Broadband 8 to 18 GHz phased array system for communications

This paper summarizes the development of a 8 to 18 GHz piezoelectric transducer (PET) controlled phased array system. The PET controlled phased array provides a low cost, extremely wide operating bandwidth, and easy fabrication. The proposed array system consists of a wideband 1×4 power divider, a low-loss and low-cost multiline PET controlled phase shifter, and four broadband tapered slot antennas (TSAs). The multiline PET phase shifter has a low perturbation loss of less than 2 dB and a total loss of less than 4 dB up to 40 GHz, with a maximum phase shift of more than 650 °abricated. The array's beam scanning ability is tested in anechoic antenna chamber. The measured radiation patterns of the fabricated PET controlled phased array validate the array's beam scanning performance.