Phased Array
Phased Array
• Ability to change the shape and direction of the radiation pattern
without physically moving the antenna.
• Elements in an antenna array are placed in such a way that the signals
transmitted by sum up of individual antennas.
• Provide better gain, directivity and performance in a particular direction.
Phased Array
• Phased Array Antennas consist of multiple smaller antennas whose number can
range anywhere from a few antennas to somewhere in the hundreds or thousands.
• To reduce the overall size, phased array is best to use phased arrays for higher
frequency applications.
• This makes phased array antennas a great choice for mm-Wave 5G Applications and
other high frequency applications.
Phase Shift
• Signals of the same frequency from all the individual elements in the array but
with a certain phase difference/shift between each antenna element in the array.
• The phase shift is calculated to provide constructive interference in the desired
direction while destructive interference may occur in other directions.
• Determining the phase shift in accordance with the desired direction of
beamforming involves complex mathematical calculations.
Phase Shifter
• The signal from the transmitter is sent to the antennas via a phase shifter,
which is controlled by a computer system (phase controller).
• That changes the phase electronically thus controlling the direction of the
radiation pattern of the antenna array.
Symbol
Types
• There are four commonly used types:
ØPassive Electronically Steered Array (PESA)
ØActive Electronically Steered Array (AESA)
ØDigital Beam Forming (DBF)
ØHybrid Beam Forming (HBF)
Passive Electronically Steered Array
(PESA)
• PESA is a type of Phased Array Antenna that uses a
single transmitter for all the antenna elements present.
• In this setup, each antenna element has a phase shifter
which phase shifts the signal as required.
• Passive Electronically Steered Antenna Arrays have
been used in various military and commercial
applications.
Active Electronically Steered Array
(AESA)
• Active Electronically Steered Array (AESA) is the second
generation of Phased Array Antennas.
• In this, there are separate transmitters for each antenna
element all of which are computer controlled.
• This setup is more advanced than the PESA and can transmit
several radio waves of varying frequencies simultaneously
in different directions.
Digital Beam Forming
• Digital Beam Forming (DFB) based phased arrays have digital
receivers connected to each antenna element.
• As the signal is digitized at each of the antenna elements by the
receivers, antenna beams can be formed digitally in a Field
Programmable Gate Array (FPGA).
Hybrid Beam Forming
• Hybrid Beam Forming (HBF) based phased arrays can be thought of as a
combination of PESA and AESA.
• HBF uses subarrays of antenna elements which are connected to separate
transmitters.
• A full array is formed by combining these subarrays.
• Due to the presence of multiple subarrays, clusters of simultaneous beams
can be formed using HBF.
•