Studying integrated silicon-lens antennas for radio communication systems operated in the 60 GHz frequency band

We consider the development of an integrated lens antenna for LAN radio communication systems operated in the 60 GHz frequency band. The antenna is an extended hemispherical silicon lens. On its flat surface, a microstrip antenna element is located. The use of silicon, which has a dielectric permittivity ε = 11.7, as the lens material ensures the maximum range of scanning angles for the minimum axial size of the lens. The approximate analytical formulas, which are used for initial calculations of the lens parameters, allow one to evaluate the basic parameters of the lens antenna integrated with the microstrip antenna element. For further optimizing the parameters of the lens and the antenna element, 3D simulation of the electromagnetic-field distribution was performed. Based on its results, we have developed and manufactured extended hemispherical silicon lenses, which had radii of 6 and 12 mm. The planar microstrip antenna element was manufactured by the low temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC) technology. The results of simulation and experimental studies of the manufactured prototypes demonstrate that the developed lens antennas has directivities of 17.6 and 23.1 dBi for lenses with radii of 6 and 12 mm, respectively. In this case, the maximum beam deflection angle is achieved, which is equal to 55°, while the permissible decrease in the directivity is no more than 6 dBi compared with the case of a non-deflected beam. The obtained results show that the developed integrated lens antennas can find applications in high-speed radio communication systems operated in the millimeter-wave range.