A ‘stitched’ flexible light weight multilayer 16×16 antenna array on LCP

This paper presents a light weight multilayer 14 GHz antenna array on an organic LCP (Liquid Crystal Polymer) substrate. The antenna structure includes a two layer corporate feed network, which is partially embedded, connected with vias, otherwise known as `stitched´. First, using 4×4 microstrip patch arrays as the unit array, a 6.5° beam steer is observed when a 90° phase difference is applied to a 4×8 antenna array. The stitched 4×8 antenna array has a 3 dB beamwidth of 12° and a maximum gain of 15.4 dB with no phase shift, and the gain drops to 13 dB with a phase shift. Next, a 16×16 antenna has been constructed applying the stitching concept. The results show a 3 dB beamwidth of 6° and a 16.8 dB of gain.