Low-cost communication phased-array antenna

Abstract

A phased-array antenna structure is provided that includes an antenna waveguide structure with a plurality of waveguides. The antenna waveguide structure propagates the received or transmitted electromagnetic (EM) signals within the plurality of waveguides to a corresponding active array module. Each active array module amplifies and adjusts the phase of a received or transmitted EM signal. The active array modules are coupled to an interconnect structure that provides EM signal propagation paths, as well as power and digital signal paths, to and from the active array modules. A plate is coupled to the interconnect structure and the antenna waveguide structure to support the antenna waveguide structure, the electronic modules, and the interconnect structure, thereby forming a rigid unit and keeping the electronic modules in alignment with their corresponding waveguides in the antenna waveguide structure. The plate also includes waveguides for propagating the EM signals from the interconnect structure to the antenna output. The active array modules each include an integrated polarizer for selectably operating with either right-hand circularly polarized signals or left-hand polarized signals. The polarizer, amplifiers and phase shifters are mounted on a substrate in each active array module, with the substrate disposed in a position normal to the propagation of the EM signals in the corresponding waveguide of the antenna waveguide structure, resulting in a planar configuration. Further, each active array module includes a waveguide as an integral part of the active array module.