Beam Steering-Switching Array with Dual-Band Operation for 5G S-Band Adaptive Antenna Applications using SLPS and E-Shape Slot Antenna

Abstract

The proposed research work presents a design of dual-band, 4-element, planer beam-steering antenna array with feed network. The proposed design is carried out with two different schemes for 5G (Lower Band) applications. A design procedure is derived in detail, and a prototype, including the array and a planar feeding network, is built and tested for the second scheme. The array is capable of generating number of beams in different directions based on the ON/OFF state of PIN diodes (MA4SPS402) used in Switched Line Phase Shifters (SLPS). But it is tested for 22 combinations of the SLPSs. The scanning range covered by this array is -45o to + 45o. To cover the entire 360o range, four such array prototypes are sufficient. Inter-element spacing is optimized with D1 = 86mm and D2 = 40mm to achieve maximum directive gain, which is 14.4dBi at 3.6GHz and 11.7dBi at 2.4GHz. Return Loss obtained is -24.89dB at 3.6GHz and − 13.79dB at 2.4GHz. In order to operate the array in two bands, the Slot antenna is designed using Quarter Wave Transformer (QWT) with directive gain of 7.6dBi and 7.39dBi at 3.6 and 2.4GHz respectively. For Designing of feed network, Wilkinson Power Dividers and Switched Line Phase Shifters are used. When the frequency of the excitation signal is 3.6GHz, the direction of maxima is positive and when it is 2.4GHz, the direction of maxima is negative for the E-Plane. Beam switching, based on the phase shift applied to array elements, will be in the H-Plane for both frequency regions.