Abstract:
A microstrip patch antenna array is developed for an S-band active phased array antenna. The antenna operates at 3.2 GHz. Active antennae are usually phased array antennae at which instead of a central high-power amplifier, every radiating element is attached with a small power amplifier in the antenna directly. This has the advantage that the necessary phase shifters must only process a small power and gives distributed failure in case of malfunctioning of the amplifier. Switched line PIN diode phase shifting is used for beam steering in four discrete angles. The individual RF output from each patch will be combined in the space – known as space amplification. The design specifications are required to be validated using anechoic chamber at NUST HQ.
Having small size, light weight and low cost, these phase shifters with patch array have wide range of applications from communication systems such as satellite or mobile communication to radars such as synthetic aperture radar (SAR) or radars installed in fighter jets where fast beam steering is required, as well as, in ground radar stations in which wear and tear happens in case of mechanical beam steerin.
