Planar antennas with NRD-guide feed networks

平面毫米波天线由于馈电网络的存在，往往存在较大的损耗。基于蒙特利尔Polygrames研究中心在非辐射介质波导（NRD）电路和乌尔姆大学在波导馈电平面天线方面的最新研究成果，提出了一个联合研究低损耗NRD波导馈电网络平面天线的方案。提出的方案包括两种基本的天线布置方式。第一种由平面辐射元件的小子阵列组成，通过NRD馈电网络使用电磁耦合馈电。第二种方法侧重于扫描天线。在这种天线中，每个辐射元件都连接到混频器电路。LO信号通过级联传输线馈送到混频器。因此，改变本振信号的频率导致本振信号在混频器处的相移增加。相结合的中频信号，一个波束扫描的结果。为了实现足够宽的扫描范围，需要相对较长的LO传输线，同样，使用NRD传输线可以很好地实现。为了设计这两种类型的天线，需要在以下方面做大量的工作：NRD传输线和网络的设计与优化平面电路与NRD波导的耦合平面天线元件设计与预定设置兼容的平面天线元件设计有源电路（混频，可能还有中频放大器）平面（有源）电路、辐射元件和NRD网络的集成以及完整天线的集成和测试此外，还需要进行一些基础技术研究，以使天线能够有效实现。

Planar mm-wave antenna often suffer from excessive losses due to the feed network. Based on recent work at the Polygrames Research Center in Montreal on nonradiative dielectric waveguide (NRD) circuits and at the University of Ulm on waveguide-fed planar antennas, a joint program is proposed to investigate planar antennas with low loss NRD waveguide feed networks.The proposed program includes two basic antenna Arrangement. The first one consists of small subarrays of planar radiating elements fed - using electromagnetic coupling - via a NRD feed network. The second approach focuses on a scanning antenna. In this antenna, each radiating element is connected to a mixer circuit. The LO signal is fed to the mixers through a cascaded transmission line. Changing the frequency of the LO signal thus causes an increasing phase shift of the LO signal at the mixers. Combining the IF signals in phase, a beam scanning results. To achieve a sufficiently wide scanning range, relatively long LO transmission lines are required which, once again, could well be realized using NRD transmission lines. To design these two types of antennas, extensive work has to be done in the areas of: Design and optimization of NRD transmission lines and networks Coupling between planar circuits and NRD waveguide Design of planar antenna elements compatible with the intended set-up Design of the active circuits (mixers, possibly IF amplifiers) Integration of planar (active) circuits, radiating elements, and NRD network Integration and test of the complete antennas In addition, some basic technological investigations will be necessary to allow an effective realization of the antennas.