Wide-Angle Scanning Phased Array Antenna Based on Heterogeneous Beam Element Technology

Previous studies on wide-angle scanning phased array antennas (P AAs) have primarily assumed a uniform embedding pattern for each element. This assumption has imposed limitations on the design flexibility required to facilitate wide-angle scanning capabilities. In contrast, heterogeneous beam element (HBE) technology fully exploits the design freedom of each element's beam shape. Strategically arranging HBEs enables the synthesis of a broad average active element pattern (AAEP), facilitating wide-angle scanning. This work proposes a novel HBE design utilizing a planar dipole. By manipulating the current distribution along the dipole arms, the shape of the HBE pattern can be adjusted. Leveraging this HBE design, we construct a 4-element linear HBE PAA. Simulation results highlight the effectiveness of the linear HBE PAA, demonstrating an extended scanning range from 60 to over 70° compared to that using standard dipole elements across the 24.5-27.5 GHz bandwidth.