Grid Assembly-Free 60-GHz Antenna Module Embedded in FR-4 Transceiver Carrier Board

Abstract

A novel antenna module solution which dramatically alleviates cost and fabrication related limitations of traditional 60-GHz antenna modules is demonstrated. The antenna topology is wholly devised using industry standard FR-4 PCB and is integrated into the 60-GHz transceiver carrier board. As a result, the proposed approach effectively bypasses the need for any complicated grid array assemblies for the first time to the author's best knowledge. The antenna element is first designed and confirmed to exhibit more than 9-GHz bandwidth and 71% average radiation efficiency from 57-66 GHz. The design is further expanded into an 8-element phased array module and integrated with a 60-GHz RFIC transceiver and digital interface. The overall footprint of the antenna module within the carrier board is 20 x 20 x 0.838 mm(3). System-level evaluation confirms the 8-element phased array module to be highly sufficient in scan range, side lobe levels and radiation efficiency for 60-GHz wireless systems, particularly in the field of consumer electronics.