Polarization Agile Self-Oscillating Active Integrated Antenna for Spatial Modulation Wireless Communications

Abstract

This article proposes a new design concept of active integrated array antennas having oscillation and modulation functions for spatial modulation wireless communication systems. Several configurations of the active integrated array antennas are proposed and discussed. The proposed active integrated antennas provide polarization modulated radio waves with a simple structure. A polarization switchable ring-slot active integrated antenna employing Gunn oscillators is designed and experimentally demonstrated as an example of the proposed concept. The prototype active integrated antenna successfully switched its polarization angle between ±45 • . The proposed active integrated antenna concept was found to be feasible. K E Y W O R D S active integrated antenna, polarization switching, RF signal processing, spatial modulation Electron Comm Jpn. 2018;101:37-44.

A Dual-Beam Switchable Self-Oscillating Ku-Band Active Array Antenna Integrating Positive Feedback Type Push-Push Oscillator and PSK Modulator

“…However, highly stable high-frequency sources with good output power are a challenging task. In general, two and three-terminal devices, mainly Gunn diodes [3][4][5][6][7] and FETs [8,9,[11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] are used as an active device. But at high frequency, power handling capability of those devices decreases.…”

“…In [18], a Push-Push oscillator, PSK modulator, and ring-slot array antenna have been studied separately to propose a concept of self-oscillating active integrated array antenna (AIAA) for transmitter module. Nowadays, integration approach becomes matured, and therefore, many reconfigurable AIAAs including polarization [3][4][5][6], frequency [17], and pattern [8][9][10] functions have been reported in the literature. Besides, beam switchable AIAAs [7,[12][13][14] have also been studied as they have multi-directive beams to resolve multi-path and interference effects by redirecting their radiation patterns [20].…”