Active Integrated Antenna Based on Planar Dielectric Resonator With Tuning Ferroelectric Varactor

Design of tunable Gunn diode-based active antenna module including a new type of planar dielectric resonator (PDR) tuned by a ferroelectric (FE) varactor is presented. The module is designed in such a way that the PDR acts both as a stabilizing resonator and as a radiator. Microwave properties of FE elements used for voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) tuning are considered. The module operates at a frequency around of 17 GHz and demonstrates the radiated power of 8.8plusmn0.1 dBm over the 130-MHz tuning range and a phase-noise level of -80 dBc/Hz at 100-kHz offset. 65deg width of the radiation pattern in both the E-and H-planes corresponding to a gain of 5.1 dBi was measured. The VCO module has been tested in the regime of the frequency modulation. The output signal spectra measured and simulated for modulating bipolar voltage pulses of repetition frequency f=2 MHz are presented.