A High-Performance Ka-Band Cylindrical Conformal Transceiver Phased Array with Full-Azimuth Scanning Capability
Source abstract
Abstract
This paper presents a Ka-band cylindrical conformal transceiver active phased array (CCTAPA) with a full-azimuth scanning gain fluctuation of 0.8 dB and low power consumption. The array comprises 20 panels of 4 × 4 antenna elements, RF beam-control circuits, a Wilkinson power divider network, and frequency converters. The proposed three-subarray architecture enables ±9° beam scanning with minimal gain degradation. By dynamically switching subarrays and transceiver channels across azimuthal directions, the array achieves full 360° coverage with low gain fluctuation and power consumption. Fabrication and testing demonstrate a gain fluctuation of 0.8 dB, equivalent isotropically radiated power (EIRP) between 50.6 and 51.3 dBm, and a gain-to-noise-temperature ratio (G/T) ranging from −8 dB/K to −8.5 dB/K at 28.5 GHz. The RF power consumption remains below 8.73 W during full-azimuth scanning. This design is particularly suitable for airborne platforms requiring full-azimuth coverage with stringent power budgets.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Antenna Design and Analysis · Antenna Design and Optimization · Microwave Engineering and Waveguides
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
The School of Electronic and Information Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
The Key Laboratory of All Optical Network and Advanced Telecommunication Network of Ministry of Education, Institute of Lightwave Technology, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China
References (36)
Show source-provided references
1. Antenna Array Enabled Space/Air/Ground Communications and Networking for 6G10.1109/JSAC.2022.3196320 ↗
2. LEO-satellite-assisted UAV: Joint trajectory and data collection for Internet of remote things in 6G aerial access networks10.1109/JIOT.2020.3021255 ↗
3. NOMA-based hybrid satellite-UAV-terrestrial networks for 6G maritime coverage10.1109/TWC.2022.3191719 ↗
4. Unmanned aerial vehicle communications for civil applications: A review10.1109/ACCESS.2022.3208571 ↗
5. UAV-aided backscatter communications: Performance analysis and trajectory optimization10.1109/JSAC.2021.3088676 ↗
6. A Multipolarized Planar Phased Array for LEO SATCOM Applications10.1109/LAWP.2022.3185208 ↗
7. A dual circularly polarized SIW-fed phased array antenna with wide-angle beam scanning range10.1109/TAP.2022.3177939 ↗
8. Self-Deployable Circularly Polarized Phased Yagi–Uda Antenna Array Using 3-D Printing Technology for CubeSat Applications10.1109/LAWP.2022.3197359 ↗
9. A Flat-Panel 8 × 8 Wideband K-/Ka-Band Dual Circularly Polarized Phased Array Antenna for CubeSat Communications10.1109/TAP.2023.3255640 ↗
10. A Low-Cost Compact Dual-Polarized Patch Antenna Array for 5G Massive MIMO Base Station10.1109/LAWP.2024.3356531 ↗
11. Development of flat panel active phased array antennas using 5G silicon RFICs at Ku- and Ka-bands10.1109/ACCESS.2020.3032841 ↗
12. Design of physically connected wideband SIW cavity-backed patch antenna for wide-angle scanning phased arrays10.1109/LAWP.2021.3053413 ↗
13. Mailloux, R.J. (2017). Phased Array Antenna Handbook, Artech House. [3rd ed.].
14. Low, K.K.W., Nafe, A., Zihir, S., Kanar, T., and Rebeiz, G.M. (2019, January 2–7). A scalable circularly-polarized 256-element Ka-band phased-array SATCOM transmitter with ±60° beam scanning and 34.5 dBW EIRP. Proceedings of the 2019 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium, Boston, MA, USA.
15. Low, K.K.W., Zihir, S., Kanar, T., and Rebeiz, G.M. (2020, January 4–6). A Scalable Switchable Dual-Polarized 256-Element Ka-Band SATCOM Transmit Phased-Array with Embedded RF Driver and ±70◦ beam scanning. Proceedings of the 2020 IEEE/MTT-S International Microwave Symposium, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
16. Nafe, A., Sayginer, M., Kibaroglu, K., and Rebeiz, G.M. (2019, January 2–7). 2×64 dual-polarized dual-beam single-aperture 28 GHz phased array with high cross-polarization rejection for 5G polarization MIMO. Proceedings of the 2019 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium, Boston, MA, USA.10.1109/MWSYM.2019.8701105 ↗
17. 2×64-element dual-polarized dual-beam single-aperture 28-GHz phased array with 2×30 Gb/s links for 5G polarization MIMO10.1109/TMTT.2020.2989117 ↗
18. A tiling method for sub-arrayed spherical conformal phased array antennas based on maximum 3-D space entropy model10.1109/TAP.2024.3359850 ↗
19. Radiation characteristics of a spherical array of circularly polarized elements10.1109/TAP.1968.1139103 ↗
20. Generation of dual beams from spherical phased array antenna10.1049/el.2009.0452 ↗
21. Phase-compensated conformal antennas for changing spherical surfaces10.1109/TAP.2014.2298881 ↗
22. Hizal, A. (2013, January 15–18). Wide angle scanning conformal phased array on a spherical surface. Proceedings of the 2013 IEEE International Symposium on Phased Array Systems and Technology, Waltham, MA, USA.10.1109/ARRAY.2013.6731838 ↗
23. Srinivasan, V.V., Kumar, C., Kumar, B.P., Lakshmeesha, V.K., and Pal, S. (2011, January 18–22). Design considerations for dual circularly polarized spherical phased array antenna at X-band for spacecraft data transmission. Proceedings of the 2011 IEEE Applied Electromagnetics Conference (AEMC), Kolkata, India.10.1109/AEMC.2011.6256904 ↗
24. Wu, Y.F., and Cheng, Y.J. (2016, January 20–22). Spherical conformal antenna array based on 3D printing framework. Proceedings of the 2016 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Workshop Series on Advanced Materials and Processes for RF and THz Applications, Chengdu, China.10.1109/IMWS-AMP.2016.7588352 ↗
25. Dual circularly polarized spherical phased-array antenna for spacecraft application10.1109/TAP.2012.2220328 ↗
26. Optimum pattern synthesis of non-uniform spherical arrays using the Euler rotation10.1049/iet-map.2014.0460 ↗
27. Josefsson, L., and Persson, P. (2006). Conformal Array Antenna Theory and Design, Wiley-IEEE Press.10.1002/047178012X ↗
28. A bendable wideband dual-polarization conformal phased-array antenna10.1109/LAWP.2023.3270431 ↗
29. A low-profile, wide-scan, cylindrically conformal X-band phased array10.1109/LAWP.2021.3088540 ↗
30. A dual-polarized 2-D monopulse antenna array for conical conformal applications10.1109/TAP.2021.3060085 ↗
31. Conformal array antenna for applications in wide-scanning phased array antenna systems10.1109/LAWP.2022.3179404 ↗
32. Toward 5G/mm-wave shape-changing origami-inspired phased arrays for near-limitless arbitrarily reconfigurable radiation patterns: Realiza tion, actuation, and calibration10.1109/TMTT.2024.3463484 ↗
33. A Ka-band 64-element deployable active phased-array TX on a flexible hetero segmented liquid crystal polymer for small satellites10.1109/LMWT.2023.3264810 ↗
34. Conformal phased array antenna for unmanned aerial vehicle with ±70 scanning range10.1109/TAP.2021.3060125 ↗
35. Microstrip antennas10.1109/5.119568 ↗
36. Visser, H.J. (2006). Array and Phased Array Antenna Basics, Wiley.10.1002/0470871199 ↗