Microstrip Array Antennas Packaged in Metal Fixture for 150 GHz Beamforming Applications

An innovative array-antenna packaging technique is introduced for D-band beamforming applications. This technique involves a metallic module that houses the antenna array, effectively mitigating radiation losses in antenna feed lines. This method also results in the generation of a radiation beam from the opening at the module edge, facilitating the seamless assembly of a two-dimensional array. Test modules have been constructed, featuring both a single-channel antenna and an eight-channel array antenna, to validate the loss improvements at 150 GHz. The modules for both single and array antenna exhibit similar amounts of insertion losses of 1.5-3 dB within the 110-170 GHz range. Moreover, the main radiation beam of the array module shifts predictably, from 0° to 14° and 28°, with incremental phase delays of 45° and 90°, respectively, applied to the feed lines.