Steerable Antenna

Electronically-Steerable Antennas for
Millimeter-Wave Frequency Range

Abbas Abbaspour-Tamijani
School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering

ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
Motivation
Electronically steerable antennas are integral to most millimeterwave radio systems.
Steerable antennas are employed or envisioned for:
Automotive radar
Navigation and landing aids
LEO satellites
On the move SATCOM
Cellular communication infrastructure
Space systems
Short range ultra high speed data communication
WLAN
Abbaspour-Tamijanis Group
Slide 2
Different Approaches To Beam Steering

Common methods for beam steering include:
Mechanical steering
Phased arrays (active and passive)
Multi-beam quasi-optical systems (passive)
Scanned quasi-optical system (active and passive)
Frequency-scanned leaky-wave antennas (passive)
Electronically-scanned leaky-wave antennas (passive)
Digital beam-forming (active)
Slide 3
Comparison Between Active and

Passive Methods
Active
Passive
Cost
Low
Low-High
Size
Small-Medium
Small-Large
Weight
Low-Medium
Low-High
Noise
High
Low
Linearity
Low
Hi
Gain/Efficiency
High
Low-Medium
Power handling
Low
High
Bandwidth
Low
Low-High
DC Power consumption
High
Low-Medium
Scalability
Poor
Good
Slide 4
State of the Art in MEMS Phased Arrays

MEMS phase shifters and monolithic phased-arrays:
Hung et al., 2004

Lakshminarayanan et al., 2006
Topalli et al., 2008

Slide 5
State of the Art in IC Phase-Shifters

Passive 3-Bit Delay Line in 65 nm CMOS
Yu et al., 2008
Active 4-Bit in 0.18 um BiCMOS
Koh et al., 2008

Slide 6
Space-Fed Arrays vs. Phased Arrays

With Constrained Feed Networks
At millimeter-wave frequencies (MMW) larger arrays are often
implemented in the form of space-fed arrays (lens-arrays or
reflectarrays).
Space-feeding eliminates the loss and parasitic radiations of the
feed network.
Beam-steering in the case of reflectarrays and lens-arrays can be
achieved by integrating phase-control devices with the array
elements.
Constrained-Fed Phased-Array
Steerable Lens-Array
Steerable Reflectarray
Slide 7
Multi-Beam Lens-Array and Reflectarray

Examples
K-band discrete lens array with
patches and delay lines.
Romisch et al., 2003

58 GHz 3-beam folded reflectarray
Thiel and Menzel, 2006

Slide 8
Multi-Beam 2D Lens-Array Examples

Modified Rotman Lens
Schulwitz et al., 2008

2D Lunberg Lens
Kenichi, 2002
Slide 9
Scanned Lens-Array Examples

Lockheed Martin/ Radant Lens-Array
Maciel et al., 2007
Teledyne Scientific Lens-Array uses

waveguide phase-shifters with Schottky
diode electromagnetic crystal tuners
(EMXT) side walls.
25,000 switches, 0.4 m2, X band
Xin et al., 2005
Slide 10
Scanned Reflectarray Examples

X-band reflectarray based on
waveguide reflective 2-bit phaseshifters. Uses PIN diode-enabled
switchable printed circuit loads.
Apert et al., 2006 (Thales)

60 GHz reflectarray based on pin-diodeloaded patch antennas with 1-bit phase

shift.
Kamoda et al., 2009 (NHK, Japan)

Slide 11
Ideas Proposed for Monolithic MEMS

Lens-Arrays and Reflectarrays
Almost all of the viable topologies are for reflectarrays:
Perruisseau-Carrier et al., 2008
Bayraktar et al., 2008
Sorrentino, 2008
Schaffner et al., 2001
Slide 12
Leaky Wave Antenna Examples

Frequency-Scanned LWA Based on
Composite Transmission Feed-Line
Caloz & Itoh, 2004

