Compact Waveguide Antenna Design for 77 GHz High-Resolution Radar

Area of Science:

• Electromagnetics and Wave Propagation
• Antenna Theory and Design
• Automotive Radar Systems

Background:

• Millimeter-wave antennas are crucial for 5G/6G, especially in automotive systems.
• Key performance metrics for automotive antennas include detection range and angular resolution.
• Waveguide antennas offer lower losses compared to conventional patch antennas.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and evaluate a novel 8-element slot array antenna for automotive radar at 77 GHz.
• To achieve high gain, narrow beamwidth, and cross-polarization cancellation for enhanced performance.
• To explore extendable planar array designs for future automotive sensing applications.

Main Methods:

• Design of an 8-element slot array on a rectangular waveguide's narrow wall.
• Utilizing tilted Z-shaped slots for gain enhancement and cross-polarization cancellation.
• Employing Chebyshev distribution for sidelobe suppression and external waveguides for polarization purification.

Main Results:

• The proposed antenna design achieves high gain and narrow beamwidths at 77 GHz.
• Tilted slots and external waveguides effectively manage polarization and reduce cross-polarization.
• Simulations and prototype measurements confirm the design's potential for automotive radar.

Conclusions:

• The developed waveguide slot array antenna is a promising solution for advanced automotive radar systems.
• The design offers superior performance metrics compared to traditional patch antennas.
• The modular design allows for scalability and adaptation to various automotive sensing requirements.