Low-Profile Scalable Phased Array Antenna at Ku-Band for Mobile Satellite Communications

This paper discusses the design of an 8x8 phased array antenna tile for Ku-band mobile satellite communications. The array has low-profile, high-gain, and wide-angle scanning properties. The design steps and electromagnetic analysis of a dual-polarized radiating antenna element and an 8x8 array tile comprised of these radiating elements are presented. The array structure makes it possible for satellite communication (SATCOM) terminals with compact sizes, because the whole front-end might be on the same multilayer printed circuit board (PCB). With a compact geometry and 25% bandwidth, the array promises an excellent performance for satellite communication applications. The radiation characteristics and other array parameters are evaluated with respect to the application requirements.