Electronically-Scanned LWA Based

on Loaded Composite Feed-line
Lim et al., 2004

Slide 13
Hybrid vs. Monolithic Integration

In hybrid implementation, MEMS phase-shifters, switches, or tuning
elements are fabricated an packaged separately and are assembled
into the array topology.
- Requires post assembly and hence is more tedious fabrication.
- The large size of the packaged devices limits the minimum cell
size, scan performance, and frequency range.
- Assembly errors and package parasitics can seriously impair
performance at millimeter-wave frequencies.
- Is feasible even in the absence of a high yield MEMS process
In the monolithic implementation, MEMS devices are fabricated on
the same substrate as the antennas and the rest of the RF structure.
The devices can be packaged individually using dielectric dome or in
wafer level.
- Advantages include compact design, potential for high density
integration, and high frequency operation.
Slide 14
Difficulties of Monolithic Integration

Monolithic implementation is subject to a number of challenges:
- Limits on the choice of substrate affecting the size of phase shifters
and antenna performance
- Increased mutual coupling through closely spaced unshielded phaseshifter circuits
- RF coupling to the bias network
- Parasitic radiations from phase-shifters and bias lines
- Limit on the maximum size of the array
- Need for a high-yield process with good uniformity across the wafer
Most of the above problems can be overcome with creative

topologies and careful design. The yield problem is a manufacturing
issue that needs to be addressed by industry.
Currently, efforts are under way to develop a high-yield MEMS
foundry process that will hopefully address the yield issue.
Slide 15
Why Simple Phase-Shifter-Based

Configurations Do Not Work Too Well?
Wideband antennas in conjunction with matched delay lines or
phase-shifters can be used to design wideband lens-arrays and
reflectarrays.
Simulated phase for an element with 100% bandwidth for
= [0:22.5:337.5]:
Z0 ,
Z0 , 2
Slide 16
Why Simple Phase-Shifter-Based

Configurations Do Not Work Too Well?
Now assume a more practical value the antenna bandwidth 10%:
Z0 ,
Z0 , 2
Slide 17
Arrays Using Antenna-Filter-Antenna

Elements
To overcome the unwanted changes in the frequency response,
the antennas and phase-shifters must be designed together.
The antenna and phase-control circuitry can be combined to form
a bandpass filter. We give these composite elements the name
Antenna-Filter-Antennas or AFA.
AFAs are usually three-layer structures that are composed of two

antennas and a number of microwave resonators.
For resonant antennas, the reactive part of the antenna
impedance is absorbed in the structure of the filter.
Slide 18
Arrays Using Antenna-Filter-Antenna

Elements
Example of absorbing antenna reactance in the filter design for
the case of slot antennas:
Slide 19
Fixed AFA Examples Using Microstrip

and Slot Antennas
Slide 20
Reconfigurable AFAs as Phase-Shifting

Devices
If their frequency response could be made tunable, AFAs can be used as
phase-shifting elements to form lens-arrays or reflectarrays.
A more practical approach is to design reconfigurable AFA elements that

can jump between different order bandpass modes.
Slide 21
Focal Plane Scanning Using Fixed Lens-Arrays

(Tuned Elements)
E-Plane Scanning
H-Plane Scanning
Focal Plane Scanning Using Fixed Lens-Arrays

(Multi-Moded Elements)
E-Plane Scanning
H-Plane Scanning
Two-Bit Transmittive AFA Element For

Electronically Scanned Lens-Array
A two-bit reconfigurable AFA can
be derived from the slot-based
fixed design.
Slide 24
Result for Lens-Array with Compact AFA

Elements
Measured frequency response under oblique incidence
Radiation Patterns for the boresight and beam scanned to 30 and 60 in the E-plane
Slide 25
MEMS Implementation
The MEMS implementation is based on cantilever DC contact
switches.
Topology:
Slide 26
MEMS Implementation Challenges

Switch and structural imperfections:
- Switch resistance
- Switch upstate capacitance
- Bias Lines
- Air gap between substrates
- SU-8 loss
Lack of standard foundry process
Yield
Low-temperature packaging
Long term reliability
Slide 27
Fabrication Process
1. 3000 -thick sputtered SiCr (For high
resistivity)
2. 4000 -thick PECVD oxide
7. 1.4 m-thick PMMA

8. 3000 -deep RIE etched dimple
Sacrificial layer and dimple
Bias lines and insulator
3. 200/2000 evaporated Ti/Au and 1.5 mthick plated Au

4. In the back side, cover a layer of photoresist
9. 80/1600 sputtered Ti/Au and 3.5 m-thick

plated Au beam
Cantilever
Slot antenna
5. RIE PECVD oxide.

