• ETRI Journal
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.417-424
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• 2016

In this paper, an accurate characterization of a fabricated X-band transmit/receive module is described with the process of generating control data to correct amplitude and phase deviations in an active electronically scanned array antenna unit. In the characterization, quantization errors (from both a digitally controlled attenuator and a phase shifter) are considered using not theoretical values (due to discrete sets of amplitude and phase states) but measured values (of which implementation errors are a part). By using the presented procedure for the characterization, each initial control bit of both the attenuator and the phase shifter is closest to the required value for each array element position. In addition, each compensated control bit for the parasitic cross effect between amplitude and phase control is decided using the same procedure. Reduction of the peak sidelobe level of an array antenna is presented as an example to validate the proposed procedure.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.955-964
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• 2010

In this paper, a compensation method of the amplitude and phase errors from the T/R(Transmit/Receive) modules in an active SAR(Synthetic Aperture Radar) system is introduced. The errors are defined and classified, and characterized by analyzing the measurement data acquired from the pilot test. To compensate these errors, a control methodology of T/R modules output is proposed. Before the compensation is applied, 16 T/R modules integrated on the active SAR antenna show the amplitude in 28.2~29.0 dBm and the phase in $101.7^{\circ}{\sim}165.2^{\circ}$. After the compensation, the amplitude and phase are distributed in 27.4~28.0 dBm and $116.1^{\circ}{\sim}120.0^{\circ}$ respectively. The antenna beam patterns generated by the array theory with the distributions are compared, and the proposed method is verified as good to apply for the active SAR system.

• The Journal of The Korea Institute of Intelligent Transport Systems
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.111-118
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• 2016

This paper presents an X-band (9.375 GHz) $1{\times}2$ array microstrip antenna which is capable of active beam compensation for installation of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). First of all, a basic $1{\times}2$ array microstrip antenna incorporated with wilkinson power divider was designed and performance of the array antenna was verified. Next, to verify beam steering performance of the designed array microstrip antenna, we fabricated a phase shifter, and the wilkinson power divider as module structure and measured characteristics of beam steering according to phase shifting. The main lobe is 0.6 dBi at $0^{\circ}$, and the side lobe decreased 18.8 dB. The reliable radiation pattern was achieved. Finally, an active beam steering microstrip array antenna attached with the phase shifter and the power divider on the back side of the antenna was designed and fabricated to install wing of UAV for compactness. The maximum gain is 0.1 dBi. Therefore, we obtained a basic antenna technology for compensating beam error according to wing deformation of an UAV installed array antennas.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.130-136
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• 2014

This paper reviews the research on silicon based phased array system operating from microwave to millimeter wave frequencies. First, the design of phase shifter using CMOS technology is presented. The passive phase shifter is applied to the transmit/receive module from one to 16 channel in a single chip. The 35 GHz 4-element T/R module consumes less than 200 mW both transmit and receive modes. The architecture can extend to 16-channel operating at 44 GHz, thereby improving transmit power and linearity. The Ku-band 2-antenna 4-element receiver was developed using active phase shifter based on vector sum method. It is important to minimize coupling between beams because the chip contains four independent beams. The method of coupling is presented and verified.

• Aerospace Engineering and Technology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.1-11
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• 2012

This paper describes the transmit/receive(T/R) module for the space based X-band active phased array radar. T/R module is the integrated module which is assembled by the transmitting and receiving RF semiconductor devices to enable the electronically beam steering of the phased array antenna and the key component of the SAR payload. T/R module can selectively receive the polarization signals by the switch according to the established technology but now the technological trend of the T/R module is to receive the horizontal and vertical polarization signal simultaneously. Therefore the research and development of the dual polarization receiving channel T/R module is actively in progress. In this study, as the prior research for the next generation SAR payload, the technological trend of the active phased array radar T/R module and the result of the preliminary design of the dual receiving channel T/R module were described.

• ETRI Journal
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.378-385
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• 2013

An S-band multifunction chip with a simple interface for an active phased array base station antenna for next-generation mobile communications is designed and fabricated using commercial 0.5-${\mu}m$ GaAs pHEMT technology. To reduce the cost of the module assembly and to reduce the number of chip interfaces for a compact transmit/receive module, a digital serial-to-parallel converter and an active bias circuit are integrated into the designed chip. The chip can be controlled and driven using only five interfaces. With 6-bit phase shifting and 6-bit attenuation, it provides a wideband performance employing a shunt-feedback technique for amplifiers. With a compact size of 16 $mm^2$ ($4mm{\times}4mm$), the proposed chip exhibits a gain of 26 dB, a P1dB of 12 dBm, and a noise figure of 3.5 dB over a wide frequency range of 1.8 GHz to 3.2 GHz.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.2417-2424
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• 2016

