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Conformal antenna array for millimeter-wave communications: performance evaluation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 September 2015

V. Semkin*
Affiliation:
Aalto University, P.O. Box 13000 FI-00076 AALTO, Finland
A. Bisognin
Affiliation:
EpoC, Université Nice-Sophia Antipolis, 06560 Valbonne, France STMicroelectronics, 38926 Crolles, France
M. Kyrö
Affiliation:
Finnish Patent and Registration Office, P.O. Box 1140, FI-00101 Helsinki, Finland
V-M. Kolmonen
Affiliation:
Philips Medical Systems MR, Vantaa, Finland
C. Luxey
Affiliation:
EpoC, Université Nice-Sophia Antipolis, 06560 Valbonne, France Institut Universitaire de France, 75005 Paris, France
F. Ferrero
Affiliation:
LEAT-CREMANT CNRS, Université Nice-Sophia Antipolis, 06560 Valbonne, France
F. Devillers
Affiliation:
Orange Labs-CREMANT, 06320 La Turbie, France
A.V. Räisänen
Affiliation:
Aalto University, P.O. Box 13000 FI-00076 AALTO, Finland
*
Corresponding author: V. Semkin Email: vasilii.semkin@aalto.fi

Abstract

In this paper, we study the influence of the radius of a cylindrical supporting structure on radiation properties of a conformal millimeter-wave antenna array. Bent antenna array structures on cylindrical surfaces may have important applications in future mobile devices. Small radii may be needed if the antenna is printed on the edges of mobile devices and in items which human beings are wearing, such as wrist watches, bracelets, and rings. The antenna under study consists of four linear series-fed arrays of four patch elements and is operating at 58.8 GHz with linear polarization. The antenna array is fabricated on polytetrafluoroethylene substrate with thickness of 127 µm due to its good plasticity properties, and low losses. Results for both planar and conformal antenna arrays show rather good agreement between simulation and measurements. The results show that conformal antenna structures allow achieving large angular coverage and may allow beam-steering implementations if switches are used to select between different arrays around a cylindrical supporting structure.

Type
Research Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and the European Microwave Association 2015 

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References

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