Design of a Ka-Band Heterogeneous Integrated T/R Module of Phased Array Antenna
The central element of a phased array antenna that performs beam electrical scanning, as well as signal transmission and reception, is the transceiver (T/R) module. Higher standards have been set for the integration, volume, power consumption, stability, and environmental adaptability of T/R modules...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Electronics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/1/204 |
| _version_ | 1797358917024481280 |
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| author | Qinghua Zeng Zhengtian Chen Mengyun He Song Wang Xiao Liu Haitao Xu |
| author_facet | Qinghua Zeng Zhengtian Chen Mengyun He Song Wang Xiao Liu Haitao Xu |
| author_sort | Qinghua Zeng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The central element of a phased array antenna that performs beam electrical scanning, as well as signal transmission and reception, is the transceiver (T/R) module. Higher standards have been set for the integration, volume, power consumption, stability, and environmental adaptability of T/R modules due to the increased operating frequency of phased array antennas, the variability of application platforms, and the diversified development of system functions. Device-based multichannel T/R modules are the key to realizing low-profile Ka-band phased array antenna microsystem architecture. The design and implementation of a low-profile, high-performance, and highly integrated Ka-band phased array antenna T/R module are examined in this paper. Additionally, a dependable Ka-band four-channel T/R module based on Si/GaAs/Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic (LTCC), applying multi-material heterogeneous integration architecture, is proposed and fabricated. The chip architecture, transceiver link, LTCC substrates, interconnect interface, and packaging are all taken into consideration when designing the T/R module. When compared to a standard phased array antenna, the module’s profile shrunk from 40 mm to 8 mm, and its overall dimensions are only 10.8 mm × 10 mm × 3 mm. It weighs 1 g, and with the same specs, the single channel volume was reduced by 95%. The T/R module has an output power of ≥26 dBm for single-channel transmission, an efficiency of ≥25%, and a noise factor of ≤4.4 dB. When compared to T/R modules based on System-on-Chip (SOC) devices, the RF performance has significantly improved, as seen by an increase in single channel output power and a decrease in the receiving noise factor. This work lays a foundation for the devitalization and engineering application of T/R modules in highly reliable application scenarios. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T15:08:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-24dd55961d3e4e8085b181261b1f1a1e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-9292 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T15:08:10Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Electronics |
| spelling | doaj.art-24dd55961d3e4e8085b181261b1f1a1e2024-01-10T14:55:10ZengMDPI AGElectronics2079-92922024-01-0113120410.3390/electronics13010204Design of a Ka-Band Heterogeneous Integrated T/R Module of Phased Array AntennaQinghua Zeng0Zhengtian Chen1Mengyun He2Song Wang3Xiao Liu4Haitao Xu5Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, ChinaAerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, ChinaAerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, ChinaAerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, ChinaAerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, ChinaShunde Innovation School, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Foshan 528399, ChinaThe central element of a phased array antenna that performs beam electrical scanning, as well as signal transmission and reception, is the transceiver (T/R) module. Higher standards have been set for the integration, volume, power consumption, stability, and environmental adaptability of T/R modules due to the increased operating frequency of phased array antennas, the variability of application platforms, and the diversified development of system functions. Device-based multichannel T/R modules are the key to realizing low-profile Ka-band phased array antenna microsystem architecture. The design and implementation of a low-profile, high-performance, and highly integrated Ka-band phased array antenna T/R module are examined in this paper. Additionally, a dependable Ka-band four-channel T/R module based on Si/GaAs/Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic (LTCC), applying multi-material heterogeneous integration architecture, is proposed and fabricated. The chip architecture, transceiver link, LTCC substrates, interconnect interface, and packaging are all taken into consideration when designing the T/R module. When compared to a standard phased array antenna, the module’s profile shrunk from 40 mm to 8 mm, and its overall dimensions are only 10.8 mm × 10 mm × 3 mm. It weighs 1 g, and with the same specs, the single channel volume was reduced by 95%. The T/R module has an output power of ≥26 dBm for single-channel transmission, an efficiency of ≥25%, and a noise factor of ≤4.4 dB. When compared to T/R modules based on System-on-Chip (SOC) devices, the RF performance has significantly improved, as seen by an increase in single channel output power and a decrease in the receiving noise factor. This work lays a foundation for the devitalization and engineering application of T/R modules in highly reliable application scenarios.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/1/204Ka-bandT/R modulephased array antennaheterogeneous integration architecture |
| spellingShingle | Qinghua Zeng Zhengtian Chen Mengyun He Song Wang Xiao Liu Haitao Xu Design of a Ka-Band Heterogeneous Integrated T/R Module of Phased Array Antenna Electronics Ka-band T/R module phased array antenna heterogeneous integration architecture |
| title | Design of a Ka-Band Heterogeneous Integrated T/R Module of Phased Array Antenna |
| title_full | Design of a Ka-Band Heterogeneous Integrated T/R Module of Phased Array Antenna |
| title_fullStr | Design of a Ka-Band Heterogeneous Integrated T/R Module of Phased Array Antenna |
| title_full_unstemmed | Design of a Ka-Band Heterogeneous Integrated T/R Module of Phased Array Antenna |
| title_short | Design of a Ka-Band Heterogeneous Integrated T/R Module of Phased Array Antenna |
| title_sort | design of a ka band heterogeneous integrated t r module of phased array antenna |
| topic | Ka-band T/R module phased array antenna heterogeneous integration architecture |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/13/1/204 |
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