Wide-Angle Beam Scanning Transmit-array Fed Using Ridge-gap Waveguide DRA for 60 GHz Wireless Communications

This paper introduces a planar Transmit-array illuminated by a compact dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) for 60 GHz communications. The unit-cell is a compact square patch surrounded by square split-ring printed back-to-back to dielectric substrate with drilled cylindrical holes. The unit-cell dimensions are tuned for 60 GHz transmission phase range variation of 360o with a transmission magnitude of −4 dB. The phase is controlled via changing the patch length. 13×13 unit-cells Transmit-array are designed for broadside radiation with high gain. The feeding element is square DRA excited by slot-coupled ridge-gap waveguide (RGW) cavity for high gain and compact size. The radiation characteristics of the Transmit-array fed with RGW-DRA is compared with using a conventional horn antenna as a feeder. Wide-angle beam scanning from −500 to+ 500 is achieved via changing the phase destitution over the Transmit-array aperture. The peak gain is 15.17 dBi with half-power beamwidth 6.8 degrees.