A 23 GHz sector antenna for point-to-multipoint communications

Anders Derneryd, Ulrika Engstrm, Martin Johansson, Bengt Svensson

Ericsson AB
Ericsson Research,
SE-431 84 Gteborg
Sweden
E-mail: anders.derneryd@ericsson.com, ulrika.engstrom@ericsson.com,
martin.n.johansson@ericsson.com, bengt.svensson@ericsson.com


Abstract
A broadband and compact antenna concept for a point-to-multipoint communication system at millimeter-wave
frequencies is presented. The antenna consists of a rectangular feed waveguide, an H-plane parallel plate horn,
an enclosed parabolic reflector section, a radiation slot aperture, and corrugated external baffles. The
bandwidth is 2.9 GHz corresponding to a relative bandwidth of 12.6 % at 23 GHz for a return loss better than
10 dB of a prototype. The overall dimensions of the manufactured antenna are 200 mm by 147 mm by 50 mm.



1. INTRODUCTION Within each sector, there is one radio node
and more than 50 fixed access points
communicating over the air interface. The access
points can be located anywhere within the sector
coverage area.

Point-to-multipoint millimeter-wave trans-
mission systems are growing in popularity both for
mobile and digital subscriber line (DSL) backhaul,
because of the flexibility and cost control they
provide. Microwave transmission capacity to serve
several mobile communications base station sites or
business customers can be deployed quickly and
expanded or moved easily as needs change.
The radio node is connected to a wide-beam
sector antenna that provides line-of-sight
connections to all access terminals within the sector
to avoid problems with multi-path and delay spread.
The hub at the center of each cell houses radio
nodes that together provide 360 azimuth coverage.
The access terminals are typically equipped with a
high gain directive reflector antenna.
In practice, once the microwave nodes are in
place and giving sector coverage, new connections
can be easily added to the network on a unit-by-unit
basis. The user traffic is then allocated from the
microwave node to the mobile base stations, or to
the business access customers, where and when
capacity is needed.

Telecommunications operators require a high
level of flexibility from their transmission system,
as it is difficult to foresee the changing demands for
capacity in terms of both volume and location.
Point-to-multipoint microwave system proves to be
one of the most flexible transmission solutions in
terms of coverage, scalability and traffic handling.


2. SYSTEM

A point-to-multipoint communication system
is based on a cellular deployment strategy where
multiple cells, with alternating frequencies and/or
polarization directions, together provide the desired
footprint for a given area. The present cell plan
usually calls for square cells, each cell being
divided into a number of sectors, e.g., four 90
sectors as shown in Figure 1 for a 3 by 3 radio hub
network utilizing two separate frequencies and two
orthogonal polarizations [1].

Fig. 1 A square cell plan with 3 by 3 radio hubs
indicated with . Separate letters denote
two different frequencies. Upper and lower
cases represent orthogonal polarization
directions.

3. NODE ANTENNA


The requirement of the node antenna is to
cover a specified azimuth angle, for example a
sector-coverage of 30, 45 or 90 and at the same
time to attain a narrow elevation radiation beam-
width, for example an angle of 5. A suitable
antenna for this application is the waveguide sector
antenna [2]. A linear array of slots is excited from a
corporate feed network in waveguide technology in
two layers. The amplitude and phase distribution of
the antenna elements determines the shape of the
elevation radiation pattern while baffles are used to
control the azimuth beam pattern. The bandwidth of
such an antenna is limited by the feed network.
Fig. 2 The parallel plate waveguide node antenna
concept.
Another implementation for node antennas is
to use a parallel plate horn, either with a direct
flared section or with a reflector, such as a hog horn
or a pillbox [3]. These types of antennas utilize the
reflector to shape the elevation pattern. The
radiating aperture from these types of antennas is
formed as a vertical line source. The azimuth beam
may be formed by means of a pair of baffles
extending from the aperture line source. These
types of antennas will result in a very flat feed
section, the horn section, and a baffle section, the
size of which is determined by the azimuth pattern
requirement. However, the total length of the hog
horn antenna will be considerable while the pillbox
encounters high side-lobe levels due to the feed
blockage or direct radiation from the feed.

4. ANTENNA DESIGN

The elevation beam-width and the elevation
side-lobe level are determined by the size, D, of the
enclosed parabola section and its focal length, f.
The f/D-ratio was chosen to 0.75 with a parabola
size of 200 mm. The theoretical side-lobe level was
calculated to 24 dB and the half-power beam-
width to 5.8. A plot of the elevation beam pattern
at 23 GHz is presented in Figure 3.


A much more compact design is the parallel
plate waveguide antenna concept. A rectangular
waveguide radiates into a parallel plate H-horn
section. The excited cylindrical wave is converted
into a plane wave using part of an enclosed
parabolic reflector. The plane wave continues in a
parallel plate section until it reaches the aperture
where it radiates. The whole structure is folded at
the reflector surface and becomes very compact.
The reflector surface is used to form the
narrow elevation (H-plane) radiation pattern while
corrugated baffles extend from the antenna aperture
to form a flat top sector beam in azimuth (E-plane).
The corrugations reduce diffraction from the baffle
edges that may otherwise cause disturbances in the
beam radiation pattern. A schematic sketch of the
concept is presented in Figure 2.

