Hybrid Phased Array Antenna System for High Data Rate mm-Wave Wireless Communication (HyPAA)

该项目旨在解决在毫米波频段展示高数据速率移动无线通信链路时所面临的挑战。自由空间路径损耗和氧气吸收的增加，再加上大带宽，导致了非常严格的链路预算。为了达到合理的高信噪比，使用高增益天线系统是不可避免的。然而，高度定向的通信链路需要能够动态调整天线主波束的方向。因此，趋势是用电子转向机构取代任何机械部件。机械操纵的天线通常体积大、重量重、维护密集，因此成本高昂，因此对移动应用和消费产品没有吸引力。然而，为了在基带中应用必要的相位和幅度加权，包括具有相同数量的独立RF信道的N×M个阵列单元的相控阵系统的实现也是复杂、笨重和成本密集的。一种更有前景的方法是利用无源移相器在RF域执行相位加权，这减少了独立的RF信道的数量。本项目致力于将液晶作为可调谐材料和有源元件的创新应用，以实现混合阵列天线系统。在这里，一个挑战在于对相移元件的要求。由于它们分配给每个阵元，它们必须紧凑到可以放在一个天线后面。同时，要求它们紧凑、平坦、低损耗，以满足移动应用的整体要求。此外，引入的相移必须足够大，以覆盖特定应用的角度转向范围。虽然LC具有低损耗的特性，但要完全满足上述标准仍然是困难的，尤其是在损耗方面。因此，本项目的目标是首次将有源元件和可调谐无源LC移相器相结合，以降低对移相器的强烈要求。此外，在这样的系统中集成可变增益放大器使得全波束合成(即相位和幅度加权)成为可能。为了实现上述目标，将开发一种系统的技术来设计混合/有源相控阵。无源移相器将在创新的、有前途的低损耗LC技术中实现。收发芯片将集成并封装到天线面板中，以提高系统在信噪比、尺寸和功耗方面的性能。挑战将是，将这一概念纳入设计程序以及有源元件与基于LC的无源元件的集成。

The aimed project addresses the challenges faced, when exhibiting high data rate mobile wireless communication links in the millimeter-wave band. The increase in free-space path loss and oxygen absorption in combination with a large bandwidth leads to a very stringent link budget. To achieve a reasonable high signal to noise ratio, the use of high gain antenna systems is inevitable. However, highly directive communication links necessitate for the ability to dynamically adjust the orientation of the antennas main beam. Thereby, the trend is towards replacing any mechanical component by electronic steering mechanisms. Mechanically steered antennas are in general bulky, heavy, maintenance intensive and hence costly, making them unattractive for mobile applications and consumer products. However, the implementation of a phased array system comprising NxM array elements with the same amount of independent RF channels in order to apply the necessary phase and amplitude weighting in the baseband is as well complex, bulky and cost intensive. A more promising approach is to perform the phase weighting in the RF domain utilizing passive phase shifters, which reduces the amount of independent RF channels. This project focuses on the innovative application of liquid crystal as tunable material together with active components for the realization of hybrid array antenna systems. Here, one challenge lies in the requirements placed on the phase shifting component. Due to their assignment to each array element, they have to be that compact to fit behind one antenna. At the same time, they are required to be compact, flat and low-loss to meet the overall requirements for mobile applications. Further, the phase shift introduced has to be large enough to cover the angular steering range for the specific application. Although the low-loss properties of LC, it is still difficult to meet the above mentioned criteria altogether, especially concerning the losses. Therefore, this project aims for a new approach by combining, for the first time, active components and tunable passive LC phase shifters to diminish the strong requirements placed on the phase shifters. Further, the integration of variable gain amplifiers in such a system enables the possibility for full beam synthesis (i.e. phase and amplitude weighting).To accomplish the above mentioned goals, a systematic technique to design hybrid/active phased arrays will be developed. The passive phase shifters will be realized in innovative and promising low-loss LC technology. Transceiver ICs will be integrated and packaged into the antenna panel in order to increase the system performance in terms of SNR, size and power consumption. The challenges will be, to incorporate this concept into the design procedure as well as the integration of active with LC based passive components.