Row Column Phased Array Architecture for Low Cost, Low Profile Millimeter Wave Phased Array Antennas

There is high demand for electronically steered antennas particularly at millimeter wavelengths. However, the cost to develop and procure this type of antenna prohibits this technology from widespread use. The proposed innovation substantially reduces the control complexity of phased arrays by reducing the control set from MxN phase controls to M+N phase controls where M and N represent the number of rows and columns in the phased array. By reducing the control complexity, not only are the phased array devices simplified, but the control distribution network is substantially reduced. This simplification ripples across the entire phased array to improve physical integration and thermal management which often cost as much as the phased array components. This is particularly important for high frequency antennas where unit cell sizes become a significant impediment to system implementation. This proposal summarizes the Phase I SBIR findings definitively demonstrating the phased array innovation feasibility and applicability to future NASA Ka band communications and sensors. This phased array technology does not rely on future advancements in device technology and controls but is realizable using proven, inherently radiation hardened MMIC device technology widely available today. A prototype demonstration is proposed that will operate from 25.25 to 27.5 GHz with 8 dBm output power at each unit cell to illustrate millimeter wave phased array capabilities.