A 16-element 77–81-GHz phased array for automotive radars with ±50° beam-scanning capabilities

This paper presents the first 16-element 77-81 GHz phased array receiver for automotive radars. The silicon phased array chip is packaged using very low-cost techniques, and is attached to a 16-element linear microstrip antenna array. The packaging is designed to result in <; -28 dB coupling between the channels even with wirebonds. The measured patterns show scanning to ±50^o and agree well with simulations. The 16-element phased array receiver has been implemented with a transmitter and shows detailed images of targets and scenes in outdoor driving scenarios.