Low cost microstrip patch antenna array using planar waveguide technology for emerging millimeter-wave wireless communication

With rapidly increasing demand for bandwidth, and the recent advances in nano-metric Si-based integrated circuit technologies, millimeter-wave (mmW) systems are finding numerous commercial applications, which, unlike military and scientific usages, are extremely cost sensitive. A wide range of applications at mmW frequencies can be found in such area as wireless communications network (60 GHz) [1], automotive radar systems (79 GHz)[2], and passive mmW imaging (91GHz)[3]. Microstrip patch antenna (MPA) arrays are known to have advantages of low profile and ease of manufacturing. However, the efficiency of MPAs with large aperture is degraded due to feeding loss[4]. Recently, a low cost, high Q- factor planar feeding scheme using substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) has been reported [5]. The proposed design has promising characteristics including a high radiation efficiency. In this paper, a novel high radiation efficiency SIW-fed MPA array (SIW-MPA) is presented. Single element, series fed linear array 1×8, MPAs are designed at mmW- frequency range. The numerical results (simulations using HFSS) for the designed antennas are presented to characterize their performances.