Millimeter-wave vector modulator and its application in active phased array antenna

Vector modulator can be employed in active phased array antenna(APAA)as a replacement of conventional digital phase shifter and attenuator for its capability of simultaneously realizing millimeter-wave direct carrier modulation on phase and amplitude.A millimeter wave vector modulator was realized with advanced GaAs pHEMT process,and onchip measurement has shown that-12~-40 dB amplitude modulation and 360° phase modulation was achieved.A Ka band 1×8 array experimental APAA composed of vector modulators was designed and proved to steer the beam scanning effectively.It was demonstrated that APAA based on vector modulation technique is feasible.