LTCC Patch Array for RF-MEMS based Phased Array Antenna at 35GHz

In this paper, a LTCC patch antenna array for Ka-band RF-MEMS based electrically steerable antenna is demonstrated. The paper presents a novel hybrid integration concept for the RF-MEMS phase shifters intended to steer the main beam of the antenna in the H-plane of the aperture. According to the proposed configuration, the phase shifters realised in silicon technology are packaged using LTCC lids bonded on top of the silicon chips and are flip-chip mounted on the antenna realised on LTCC. The architecture allows for the realisation of highly integrated RF-MEMS based phased array for millimetre-wave front-ends and aims at reducing the complexity and costs of such modules. The design of the four by four aperture coupled patch antenna array is validated by satisfactory measurement results. A study of the repeatability of the LTCC process used to fabricate the antenna is carried out over a population of five samples and the behaviour of the matching of the antenna over temperature is investigated.