Wideband and High-Gain Fabry–Pérot Cavity Antenna With Switched Beams for Millimeter-Wave Applications

Abstract

This paper introduces a wideband millimeter-wave Fabry-Pérot cavity (FPC) antenna with switched-beam radiations for 5G applications. A quasi-curve reflector is used to excite multiresonant modes in FPC. This method contributes to a wide operating bandwidth and a high antenna gain. The proposed FPC antenna consists of an SIW-based feeding source, a substrate-integrated quasi-curve reflector, and a partially reflective surface (PRS). For validation, a prototype of the FPC antenna is designed and fabricated with an impedance bandwidth of 24%. The antenna yields a measured gain of 17.6 dBi and a measured directivity of 18.8 dB at 60 GHz. The overall efficiency and aperture efficiency are 76% and 31%, respectively. In addition, a switched-beam antenna based on our proposed PFC antenna is designed and measured. It achieves three switched beams at -18°, 0°, and 18° related to the broadside direction with a realized gain of 16 dBi at 60 GHz. Compared with the other switched-beam FPC antennas, the proposed antenna acquires the characteristics of wideband, high gain, and large beam tilted angle. This antenna technology finds a potential application in millimeter-wave communications such as 5G applications.