38.5 GHz MCM-D phased array antenna with electronically configurable bearnwidth and sidelobe level

The proposed active antenna, to be realized in the MCM-D technology of IMEC, consists of 2 concentric subarrays of CPW-fed aperture coupled microstrip patches. By feeding the two suharrays with different amplitude and phase the beamwidth and sidelobe level of the antenna can be controlled. Simulations show that the beamwidth can he controlled between 55 and 140 degrees and the sidelobe level between -10 and -25 dB. The phase and amplitude control is done at 2.4 GHz using a QAM-like approach without the use of phase shifters. The applications targeted are point-to point radio links at 38.5 GHz and indoor broadband wireless networks.