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ABSTRACT

The aim of the project is to study the analysis and design of a Microstrip Antenna Array
and development of T/R module for Phased Array Antenna at 8-12 GHz (X-band). A phased
array is an array of antennas in which the relative phases of the respective signals feeding the
antennas will be varied in such a way that the effective radiation pattern of the array will be
achieved in a desired direction and suppressed in undesired directions. The phased array antenna
will make use of Microstrip Patch Antenna as radiating element. In phased array antenna
radiating elements will be fed through phase shifting network. The direction of a phased array
antenna beam can be changed through the use of variable phase or time-delay control at each
element. In this paper, the radiation pattern of the microstrip patch antenna array will be obtained
and also its antenna parameters will be observed.
Phased array antenna can sweep the direction of the beam by varying electronically the
phase of radiating element, thereby producing a moving pattern with no moving part. Phased
array antennas are known for their capability to steer the beam pattern electronically with high
effectiveness, managing to get minimum side-lobe levels and narrow beam width.
In phased-array antennas, the transmit and receive functions will be distributed at the
antenna aperture using transmit and receive (T/R) modules. In transmit; efficiency, output power
and gain are particularly important. In receive; gain, noise figure, dynamic range, and amplitude
and phase accuracy are significant design drivers. In receive; a high gain first stage LNA reduces
the noise contribution from secondary stages. The module must also supply low error, high
precision phase and amplitude control for low side lobe beam steering, usually with phase
shifters and digital attenuators or variable gain amplifiers. The use of T/R modules provides a
significant improvement in antenna performance and flexibility in the choice of array
architectures.


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Phased array antenna have power and low noise amplification distributed at the antenna
aperture, reducing the effect of losses in the distribution network for both transmit and receive.
The T/R module also plays a major role in determining the system's performance, weight, and
reliability.
The Microstrip Antenna Array and T/R Module will be analyzed and designed. Advanced
Design System (ADS) will be used for simulation of design. Simulation results will be presented
and discussed.

































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CONTENTS
Abstract i
List of figures v
TITLE PAGE NO.
Chapter1 Introduction 1
1.1 Motivation 2
1.2 Aim of the project 2
1.3 Organization of the Thesis 2
Chapter2 Antenna Arrays 4
2.1 Introduction 4
2.2 Basic Antenna Array Parameters 4
2.2.1 Radiation Pattern 4
2.2.2 Radiation Intensity 6
2.2.3 Directivity 6
2.2.4 Gain 6
2.3 Antenna Array 7
2.3.1 Linear Array 8
2.4 Phased Array 10
2.5 Advantages of phased array antenna 11
Chapter3 Microstrip Antenna 13
3.1 Introduction 13
3.2 Feeding Methods 15
3.3 Design equations of microstrip patch antenna 17
3.4 Characteristics of microstrip patch antenna 18
3.4.1 Bandwidth of a patch 18
3.4.2 Radiation Efficiency 18
3.4.3 Directivity 19
Chapter4 Antenna Design & Simulation 20
4.1 Introduction 20
4.2 Design Insight 20
4.2.1 Substrate Material 20
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4.2.2 Substrate Thickness 21
4.2.3 Specifications of antenna 21
4.2.4 Antenna Length 21
4.2.5 Antenna Width 22
4.3 Simulation of Microstrip Patch Antenna 22
4.4 Simulation of Microstrip Antenna Array 27
Chapter5 Transmit/Receive Module 32
5.1 Introduction 32
5.2 T/R Module block diagram 33
5.3 T/R Module Transmit Section 34
5.3.1 Phase Shifter 34
5.3.2 Digital Attenuator 35
5.3.3 Driver Amplifier & Power Amplifier 37
5.4 T/R Receive Section 38
5.4.1 Circulator 39
5.4.2 Low Noise Amplifier 39
5.5 T/R Module Controller 40
Chapter6 T/R Module Design & Simulation 41
6.1 Introduction 41
6.2 Simulation Modes 41
6.3 Specifications of T/R Module 43
6.4 Components of T/R Module 43
6.5 Circuit Analysis 45
6.6 Output Graphs 49
Conclusion 54
Future Scope 55
References 56




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LIST OF FIGURES
Fig. No. Name Page No.
2.1 Radiation lobes and beam widths of antenna pattern 5
2.2 Linear plot of power pattern and its associated lobes and beam width 5
2.3 Array of 4 patches 9
3.1 Microstrip Antenna 14
3.2 Representative shapes of microstrip patch elements 15
3.3 Typical feeds for microstrip antennas 16
4.1 Layout diagram of single element MSA 23
4.2 Return loss of single element MSA 24
4.3 Gain of single element MSA 25
4.4 Efficiency of single element MSA 25
4.5 3-D view of single element MSA & its radiation pattern 26
4.6 Layout diagram of 16-element MSA array 27
4.7 Return loss of 16-element MSA array 28
4.8 Gain of 16-element MSA array 28
4.9 Efficiency of 16-element MSA array 29
4.10 Antenna parameters of 16-element MSA array 29
4.11 3-D view of 16-element MSA array & its radiation pattern 30
5.1 Block diagram of T/R Module 33
5.2 Transmitting Path in TR Module 34
5.3 TR Module receiving path 39
6.1 Harmonic and S-Parameter Representation with TR Module Circuit 46
6.2 Circuit for Power Amplifier 46
6.3 Circuit for Low Noise Amplifier 47
6.4 Circuit for Phase shifter 47
6.5 Circuit for Digital Attenuator 48
6.6 Power Amplifier S-parameter results 49
6.7 Low Noise Amplifier S-parameters results 50
6.8 Phase shifter S-parameters results 51
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Fig. No. Name Page No.
6.9 Digital Attenuator S-parameter results 52
6.10 T/R Module S-parameter results 53