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Beam scanning antenna

with photonically tuned
EBG phase shifters
This item was submitted to Loughborough Universitys Institutional Repository
by the/an author.
Citation: CHAURAYA, A., PANAGAMUWA, C.J. and VARDAXOGLOU,
J.C., 2006. Beam scanning antenna with photonically tuned EBG phase shifters.
IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society International Symposium, Albuquerque,
NM, 9-14th July, pp. 2283 2286
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Beam Scanning Antenna with Photonically Tuned EBG Phase Shifters

Alford Chauraya, Chinthana Panagamuwa and J(Yiannis) Vardaxoglou
Wireless Communications Group (WiCR)
Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering
Loughborough University, Loughborough, LE11 3TU, UK
email: j.c.vardaxoglou@lboro.ac.uk

Introduction
The rapidly growing communication market demands for powerful and low cost
antenna systems operating at micro/mm-wave frequencies. Tunable phase shifters are
the key components of steerable antennas. The system costs would be significantly
lowered by using optical control techniques. Moreover, optical switches can offer the
advantages of continuous, quick and low power consumption and are free from EMC
issues. Here we describe and show measured data of a novel steerable antenna array
incorporating optically controlled EBG phase shifters [1].
Phase Shifter
Figure 1 shows a picture of a resonator with Electromagnetic Band Gap (EBG)
terminated at both ports with SMA connectors. The EBG layer is made up of a
periodic array of dipoles etched onto a substrate. We have adopted three rows of the
EBG in all our protypes, and the resonator is placed perpendicular to the middle row.
The functionality of the tunable phase shifter is based on the dielectric properties of
silicon substrate incorporated in microstrip resonators. Silicon dice placed above
resonator interdigital gaps (IDGs) act as the two phase shifting elements controlled by
optical illumination. A layer of EBG underneath the resonator enables the phase
shifter to be a better slow wave structure. The presence of the EBG suppresses
harmonics of the fundamental frequency, and also improves the Q factor of the
resonator[2].

Optical
switches

Figure 1 Photograph of EBG phase shifter

1-4244-0123-2/06/$20.00 2006 IEEE

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This type of microstrip gap has been implemented in microswitches and it has been
established that this type of gap has superior scattering characteristics over the
commonly used simple straight gap or discontinuity. The width of the gap above the
silicon dice was about 1.0mm wide.
Optical sources and results
The performances of the phase shifters were evaluated using illumination from laser
Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) running at various optical power levels. The
illumination from the optical source was focused above the silicon dice by using a
fiber optic cable. A calibrated optical power meter was used to measure the intensity
of the illumination from the fibre. The amount of optical power was varied by
changing the driving current to the LEDs. The transmission coefficient results from
Figure 2 indicate that the application of this device is not only limited to a phase
shifter, but its uses can be extended to act as an optical microwave switch. The region
it can be regarded as a switch is between 1 GHz and 3 GHz. The insertion loss at 2
GHz in the ON and OFF states are 1.5 dB and 42 dB. The insertion loss with the LDs
ON can almost be maintained near the resonance frequency, and can be as low as 0.7
dB at 4.2 GHz. The insertion loss values of various devices lie between 0.4 dB and
3.0 dB for the optical illumination of at least 50 mW. The corresponding differential
phase of the magnitude is given in Figure 3. These results indicate that it is possible to
control the phase linearly with an increase in the supply voltage.
0

S21 (dB)

-10

-20

-30

-40

DB (|S (2 ,1)|)
P H025O FF

DB (|S(2,1 )|)
P H02 5100

DB(|S (2 ,1)|)
PH0 253 0

DB (|S (2 ,1)|)
P H0250 5

DB (|S(2,1 )|)
P H02 520

DB(|S (2 ,1)|)
PH0 255 0

DB (|S (2 ,1)|)
P H0251 0

DB (|S(2,1 )|)
P H02 5200

DB(|S (2 ,1)|)
PH0 25

-50
1

3
4
Frequency (GH z)

Figure 2. Measured transmission responses at different optical LED power levels of

phase shifter

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180

IDG3 Phase (Deg)

120
60

Ang(S(2,1)) (Deg)
LEDI3OFF

Ang(S(2,1)) (Deg)
LEDI314

Ang(S(2,1)) (Deg)
LEDI3160

Ang(S(2,1)) (Deg)
LEDI311

Ang(S(2,1)) (Deg)
LEDI315

Ang(S(2,1)) (Deg)
LEDI3165

Ang(S(2,1)) (Deg)
LEDI313

Ang(S(2,1)) (Deg)
LEDI3155

Ang(S(2,1)) (Deg)
LEDI3

0
-60
-120
-180
3

3.2

3.4
3.6
Frequency (GHz)

3.8

Figure 3. Variations of the phase of IDG with changes in the LEDs supply voltage.
Beam-steering antenna
The antenna (shown in Fig 4) is designed in such way that the beam direction can be
changed by illuminating the Si switches along each transmission line. The antenna
structure is made up of four microstrip patch elements with their respective feeding
lines pasted above a periodic dipole array (EBG array), a phase shifter and a simple
optical LED system. Far-Fields radiation patterns and the return losses discussed here
were measured from four conditions: when all four switch feeders are off, (0000),
when all switches are turned on, (1111), when only transmission lines marked 1 and 2
are illuminating, (1100), and when only transmission lines marked 3 and 4 are
switched on, (0011). The beam direction can also be tilted to the left when the LEDs
are the 0011 state. The optical power measured at the end of each LED was about 22
mW when operating at 1.65 V. We have also observed a beam shift of about 150 with
10 mW of optical from each LED. The measured return loss of the test antenna is is
better than 19dB at 4.1GHz with a 10dB bandwidth of about 2 %. The patterns
plotted in Figure 21 of antennas consisting of chamfered gaps show that the beam
direction can be steered near a +300 to -300.

Figure 4. 4 element array of patches with integrated phase shifters

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PAA 3.45GHz IDG

0

Relative Power (dB)

-5

-10

-15

AIDG35 0000
AIDG35 1111
AIDG35 1100
AIDG35 0011

-20

-25

-30
30

45

60

75

90

105

120

135

150

Angle (Deg)

Figure 5. Far-Field radiation patterns of the phased array antenna

Conclusion
In this paper we describe a phase array antenna architecture which has been
experimentally tested in the laboratory. A photoconductive phase shifter using
microswitches has been proposed, fabricated and used in the antenna. We have
demonstrated the antennas scanning capability near + 300. The ability to achieve
such a wide beam scan when operated by low power LEDs makes them attractive
over the existing mechanical or electrical phased array antennas. The Half-Power
Beamwidth (HPBW) of the pattern is almost maintained in all steered states. However
it is worth noting that the level of the side lobes needs to reduced.
Acknowledgment
This work was supported by Antrum Limited and the Department of Trade and
Industry (DTI) program.
References
[1] P. De Maagt, R. Gonzalo, J. C. Vardaxoglou, and J. M. Baracco, Photonic Bandgap Antennas and
Components for Microwave and (Sub)millimetre wave Applications, Special issue on Metamaterials,
IEEE Trans. on Antennas and Propagation, vol. 51, no. 10, pp. 2667-2677, Oct. 2003
[2] J.C. Vardaxoglou, An optically controllable transmission line component, Patent pending,
GB2408152, 12 November 2003.

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