mmWave Metal Bowtie Slot Array Element Integrating Power Amplifier MMIC via On-Chip Probe to Enhance Efficiency and Bandwidth
Journal article, 2022

A Ka-band wideband, wide-scan range, and high-efficiency active integrated array element with a contactless transition at the antenna-power amplifier interface has been developed with the aid of a joint optimization design flow. This element employs a metal cavity-backed bowtie slot to realize the desired optimal interface impedance over a wide frequency band and scan range. The contactless transition in the form of an on-chip E-plane probe provides an electromagnetic coupling to the slot to avoid lossy and narrowband wire bonding, where the probe is integrated onto the custom-designed GaAs pHEMT power amplifier MMIC. The integrated design features a peak power efficiency of 40%, a fractional bandwidth of 11.3% (power efficiency≥20%), peak effective isotropic radiated power of 28 dBm, and a scan range of ±55° and ±40° in the two principal planes at the 1 dB compression point. The behavior of this element in the infinite connected-slot array environment is emulated and experimentally verified by the active waveguide simulator technique.

System-on-chip

millimeter-wave antenna

Power generation

power amplifier

Antennas

active antenna

Antenna arrays

contactless transition

integrated antenna

Metals

Probes

Impedance

Author

Wan-Chun Liao

Chalmers, Electrical Engineering, Communication, Antennas and Optical Networks

Artem Vilenskiy

Chalmers, Electrical Engineering, Communication, Antennas and Optical Networks

Rob Maaskant

Chalmers, Electrical Engineering, Communication, Antennas and Optical Networks

Thomas Emanuelsson

Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Microwave Electronics

Vessen Vassilev

Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Microwave Electronics

Marianna Ivashina

Chalmers, Electrical Engineering, Communication, Antennas and Optical Networks

IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation

0018-926X (ISSN) 1558-2221 (eISSN)

Vol. 70

Subject Categories

Telecommunications

Signal Processing

Condensed Matter Physics

DOI

10.1109/TAP.2022.3177524

More information

Latest update

7/17/2024