Fig. 3 Calculated elevation radiation pattern for
an f/D-ratio of 0.75.

The desired shape and half power beam-width
in azimuth was achieved by adding corrugated
baffles, one on each side of the radiating slot
aperture. The baffles consist of linear segments but
may be shaped in an infinite number of geometries
depending on the azimuth radiation pattern
requirement. The parameters of the baffle design to
vary were the angle with respect to the antenna
structure, the number of corrugations, and the
separation of the slot aperture and the baffles along
the antenna structure. Seventeen corrugations in
each baffle that made an angle of 70 to the antenna
normal were chosen. A calculated azimuth radiation
pattern at 23 GHz is plotted in figure 4. The ETSI-
The advantages with the parallel plate
waveguide design are that it is very compact and
has no feed blockage due to its folded structure. It
is also broadband since it utilizes a true time delay
feed principle. The bandwidth is mainly limited by
the transition from the waveguide feed to the
sector-horn-like parallel plate region, and the
matching of the aperture. The antenna becomes a
low loss design due to the air-filled waveguide
assembly.


5. MEASUREMENTS requirement for a 90-sector antenna is also
included in the figure [4].
Return loss and radiation pattern
measurements were performed on the prototype
antenna. The return loss across a 5 GHz frequency
band centered at 23 GHz is plotted in Figure 6. The
return loss bandwidth is 2.9 GHz corresponding to
12.6 % for a return loss better than 10 dB.





Fig. 4 Calculated azimuth radiation pattern.

A prototype of the waveguide antenna
structure was manufactured by milling a number of
aluminum plates that were screwed together. The
design consisted of five plates and the baffles. A
front view of the manufactured 23 GHz antennas is
shown in Figure 5. The overall dimensions are 200
mm (height) by 147 mm (width) by 50 mm (depth).

Fig. 6 Measured return loss between 20.5 and
25.5 GHz of the manufactured parallel
plate waveguide node antenna.



The measured co- and cross-polarized
elevation beam pattern at 23 GHz is presented in
Figure 7. The co-polarized side-lobe level is below
25 dB and the cross polarization is below -45 dB
relative the main beam. The half power beam-width
is 5.4. The measured elevation radiation pattern
agrees very well the simulated one.




Fig. 7 Measured co- and cross-polarized
elevation radiation patterns at 23 GHz.

In Figure 8, measured azimuth radiation
pattern at 23 GHz is shown together with the ETSI-
specification. The beam shows a flat top pattern
with a beam-width of 65. The cross polarization
level is below -40 dB.

Fig. 5 Front view of the manufactured parallel
plate waveguide node antenna.


6. CONCLUSIONS


A parallel plate waveguide node antenna
demonstrator intended for a point-to-multipoint
communications system at millimeter-wave
frequencies has been designed and manufactured.
The concept contains a folded structure with an
enclosed parabola section giving a very compact
and broadband design with no feed blockage. The
parabola controls the elevation beam shape while
external baffles are used to shape the azimuth
radiation pattern.
A dual reflector system can be implemented in
order to further improve the antenna performance
with respect to the shape of the elevation beam
pattern. The parallel plate waveguide node antenna
can easily be modified for vertical polarization by
changing the waveguide dimensions and the baffle
design or adding a polarizer. The concept can be
adapted to other frequency bands such as 60 GHz.

Fig. 8 Measured co- and cross-polarized azimuth
radiation patterns at 23 GHz.

Measured and calculated radiation patterns
along the 45-plane are presented in Figure 9. The
agreement is very good between the calculated and
the measured patterns. The gain has been measured
to 19.4 dBi at 23 GHz. It varies between 18.7 and
19.9 dBi within the band of interest. The estimated
losses are 0.15 dB.


7. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The design of the parallel plate waveguide
node antenna was part of a master thesis work
performed at Ericsson Research by Matilda Enlund
and Michka Sadrai.




8. REFERENCES

[1] U. Engstrm, M. Johansson, A. Derneryd, B.
Johannisson and G. Masini, Multi-beam
antennas in a PMP system: An up-link carrier
to interference performance evaluation, Proc.
IEEE VTC Fall, pp. 338-342, Atlantic City,
PA (USA), 7-11 October 2001.
[2] B. Svensson, L. Manholm and E. Wikgren, A
waveguide sector antenna for point-to-
multipoint systems, IEEE Antennas &
Propagat. Intl. Symp. Digest, pp. 1185-1188,
Columbus, OH (USA), 22-27 June 2003.

Fig. 9 Measured and calculated radiation patterns
along the 45-plane at 23 GHz.
[3] H. Jasik, ed., Antenna engineering handbook,
1st edition, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1961.
[4] ETSI EN 301 215-2, V1.3.1, June 2002.