Highly Integrated Ka-Band Multi-Beam Network Design Based on a Low-Cost Multi-Layer Printed Circuit Board

Abstract

A Ka-band low-profile and low-loss tile-type four-beam network based on high-density interconnection printed circuit board (PCB) technology is proposed, which integrates a power supply network, serial peripheral interface (SPI) control network, and four-beam radio frequency (RF) feeding network. In order to realize the fast optimal design, an integrated multi-beam network topology and fast optimization methods are established. The proposed feed networks can be integrated with antenna array structures directly, which not only realizes low-profile, light, and miniaturized design but also achieves efficient heat dissipation and low-loss interconnection. The designed multi-beam network has an amplitude balance better than ±0.5 dB and a phase balance better than ±6° in the Ka-band with a 4 GHz working bandwidth. A prototype was fabricated and measured, and good performance was observed.