S-Band Active Phased-Array RF Beam Forming Networks

Year 2019, Volume: 32 Issue: 4, 1185 - 1194, 01.12.2019

Ahmet Hasturk Nursel Akcam , Funda Ergun Yardım

https://doi.org/10.35378/gujs.457458

Abstract

One of the most important Active Phased-Array networks
is beamforming networks, which has electronically scanning feature. The
performance of these networks directly effects the system’s performance. By
this reason, the design of these structures requires a serious labor and
experience in order to design them in a simulation environment. In this paper,
the design, implementation and measurement tests of a Radio Frequency (RF)
beamforming network, which is necessary for active phased-array structures, are
discussed. The performance of the designed beamforming card is examined with
the measurements and tests of gain, phase shifter, True Time Delay (TTD), digitally
controlled attenuator, and input-output return loss. The measurement results
are compared with simulation for the designed beamforming card. Both
measurement results and simulation were shown that the desired performance was
provided for the designed beamforming card; however, it is more convenient to
feed each antenna element with a single-channeled beamforming card. In this beamforming
card, each channel’s phase and amplitude can be controlled separately.

Keywords

Active phase-array, RF Beamforming, Electronically Scanned, True-time delay

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