Compact Millimeter-Wave Endfire Dual-Polarized Antenna Array for Low-Cost Multibeam Applications

Abstract

A compact multibeam endfire dual-polarized antenna array for low-cost millimeter-wave (mmWave) applications is proposed in this letter. Multimode substrate-integrated waveguide (SIW) section with interactions is applied as the basic beamformer. The dual-mode SIW is used in the beamforming network to support dual-polarization application without occupying an extra area. The printed dipole antenna with integrated balun and the open-ended SIW antenna with metallic strips are integrated to realize an endfire dual-polarized antenna element. Based on this endfire antenna element, a multibeam dual-polarized antenna array is developed. The proposed antenna array includes a four-element antenna array, an SIW beamforming network, and transitions. Additional air gaps between antenna elements are designed for mutual coupling reduction. The fabricated multibeam endfire dual-polarized antenna array achieves an impedance bandwidth of 11.3%, and the overlapped 3 dB beamwidth of the four generated beams in two polarizations are able to cover a wide range between ± 41°. The proposed low-cost multibeam antenna array can be a good candidate for 5G mmWave wireless applications.