Rapid Test Method for Multi-Beam Profile of Phased Array Antennas

Abstract

The testing requirements of the active phased array antennas are very different from those of traditional passive antennas, due to its beam steering capability. Usually, each beam profile of the active phased array needs a separate radiation pattern test, which makes the overall testing time extremely long. Thus the traditional antenna test method can no longer meet the efficiency and cost requirements of new active phased array antennas test. In this paper, a fast test method tailored for phased array antennas is proposed that offers significantly reduced testing time at the expense of slight sacrifice of the accuracy. Using the simulated element pattern in array and ideal port excitation, the beam profile in any direction can be predicted by testing only a certain beam profile. Through theoretical derivation and experiments, the effectiveness of the method is verified, and the testing efficiency of the phased array antenna is demonstrated to be improved by ten times or even more.

Imaging of Microwave Near-Field Distribution of GPS Patch Antenna

“…With the growing technology as 5G, internet of things (IoT) and automotive systems, there is a necessity for new measurement techniques for RF applications, including near to far-field transformation, electromagnetic (EM) data acquisition systems, EM source reconstruction, etc. Many technologies have been developed for antenna optimization and measurement based on specific requirements [4][5][6][7][8]. Thermo-elastic optical indicator microscopy (TEOIM) technique for antenna testing can provide different information related to the antenna radiation pattern, structural defects [9], and directivity; it can allow the evaluation of the radiated power and investigate how the field is distributed on the antenna surface and how it changes in the near region.…”