Advanced Millimeter Wave Lens Enhanced Phased Array (LEPA) for 5G Wireless Networks

下一代信息和通信技术的知识和技能的发展对华为加拿大公司具有最高的战略利益。天线阵列已成为5G无线通信系统的标准配置的一部分。为了提高毫米波系统的可达性和性能，越来越需要具有极化、分集和高增益的天线。此外，随着5G无线电中波束成形的实施，为了与典型的手机外形兼容，集成的前端解决方案是必须的。为了使系统更紧凑，有效的天线尺寸缩小变得不可或缺。现有的毫米波天线系统很难同时获得高增益和宽转向范围。这项与华为加拿大华为公司合作的研究项目旨在开发覆盖26.25-30 GHz频段的双极化5G相控阵天线系列。相控阵天线可以实现宽转向范围，但需要更高的阵元数来实现所需的增益，而透镜(或焦平面)天线可以实现高增益和低副瓣电平，但转向范围有限。这项研究的目的是探索将这两种技术相结合的可能性，以实现它们各自的优势，用于下一代无线通信系统。所开发的平面天线既可以作为独立天线使用，也可以组合使用，以支持多波束、混合波束形成和MIMO功能。Lens将确保增益增强到所需的水平，在方位和高度上具有大的二维扫描体积。通过该项目开发的独特的毫米波天线技术应该会给工业合作伙伴带来真正的优势。对相控阵天线的研究将有助于合作伙伴有效地部署支持5G未来所需的无线电接入基础设施。

The development of knowledge and skills for the next generation information and communicationstechnologies are of highest strategic interest to the Huawei Canada CRC.Antenna arrays have become part of the standard configuration in 5G wireless communication systems. Inorder to enhance the accessibility and capability of the millimeter-wave systems, antennas with polarizationdiversity and high gain have become more and more necessary. Additionally, with the implementation ofbeamforming in the 5G radio, an integrated front end solution is a must in order to be compatible with a typicalhandset form factor. An effective antenna size reduction becomes indispensable in order to make the systemcompact. The available mm-Wave antenna systems suffer from the difficulty to achieve a high gain and widesteering range simultaneously. This engage research project with collaboration of Huawei Canada CRC aims atdeveloping a family of dual polarization 5G phased array antenna designed to cover the 26.25-30 GHzfrequency band.Phased array approaches can achieve the wide steering range but need higher element counts to achieve therequired gain, whereas lens (or focal plane) antennas can achieve high gain and low side lobe level but withlimited steering range. The objective of this research is to explore the possibility of combining these twotechniques in achieving their respective benefits for use in next generation wireless communication system.The developed planar antenna can be used either as a stand-alone, or combined to support multi-beam, hybridbeamforming and MIMO functionality. Lens will ensure the gain enhancement to the required level with largetwo dimensional scan volume in azimuth and elevation.The unique mm-Wave antenna technology that will be developed through this project should give a realadvantage to the industrial partner. Research on phased array antennas will help the partner to effectivelydeploy radio access infrastructure necessary to support a 5G future.