Integrated MM-wave patch array antenna for future micro and picocellular mobile systems

The Microwave Optical Duplex Antenna Link/MODAL project explores the application of advanced optical fibre technology to support the generation/delivery at a remote antenna site of millimetre wave signals, for future mobile radio and related applications. Patch array antennas are designed as the most suitable ones for integration on the same circuit substrate for a planned demonstrator. ACADEMY software, produced by EEsof Inc., is used to optimise the final designs for S11<-20 dB at the resonating frequencies and at bandwidths of 2 GHz, 0.5 GHz for S11=-3 dB, -10 dB respectively (S11 is the ratio of reflected voltage to the incident voltage at the antenna input port). The optimisation is also targeted to increase the narrowest transmission line widths in the feed network from 18 microns to better than 25 microns to enable mask fabrication on the required mask. A LAYOUT design of a four patch array antenna is immediately provided by ACADEMY from the required SCHEMATIC design. Plotted results of S11 versus frequency show good agreement with the required optimised parameters