Small size and light weight is very important for components used in radar mounted platform such as airborne radar. Recently, the active phased array radar is developed as an array of antennas for thousands of transmit/receive modules to be used as a multi-function radar that can detect and track targets. In this case, the size and weight of the transmit/receive modules are critical factor for developing the radar. In this paper, we developed a compact transmit/receive module using the 10W RF MEMS switch domestically localizing and reduced the circuit area to about 86.5% compared to using a circulator. The developed module satisfies not only electrical requirements but also MIL-STD's environmental specifications. So it can be used in a military device. It can be used at adaptive tunable receivers, reconfigurable smart active antennas and wide band beam electrical steering antennas.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science
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• v.17 no.5 s.108
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• pp.461-475
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• 2006

In this paper, it is described about the tri-band mobile antenna system design to provide broadband multimedia and direct broadcasting services using goo-stationary Koreasat 3, simultaneously operated in Ka/K/Ku band. The radiating part of the antenna system with a fan beam characteristic in the elevation plane is composed of the quasi-offset dual shaped reflector and the tri-band feeder. The tri-band feeder is also composed of the Ka/K dual band feeder with the protruding dielectric rod, the circular polarizer, the ortho-mode transducer and the circular-polarized Ku band feed array. Especially, the Ka/K dual band circular polarizer was realized firstly using the comb-type structure. For fast satellite-tracking on the movement, the Ku band feed array has the structure of the $2{\times}2$ active phased array which can make electrical beams. And, the circular-polarized characteristic in the feed array was improved by $90^{\circ}$ rotating arrangement of four radiating elements polarized circularly by a $90^{\circ}$ hybrid coupler, respectively. Four beam forming channels to make electrical beams at Ku band are divided into the main beam channel and the tracking beam channel in the output, and noise temperature characteristics of each channel were analyzed on the basis of the contributions of internal sub_units. From the fabricated antenna system, the output power at $P_{1dBc}$ of Ka_Tx channel was measured more than 34.1 dBm and the measured noise figures of K/Ku_Rx channels were less than 2.4 dB and 1.5 dB, respectively, over the operating band. The radiation patterns with co- and cross-polarization in the tri-band were measured using a near-field measurement in the anechoic chamber. Especially, Ku radiation patterns were measured after correcting each initial phase of active channels with partial radiation patterns obtained from the independent excitation of each channel. The antenna gains measured in Ka/K/Ku band of the antenna system were more than 39.6 dBi, 37.5 dBi, 29.6 dBi, respectively. And, the antenna system showed good system performances such as Ka_Tx EIRP more than 43.7 dBW and K/Ku_Rx G/T more than 13.2 dB/K and 7.12 dB/K, respectively.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.812-819
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• 2012

Interference and jamming are becoming increasing concern to a radar system nowdays. AESA(Active Electronically Steered Array) antennas and adaptive beamforming(ABF), in which antenna beam patterns can be modified to reject the interference, offer a potential solution to overcome the problems encountered. In this paper, we've developed a planar active phased array radar system, in which ABF, target detection and tracking algorithm operate in real-time. For the high output power and the low noise figure of the antenna, we've designed the S-band TRMs based on GaN HEMT. For real-time processing, we've used wavelenth division multiplexing technique on fiber optic communication which enables rapid data communication between the antenna and the signal processor. Also, we've implemented the HW and SW architecture of Real-time Signal Processor(RSP) for adaptive beamforming that uses SMI(Sample Matrix Inversion) technique based on MVDR(Minimum Variance Distortionless Response). The performance of this radar system has been verified by near-field and far-field tests.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.2362-2372
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• 1996

This paper deals with the design and development of an Injection-Locking Coupled Oscillators(ILCO), which functions like phase-shifter in the Active Intergrated Phased Array Antenna(AIPAA). This linear array 2-element ILCO consists of two Injection Locking Hair-pin Resonator Oscillators(ILHRO) and an unilateral amplifier. The first and second elements of the ILCO have same frequency tuning range but locking bandwidths of 11.5MHz and 14MHz respectively. A phase shift of .DELTA..PHI.=158.4.deg.(-78.0.deg. to 80.4.deg.) could be obtained inthe second element of ILCO when the first elementof the ILCO was in the reference locking mode(.DELTA..PHI.=0.deg.). When the ILCO is applied to the AIPAA, the predicted beam scanning angle value will be 38.4.deg.. Each ILCO gives good frequency stability and lower AM, FM, and PM noise charactheristics in the mutual coupling lockingmode. The ILCO can not only play a part as the phase shifter for the AIPAA but it can also be usedas the power combining device in the mm-wave frequency range and as a part of a T/R MMIC module.