Antenna Element Matching Network for Broadband Grating Lobe Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication systems, antenna arrays experience signal distortion and grating lobe issues due to impedance mismatching in antenna elements, leading to reduced performance and increased grating lobe influence, especially as bandwidth increases.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a matching network within each antenna element unit, including connecting structures between the antenna elements and dividers, allows for impedance matching, reducing signal distortion and grating lobe effects by adjusting the characteristic impedance and maintaining linear phase and magnitude across frequencies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a divider transmits input signal to antenna elements without impedance matching, then device complexity is reduced, but signal distortion occurs and performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A matching network is introduced as an intermediary component between the divider and the antenna element. This matching network includes a series inductor and a shunt capacitor that transform the impedance to match between the divider output and the antenna element input, thereby eliminating signal distortion without requiring complex redesign of the antenna element itself
Solution Approach 2:
The matching network changes the electrical parameters (impedance, phase) of the signal path by using reactive components with specific values. The series inductor and shunt capacitor are designed with specific L and C values to achieve impedance transformation and phase compensation, improving signal quality through parameter optimization
2Adaptability or versatility
If bandwidth is increased for broadband communication, then adaptability is improved, but grating lobe influence increases and performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The matching network provides implicit feedback compensation by using resonant circuit design where the series inductor and shunt capacitor create a frequency-dependent impedance transformation that automatically compensates for bandwidth-related phase and magnitude variations, reducing grating lobe effects across the operating bandwidth
Solution Approach 2:
The matching network uses frequency-dependent parameter transformation through its resonant circuit design. The impedance transformation ratio and phase shift vary with frequency in a controlled manner that compensates for the adverse effects of increased bandwidth, maintaining beamforming performance across the operating range
3Reliability
If matching network is added to antenna element unit, then signal distortion is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The matching network is applied locally at each antenna element unit rather than globally across the entire antenna array. This localized approach allows each element to be independently optimized with a simple LC circuit, improving signal integrity without requiring system-wide complexity increases
Solution Approach 2:
The matching network uses minimal parameter changes with only two reactive components per antenna element. The series inductor and shunt capacitor provide sufficient impedance transformation and phase compensation with simple component values, achieving signal distortion reduction without significant complexity increase
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device including a sub-array module is provided. The electronic device includes an antenna substrate, a plurality of antenna element units, a first divider for a first polarization, and a second divider for a second polarization. Each antenna element unit of the plurality of antenna element units includes an antenna element for an emission of a signal, a first feeding structure for the first polarization, a second feeding structure for the second polarization, a first connecting structure for branching the first feeding structure and the first divider, and a second connecting structure for branching the second feeding structure and the second divider.