Development of Frequency Modulated Array Antennas for Millimeter-Wave Communications

Abstract

With the massive growth of wireless data in mobile broadband communications, millimeter-wave (mm-wave) communication is an alternative enabling technique for fifth generation (5G) wireless communication systems. More importantly, mm-wave offers large frequency spectrum bands ranging from 30GHz to 300GHz that can be utilized to provide very high capacity (i.e., multigigabits per-second data rates). Moreover, because of the small wavelength at mm-wave frequencies, we can exploit large antenna elements in a small physical area, meaning beamforming schemes are feasible. Nevertheless, high directional antennas should be used due to overcoming the severe path loss and absorption in mm-wave frequencies. Further, the antennas should be steerable in angle and range directions to support point-to-point (multipoint) communications. So far, mm-wave communication has utilized phased-array antennas arrangement which is solely angle dependent. This review paper presents recent array technology, namely, frequency modulated frequency diverse array (FDA) for mm-wave communication applications with an emphasis on beamforming. In FDA, small frequency increment is added across the elements. In doing so, an array beam is generated which is angle-range-time dependent without the need of phase shifters. This feature has several promising potentials in mm-wave communications. In this review, the object is to bring to the fore this advance FDA technology to mm-wave communications community to call for more investigations. We review FDA research progress up to date and highlight the potential applications in mm-wave communications.

Development Challenges of Millimeter‐Wave 5G Beamformers

“…This does not even require the information on MIMO channel. For a small number of RF chains, algorithm shown in (Pal, Srinivas and Chaitanya, 2018) is expected to work well with the evaluated channel state. Along similar lines, the impact of different parameters like number of users, antennas and number of antenna per user on beamforming resolution and hardware impairments is evaluated in (Guo, Makki and Svensson, 2018).…”

“…Avoiding unwanted phase shifters due to constant mobility is also possible using innovative beamforming techniques like frequency modulated frequency diverse array in which small frequency increment is added at the antenna input. In doing so, angle range and timedependent signal form beams without requiring any phase shifter (Nusenu, 2019).…”

Beamformer development challenges for 5G and beyond

“…In mobile beamformers, phase errors can easily occur; this can happen because of placement of multiple mobile beamformers on the same handheld platform, tempting (Figure 10.12(a)). An innovative beamforming technique is shown in [106] where frequency-modulated diverse array is shown. In such an array, small increments in frequency in a time-dependent signal can generate multiple beams without the necessity of phase shifter network.…”

Frequency‐modulated diverse array transmit beamforming with bat metaheuristic optimisation

“…Also, [16] presented another detailed FDA overview which highlighted its potential benefits in radar applications. Very recently, [17][18][19][20][21] presented the potential benefits of utilising FDA in wireless communications and millimetre wave (mmWave) technology applications.…”