6. 200/6000 sputtered Ti/Au
10. Wafer bonded and connect to PCB through Al

wire bonds.
Slot antenna and adhesion layer
Contact sites of switches
Slide 28
Wafer-Scale Packaging
The advantages of using SU-8:
High aspect ratio ( Microchem 2025)
Low bonding temperature (~50 C)

Low loss (r = 3.8, tan = 0.02 )
High bonding strength
The disadvantage of using SU-8:
Non-hermetic packaging
Highly sensitive to bonding temperature
Bottom
wafer
20 min
Top wafer
Slide 29
Test Structure and Measurement Setup

Modal Frequency response can be measured using a quasi-optical
Gaussian beam measurements setup composed of two printed
focusing arrays and a network analyzer.
The small size of the focal spot (~2 cm) allows for measuring the
frequency response in small zones across the array.
Gaussian Beam Measurement Setup
K-band Focusing Array
9 Measurement Zones
Slide 30
Localized Measurement of the Modal

Frequency Response
Measured and curve-fitted S-parameter of region2 for amplitude
and phase (simulations are for Rs = 6-9 ).
Slide 31
Measured Scanning Performance
H-plane
E-plane
Effective scan range: 40

Slide 32
Measured Scanning Performance
H-plane
E-plane
Slide 33
Yield and Gain Analysis

MPLA Gain and Loss Analysis
Aperture Size
7.76 cm2
Ideal Directivity
21 dBi
AFA Insertion Loss (average)
8.0 dB
Quantization Phase Error Loss
0.5 dB
Cylindrical Phase Error Loss
0.7 dB
Aperture Taper Loss
2 dB
Other Unidentified Losses
0.6 dB
Measured Gain
9.2 dB
Inherent Losses
Curve fitting results in an average of 6-9 for switch resistance.

The high resistance can be caused by:
- Low contact force due to switch curl up
- Organic contaminants at the contact sites
- Low percentage of working switches (~40-50%)
Slide 34
Reflectarray Topology and Its

Advantages
In lens-array is that biasing individual elements is basically impossible.
This problem is solved in reflectarrays, where elements can be easily

accessed from back-side without the
bias network causing blockage or
parasitic radiations.
Biasing Scheme for The Reconfigurable Reflectarray
Slide 35
Two-Bit Reflective AFA Element:

Topology and Circuit Model
A reflective AFA topology can be obtained from the transmittive design:
Slide 36
Two-Bit Transmittive AFA Element:

Operation
Operation in Bandpass Modes
Polarization Rotation Action

Incident
wave
Desired
reflection
Undesired
reflection
Slide 37
Measured Response Using Proof of

Concept Fixed Prototypes
Measurement using one-port Gaussian beam setup:
co
1
1
S11,( 45) S11,( 45) cr S11,( 45) S11,( 45)
2
2
Slide 38
Scanning Performance for the

Offset-Fed Reflectarray
Reflectarrays can be fed in offsetfed and folded center-fed configurations.
Fixed reflectarrays were fabricated
for these feed configurations and scan
angles of 0, 15, 30, 45, and 60 deg.
Offset-Fed
MPRA
MPRA
Polarizer
E ref
E ref
E inc
Feed
Folded Center-Fed
E inc
W1=1 cm
169 AFA elements d = 6 cm
160 AFA elements d = 6 cm
Slide 39
Scanning Performance for the

Offset-Fed Reflectarray
H-plane
E-plane
Slide 40
Scanning Performance for the Folded

Center-Fed Reflectarray
H-plane
E-plane
Slide 41
Ideas for Improving the Spill-Over Loss

