Performance of Large Phased Arrays of Aperture Stacked Patches", 0018-926X10$10.002001 IEEE. E. A. Lee. and C. N. Dorny "A broadcast Reference Techqnique for Self-Calibrating of Large Antenna Phase Arrays" IEEE Transaction on Antennas and Propagation, vol. 37, no.8, Agust, 1989. R. E. Collin, Foundations for Microwave Engineering, McGraw-Hill, Inc., USA, 1992. Y. S. Liao, Microwave Devices and Circuits, Prentice-Hill, Inc., Englewood,1980.

shown the beam is steered to 15 .

Fig. 13 Measured radiation pattern

V. CONCLUSION In this work, four element phased array using microstrip antenna and transmission line phase shifter has been designed, simulated and tested. The following points are observed. 1. In the case of this research, the phase shift is obtained through the introduction of additional path length of coaxial cable. 2. To produce a broadside beam, = 0 , requires phase excitation n = 0 , other scan angle require an 3. excitation n = nkd cos( 0 ) for the n element. Amplitude excitation can be used to control beam shape and side lobe level. In this dissertation the amplitude excitation is constant.
th

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Jamal M. Ehmouda, B.Sc. Microwaves Engendering in 1997, from Faculty of Electronics Engineering Bani-Walid, and 2008. M.Sc. degree in Specialty: ns, Department: Electronic and Electrical Engineering, School of Applied Sciences and Engineering, Academy of Graduate Studies, Tripoli, Libya.

Zouhair M. Briqech, B.Sc. Communication Engendering in 2003, from Faculty of Electronics Engineering Bani-Walid, and 2007. M.Sc. degree in Specialty: Microwaves & Communications, Department: Electronic and Electrical Engineering, School of Applied Sciences and Engineering, Academy of Graduate Studies, Tripoli, Libya.

Abduladeem A. Amer, B.Sc. Communication Engendering in 2003, from Faculty of Electronics Engineering Bani-Walid, and 2007. M.Sc. degree in Specialty: Microwaves & Communications, Department: Electronic and Electrical Engineering, School of Applied Sciences and Engineering, Academy of Graduate Studies, Tripoli, Libya.

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