SBIR Phase I: Low-cost Super Efficient Smart Antenna for V-band Wireless Communications

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will create new enabling technologies that will help advance the state-of-the-art in V-band wireless communications. They will enable the realization of cost-effective high performance Vband wireless hardware based on single radio chip solutions incorporating silicon substrates. Through the leveraging of recent advances in cost-effective CMOS processes, novel techniques will be investigated for the creation of a low cost smart antenna platform compliant with CMOS technology that can also counter the high propagation losses at V-band. Multiple Si-based printed quasi Yagi antennas will be used to feed a lens based silicon antenna to create a novel super efficient, high gain multi-beam V-band radiator. New RF interconnect technology that will allow for the efficient integration of silicon-based components with the radiating interface will also be created. The interconnect technology will be based on a new form of artificial magnetic conductor that should yield a small, low cost, highly efficient solution and ensure maximum transfer of RF power. This will advance the state-of-the-art in millimeter-wave antenna and RF interconnect technologies for next generation very high data-rate wireless communication systems. These new concepts will help accelerate the exploitation of the recently allocated 57 - 64 GHz frequency band for the deployment of new wireless communication systems that will provide a host of very high data rate services. Consumers will directly benefit through the provision of new communication services, as well as the increased affordability in acquiring un-tethered connectivity to future high capacity communications.