Ka Band Low Channel Mutual Coupling Integrated Packaged Phased Array Receiver Front-End for Passive Millimeter-Wave...

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Electromagnetics
• Imaging Systems

Background:

• Integrated packaged phased array receivers are crucial for passive millimeter-wave imaging systems.
• Mutual coupling between receiver channels degrades imaging quality by introducing amplitude and phase errors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the impact of channel mutual coupling on phased array receiver performance.
• To propose design requirements and methods for mitigating mutual coupling in Ka band receiver front-ends.
• To develop an accurate measurement technique for multi-channel integrated receivers.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of channel mutual coupling effects on array patterns and amplitude/phase errors.
• Modeling and design of passive circuits to reduce coupling and spatial radiation.
• Development of a novel coupling measurement method for multi-channel integrated phased arrays.

Main Results:

• Achieved 28-31 dB single channel gain and a 3.6 dB noise figure.
• Reduced channel mutual coupling to below -47 dB.
• Verified array pattern consistency and imaging performance in a 1024-channel system and human-body imaging experiment.

Conclusions:

• The proposed methods effectively minimize channel mutual coupling in integrated packaged phased array receivers.
• The developed receiver front-end demonstrates high performance suitable for passive millimeter-wave imaging.
• The coupling analysis, design, and measurement techniques are broadly applicable to similar multi-channel integrated devices.