A Ka-Band Modular Dual Switchable Circularly Polarized Phased Array Transmitter for LEO Satellite Communications

A Ka-Band Modular Dual Switchable Circularly Polarized Phased Array Transmitter for LEO Satellite Communications

This article presents a scalable Ka-band phased array transmitter designed for the upload channel of terrestrial mobile transceivers in satellite communications (SATCOM, 27.5–30.0 GHz). The transmitter consists of a 16-channel active phased array system with digitally switchable circular...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Amelia Ramos, Raul Arruela, Bernardo Lopes, Tiago Varum, Ricardo Correia, Joao N. Matos
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IEEE 2025-01-01
Series:IEEE Access
Subjects:
Phased-array
LEO communications
satellite communications
Ka-band
beamforming
Online Access:https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11104255/
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Summary:This article presents a scalable Ka-band phased array transmitter designed for the upload channel of terrestrial mobile transceivers in satellite communications (SATCOM, 27.5&#x2013;30.0 GHz). The transmitter consists of a 16-channel active phased array system with digitally switchable circular polarization, enabling seamless alternation between right-hand (RHCP) and left-hand circular polarization (LHCP). A linearly polarized patch antenna is utilized, achieving circular polarization through the sequential rotation technique. By integrating the radiating element within a modular multilayer printed circuit board (PCB) and employing a superheterodyne architecture, the system supports full digital beamforming in a compact, scalable design. The array achieves a scan range of &#x00B1;50&#x00B0; with a scan loss of approximately 2 dB in both principal planes (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\varphi = 0^{\circ }$ </tex-math></inline-formula> and <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\varphi = 90^{\circ }$ </tex-math></inline-formula>) and maintains a roll-off factor <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${cos}^{1.03}(\theta)$ </tex-math></inline-formula>. The operational bandwidth of 15.4% (26.99 - 31.49 GHz) is accompanied by an axial ratio with great polarization purity across the scanning range. These features, combined with a thermal management strategy, highlight the system&#x2019;s innovation as a high-performance, adaptable solution for next-generation SATCOM applications.
ISSN:2169-3536

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