Broadband Frequency-Independent Beamforming Networks for Multibeam Antenna Arrays

Min Liu, Feng Lin*, Hou Jun Sun

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This letter presents a broadband frequency-independent beamforming network (BFN) for multibeam antenna arrays. The BFN consists of power dividers with a frequency-dependent power-dividing ratio (PDR), crossovers, and a conventional wideband Butler matrix. The analyses and designs of 2 × 4 and 4 × 8 BFNs are given. For proof-of-concept demonstration, a 2 × 4 BFN with two frequency-independent beams operating at 2-3.75 GHz is designed and fabricated. Within the bandwidth, the measured return loss and isolation are better than 14.8 dB and 19.6 dB, respectively. The time-delay differences between output ports are -36∼-82 and 40∼83 ps, when two input ports are excited, respectively. Based on the measured S-parameters of 2 × 4 BFN, the calculated beam directions are -21.8° and 22.4° at 2.87 GHz, while beam direction variation and array factor variation from 2 to 3.75 GHz (60.9%) are 2.9° and 1.7 dB, respectively.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2397-2401
Number of pages5
JournalIEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters
Volume22
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Oct 2023

Keywords

  • Beamforming network
  • butler matrix
  • frequency independent
  • multibeam antenna

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Liu, M., Lin, F., & Sun, H. J. (2023). Broadband Frequency-Independent Beamforming Networks for Multibeam Antenna Arrays. IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters, 22(10), 2397-2401. https://doi.org/10.1109/LAWP.2023.3289146