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Bioinspired planar switched beam network using Butler matrix on a flexible substrate targeting multifaceted millimeter-wave applications

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 April 2024

Balaka Biswas Open the ORCID record for Balaka Biswas [Opens in a new window]  and
Ayan Karmakar
Balaka Biswas*
Affiliation:
Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Chandigarh University, Mohali, India
Ayan Karmakar
Affiliation:
Department of MEMS Testing and Application Division, Semi-Conductor Laboratory (SCL), Chandigarh, India
*
Corresponding author: Balaka Biswas; Email: balaka.biswas@gmail.com
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Abstract

This paper details the design and development of a planar switched beam network using 4 × 4 Butler matrix (BM) over a thin and flexible type biocompatible substrate. Four mils thick liquid crystal polymer (LCP) is used as a substrate here (ϵr = 2.92, tanδ = 0.002). The proposed design is centered at 28 GHz, targeting commercial millimeter-wave applications. Floral-shaped antenna with defective ground structures has been implemented as basic radiating elements. The whole structure is based on microstrip line configuration. The architecture occupies an area of 23.85 × 19.20 mm2 over the LCP substrate. Individual components of the BM are detailed here, followed by a system analysis of the whole integrated structure. The present work also covers the electrical equivalent circuit modeling of the whole beam-forming network. The fabricated prototype offers better than 18 dB return losses at each input port for the desired frequency band with 6 dBi (max.) peak gain and 500 MHz bandwidth around the center frequency. Port-to-port isolation of better than 15 dB is achieved with this topology. Experimental and simulated results are in good agreement in all aspects. A comparative study is also chalked out to highlight the significance of the current research work with respect to alike earlier reported structures.

Keywords

bioinspired antennaButler matrixcircuit modelingcrossoverhybridLCPmmWphase shifter
Type
Research Paper
Information
International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies , First View , pp. 1 - 11
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press in association with The European Microwave Association.

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