Interconnect for Dense Electronically Scanned Antenna Array Using High-Speed Vertical Connector.

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Microwave Engineering
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Large-scale antenna arrays for microwave tissue imaging require high-performance interconnects.
• Traditional coaxial connectors are unsuitable due to size, cost, and reliability issues in dense arrays.
• High-speed digital board-to-board connectors offer potential advantages but require compatibility studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and evaluate a novel interconnect for densely packed electronically scanned antenna arrays.
• To assess the performance of high-speed vertical connectors for microwave tissue imaging applications (3-8 GHz).
• To compare the performance of these connectors with traditional sub-miniature coaxial connectors.

Main Methods:

• Electromagnetic simulations were performed to design and analyze the interconnect.
• Performance was evaluated through physical measurements.
• The interconnect's transition from coplanar waveguide transmission lines to the vertical connector was a key focus.
• Comparisons were made against commonly used sub-miniature coaxial connectors.

Main Results:

• The designed interconnect using high-speed vertical connectors demonstrated low-reflection, low-loss, and low-crosstalk characteristics.
• Performance was found to be comparable to expensive sub-miniature coaxial connectors.
• The interconnect is suitable for the ultra-wideband (UWB) frequency range relevant to microwave imaging.

Conclusions:

• High-speed vertical connectors are a viable and cost-effective alternative to coaxial connectors for dense antenna arrays in microwave imaging.
• The developed interconnect design successfully addresses the challenges of high-density, high-frequency applications.
• This technology enables more robust and affordable microwave tissue imaging systems.