Bi-directionally fed phased-array antenna downsized with variable impedance phase shifter for ISM band

A novel bi-directionally fed phased-array antenna (BiPA) is presented. A BiPA can operate at half the phase shift of the conventional antenna with the same performance, leading to smaller size and lower cost. Main components of a BiPA are antenna elements and variable impedance phase shifters (VIPSs). The VIPS consists of three resonant circuits that include variable capacitors, it is applicable for both functions as a power divider and as an impedance-matching device, since the input/output impedance and the phase shift can be independently varied. The BiPA with a VIPS is simulated and evaluated at a 2.45-GHz industrial-scientific-medical band. The measured results agree well with the simulated ones. The performances of the VIPSs are confirmed as 1.4 dB in insertion loss, and -17dB in return loss for a phase shift of 0∼80° with the control voltage from 0- to 3.5-V DC, and the measured radiation pattern of the BiPA is ±30° in the steering angle, 24° in beamwidth, and -9dB in the sidelobe. Furthermore, an enhancement of the sidelobe suppression can be expected by changing the power ratio of each antenna element.