Design Automation Supports Physical Realization of Phased Array Antenna for MIMO and Beam-steering Applications
(Room 204)
17 Oct 18
2:25 PM
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2:55 PM
Phased array antenna systems, well-known for their use in radar and aerospace systems, are now seeing greater use in commercial applications. MIMO and Beam-steering phased array antennas are enabling technologies for achieving over-the-air spatial efficiency called for by 5G and emerging radar applications (i.e. self-driving cars). The commercialization of this antenna technology will require novel antenna designs/array configurations in order to tackle stringent electrical requirements (beam-steering angle, effective radiated power, side-lobes, etc.) and size constraints. This paper introduces a new simulation tool that can guide engineers through the design, analysis and physical realization of these new arrays, incorporating real-world radiation patterns, RF links, effects of mutual coupling and other hardware impairments, with a user-friendly interface to define the array configuration and perform the initial phased array simulation. Additionally, an interactive 3D array response display supports tweaking a phased array design to obtain the desired response and integration with a native EM simulator for design validation.