A novel near-field robotic scanner for surface, RF and thermal characterization of millimeter-wave active phased array antenna
A novel near-field robotic scanner for surface, RF and thermal characterization of millimeter-wave active phased array antenna
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一种新型近场机器人扫描仪，用于毫米波有源相控阵天线的表面、射频和热特性表征
DOI：
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发表时间：
2016
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通讯作者：
R. Palmer
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文献类型：
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作者：
Rodrigo M. Lebrón;J. Salazar;C. Fulton;Simon Duthoit;Damon Schmidt;R. Palmer
这项工作描述了一种新的自动化系统的概念和目前的发展，以表征有源相控阵天线。被称为RF扫描器的拟议系统已由俄克拉荷马州大学的高级雷达研究中心（ARRC）概念化和开发。该系统能够对有源相控阵天线的电磁、表面和热特性进行全面表征。使用工业6轴关节机器人移动传感器套件，以执行近场测量以及被测天线（AUT）的表面和热检测。传感器套件由一个机械夹具组成，该夹具支持红外摄像机、高精度激光器、高清摄像机和天线阵列探头。AUT、机械手和传感器套件位于环境室内。该环境室可在受控温度和湿度下对AUT进行表征。高精度机器人、传感器套件、环境舱和矢量网络分析仪（VNA）与软件接口相结合，可在0° C至50 ° C的温度范围内，对1 GHz至18 GHz的有源相控阵天线进行全自动表征，如果VNA升级，则可高达60 GHz。
This work describes the concept and current development of a novel automated system to characterize active phased array antennas. The proposed system, called an RF Scanner, has been conceptualized and developed by the Advanced Radar Research Center (ARRC) at the University of Oklahoma (OU). This system enables the full characterization of electromagnetic, surface, and thermal properties of an active phased array antenna. An industrial 6-axis articulated robot is used to move a sensor suite to perform near-field measurements as well as surface and thermal inspection of the antenna under test (AUT). The sensor suite consists of a mechanical fixture supporting an infrared camera, a high-precision laser, a high-definition camera, and an antenna array probe. The AUT, the robotic manipulator, and the sensor suite are located inside of an environmental chamber. This environmental chamber enables characterization of the AUT under controlled temperature and humidity. The combination of the high precision robot, sensor suite, environmental chamber, and vector network analyzer (VNA), along with a software interface, allows fully automated characterization of an active phased array antenna from 1 GHz to 18 GHz, up to 60 GHz if the VNA is upgraded, over a temperature range of 0° C to 50 ° C.