A large part of the loss is due to the feed spillover.
Spillover loss can be improved by synthesizing the pattern of the
feed antenna, for example by embedding a lens-array in the feed
window in the folded center-fed array.
Experiments show that even a very small lens can improve the
efficiency by 1 dB compared to a simple open-ended waveguide
feed.
H-plane
E-plane
W2=1.3 cm
Lens-Array
160 AFA elements D= 6 cm
Slide 42
Conclusion
Space-fed and 2D quasi-optical arrays are best suited to medium to large MMW
steerable antenna applications
Successful implementation of lens-arrays and reflectarrays requires a high
degree of control over frequency response.
Especially in monolithic designs, this requires that antennas and phase-control
devices are designed and optimized together. AFAs offer an example of such
designs.
Reconfigurable lens-arrays and reflectarrays can be realized using multi-bit
AFAs. The quantization phase error has a small impact on aperture efficiency or
sidelobe level due to space feeding. Careful design can minimize the effect of
parasitic radiations. The performance of these devices, hence, is basically limited
by the quality of fabrication.
2D lens devices can also be implemented in miniature dimensions and used as
low-loss beam-forming networks. They can be combined with MEMS or CMOS
switches to form simple and low-cost beam-steering solutions at millimeter-wave
frequencies.
Slide 43
Acknowledgements
Group members who contributed to this presentation:

Chih-Chieh Cheng
Sameer Shekar
Also thanks to:
National Science Foundation
DARPA Microsystems Technology Office
Professor Gabriel Rebeiz, UCSD
Dr. Balaji Lakshminarayanan
Slide 44

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Electronically-Steerable Antennas for

Millimeter-Wave Frequency Range

School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering

Different Approaches To Beam Steering

Comparison Between Active and

State of the Art in MEMS Phased Arrays

Hung et al., 2004

Lakshminarayanan et al., 2006

Topalli et al., 2008

State of the Art in IC Phase-Shifters

Active 4-Bit in 0.18 um BiCMOS

Koh et al., 2008

Space-Fed Arrays vs. Phased Arrays

Multi-Beam Lens-Array and Reflectarray

Romisch et al., 2003

58 GHz 3-beam folded reflectarray

Thiel and Menzel, 2006

Multi-Beam 2D Lens-Array Examples

Schulwitz et al., 2008

Scanned Lens-Array Examples

Teledyne Scientific Lens-Array uses

25,000 switches, 0.4 m2, X band

Xin et al., 2005

Scanned Reflectarray Examples

Apert et al., 2006 (Thales)

60 GHz reflectarray based on pin-diodeloaded patch antennas with 1-bit phase

Kamoda et al., 2009 (NHK, Japan)

Ideas Proposed for Monolithic MEMS

Bayraktar et al., 2008

Schaffner et al., 2001

Leaky Wave Antenna Examples

Caloz & Itoh, 2004

Electronically-Scanned LWA Based

Lim et al., 2004

Hybrid vs. Monolithic Integration

Difficulties of Monolithic Integration

Most of the above problems can be overcome with creative

Why Simple Phase-Shifter-Based

Why Simple Phase-Shifter-Based

Arrays Using Antenna-Filter-Antenna

AFAs are usually three-layer structures that are composed of two

Arrays Using Antenna-Filter-Antenna

Fixed AFA Examples Using Microstrip

Reconfigurable AFAs as Phase-Shifting

A more practical approach is to design reconfigurable AFA elements that

Focal Plane Scanning Using Fixed Lens-Arrays

Focal Plane Scanning Using Fixed Lens-Arrays

Two-Bit Transmittive AFA Element For

Result for Lens-Array with Compact AFA

MEMS Implementation Challenges

7. 1.4 m-thick PMMA

Bias lines and insulator

3. 200/2000 evaporated Ti/Au and 1.5 mthick plated Au

9. 80/1600 sputtered Ti/Au and 3.5 m-thick

5. RIE PECVD oxide.

10. Wafer bonded and connect to PCB through Al

Contact sites of switches

Low bonding temperature (~50 C)