A mmWave Transmitting Time Modulated Array Using Bespoke GaAs Integrated Circuits—Prototype Design and Laboratory Trials at 73 GHz
The prototype design and testing of an E band mmWave Time Modulated Array (TMA) is presented. The PCB based array has a 3 dB RF bandwidth of 71-73 GHz and a peak gain of −2 dBi on the first harmonic steered beam. The TMA second harmonic beam gain is within 0.9 dB of a conventional phase-s...
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IEEE
2025-01-01
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| Series: | IEEE Open Journal of Antennas and Propagation |
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| Online Access: | https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10720082/ |
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| author | Edward A. Ball Sumin David Joseph |
| author_facet | Edward A. Ball Sumin David Joseph |
| author_sort | Edward A. Ball |
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| description | The prototype design and testing of an E band mmWave Time Modulated Array (TMA) is presented. The PCB based array has a 3 dB RF bandwidth of 71-73 GHz and a peak gain of −2 dBi on the first harmonic steered beam. The TMA second harmonic beam gain is within 0.9 dB of a conventional phase-shifter based array, in a like-for-like theoretical comparison. An array gain of +11.5 dBi is predicted for a full on-chip implementation. Good agreement between theoretical and prototype measured gains and array patterns are reported. Beam steering and phase correction are implemented using an FPGA, requiring only 2 digital lines per array element. A dedicated, bespoke GaAs mmWave Monolithic Integrated Circuit (MMIC) to realize the TMA is presented. A key feature of the MMIC is a sub 400 ps phase inversion switch. The MMICs provide a measured average gain of 4.4 dB and draw 61.2 mW. The TMA is demonstrated steering the first harmonic beam to +/−12 degrees and the second harmonic beam to +/−30 degrees. The maxim steer possible is +/−16 degrees for the first and +/−35 degrees for the second harmonic beams. The full hardware demonstrator platform is presented and laboratory measurements provided, confirming good operation of the array compared to theory. Our work is the first demonstration of a steerable TX TMA operating in E band. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d2f0988e6eb845159c488fbb96dc4dda |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2637-6431 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IEEE |
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| series | IEEE Open Journal of Antennas and Propagation |
| spelling | doaj-art-d2f0988e6eb845159c488fbb96dc4dda2025-01-30T00:03:23ZengIEEEIEEE Open Journal of Antennas and Propagation2637-64312025-01-016114416210.1109/OJAP.2024.348199110720082A mmWave Transmitting Time Modulated Array Using Bespoke GaAs Integrated Circuits—Prototype Design and Laboratory Trials at 73 GHzEdward A. Ball0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6283-5949Sumin David Joseph1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9756-7596Communications Research Group, The School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, U.K.Communications Research Group, The School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, U.K.The prototype design and testing of an E band mmWave Time Modulated Array (TMA) is presented. The PCB based array has a 3 dB RF bandwidth of 71-73 GHz and a peak gain of −2 dBi on the first harmonic steered beam. The TMA second harmonic beam gain is within 0.9 dB of a conventional phase-shifter based array, in a like-for-like theoretical comparison. An array gain of +11.5 dBi is predicted for a full on-chip implementation. Good agreement between theoretical and prototype measured gains and array patterns are reported. Beam steering and phase correction are implemented using an FPGA, requiring only 2 digital lines per array element. A dedicated, bespoke GaAs mmWave Monolithic Integrated Circuit (MMIC) to realize the TMA is presented. A key feature of the MMIC is a sub 400 ps phase inversion switch. The MMICs provide a measured average gain of 4.4 dB and draw 61.2 mW. The TMA is demonstrated steering the first harmonic beam to +/−12 degrees and the second harmonic beam to +/−30 degrees. The maxim steer possible is +/−16 degrees for the first and +/−35 degrees for the second harmonic beams. The full hardware demonstrator platform is presented and laboratory measurements provided, confirming good operation of the array compared to theory. Our work is the first demonstration of a steerable TX TMA operating in E band.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10720082/Millimeter wave circuitsRF hardware platformtime-modulated antenna arrays (TMAs) |
| spellingShingle | Edward A. Ball Sumin David Joseph A mmWave Transmitting Time Modulated Array Using Bespoke GaAs Integrated Circuits—Prototype Design and Laboratory Trials at 73 GHz IEEE Open Journal of Antennas and Propagation Millimeter wave circuits RF hardware platform time-modulated antenna arrays (TMAs) |
| title | A mmWave Transmitting Time Modulated Array Using Bespoke GaAs Integrated Circuits—Prototype Design and Laboratory Trials at 73 GHz |
| title_full | A mmWave Transmitting Time Modulated Array Using Bespoke GaAs Integrated Circuits—Prototype Design and Laboratory Trials at 73 GHz |
| title_fullStr | A mmWave Transmitting Time Modulated Array Using Bespoke GaAs Integrated Circuits—Prototype Design and Laboratory Trials at 73 GHz |
| title_full_unstemmed | A mmWave Transmitting Time Modulated Array Using Bespoke GaAs Integrated Circuits—Prototype Design and Laboratory Trials at 73 GHz |
| title_short | A mmWave Transmitting Time Modulated Array Using Bespoke GaAs Integrated Circuits—Prototype Design and Laboratory Trials at 73 GHz |
| title_sort | mmwave transmitting time modulated array using bespoke gaas integrated circuits x2014 prototype design and laboratory trials at 73 ghz |
| topic | Millimeter wave circuits RF hardware platform time-modulated antenna arrays (TMAs) |
| url | https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10720082/ |
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