Computational Analysis of a 200 GHz Phased Array Using Lens-Coupled Annular-Slot Antennas

• Published in: Applied sciences Vol. 12; no. 3; p. 1407
• Main Authors: Li, Peizhao, Shi, Yu, Deng, Yijing, Liu, Lei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01-02-2022
• Subjects: annular-slot antenna; Antenna arrays; Antenna gain; Antennas; Arrays; beyond 5G communication; Communication; Computer applications; Design; Feasibility studies; Internet of Things; lens-coupled antenna; Phased arrays; Radiation; Scanning; Sidelobes; Silicon; Silicon substrates; Simulation; Slot antennas; THz phased array; Wireless communications
• ISSN: 2076-3417; 2076-3417
• DOI: 10.3390/app12031407

We report the design, simulation, and analysis of a THz phased array, using lens-coupled annular-slot antennas (ASAs) for potential beyond 5G or 6G wireless communications. For a prototype demonstration, the ASA employed was designed on a high resistivity Si substrate with a radius of 106 μm, and a gap width of 6 um for operation at 200 GHz. In order to achieve higher antenna gain and efficiency, an extended hemispherical silicon lens was also used. To investigate the effect of the silicon lens on the ASA phased array, a 1 × 3 array and 1 × 5 array (the element distance is 0.55λ) were implemented with a silicon lens using different extension lengths. The simulation shows that for a 1 × 3 array, a ±17° scanning angle with an about −10 dB sidelobe level and 11.82 dB gain improvement (compared to the array without lens) can be achieved using a lens radius of 5000 μm and an extension length of 1000 μm. A larger scanning angle of ±31° can also be realized by a 1 × 5 array (using a shorter extension length of 250 μm). The approach of designing a 200 GHz lens-coupled phased array reported here is informative and valuable for the future development of wireless communication technologies.