Design and Implementation of a Low Profile Ku-band Frequency-Phase Scanning Microstrip Antenna Array

A Ku-band antenna array with frequency-scanning and phase-scanning is designed and implemented.A microstrip patch antenna fed by coupling is used for radiation element to broaden the bandwidth which reaches 12%.In order to achieve beam scanning function and low sidelobe level, the T/R Module is used to feed each line source in Azimuth.In elevation,the microstrip antenna fed by microstrip slow-wave line is used to achieve low-profile.A prototype including 48 × 18 elements is implemented and tested.The results shown that the VSWR of the antenna array is below 2.5 over the operating band,the scanning angle is up to 45 degree in azimuth,and the sidelobe is below -30dB.In elevation,the scanning angle is up to 10 degree,and the sidelobe is below -15dB.Thickness of the antenna array is only 1mm and its gain can reach 32dBi.