Integrated micromachined millimeter wave patch antenna

We have proposed 3-D micromachined elevated patch antenna for G-band (140 GHz to 220 GHz) applications. The antenna is consisted of coplanar waveguide (CPW) feed line, a feeding post, air-bridge, supporting posts, and elevated patch. The antenna topology effectively creates a low dielectric substrate and undesired substrate effects can be eliminated, since the antenna substrate is essentially air which the lowest possible dielectric constant. This will increase the radiation efficiency, gain, and the radiation bandwidth. The measurement result shows the bandwidth is about 7 GHz, from 170 GHz to 177 GHz with nearly constant broadside radiation pattern. Also, this work has demonstrated the capability of fabricating a high performance antenna design in a MMICs compatible process.