DOI: 10.1109/TMTT.2024.3463484   IEEEXplore: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10701461

4-D multifaceted foldable phased array with 2 degrees of freedom shape changing

28 GHz

The modular, origami-inspired, tile-based unit cell folds to manipulate the radiation pattern's nulls and peaks. The additively manufactured unit-cell includes on-structure beamformer ICs and a flexible feed network with a foldable interconnect to enable TX/RX selective activation and scalability. Mechanical and electrical beam steering allows near-360° continuous azimuthal beam steering and superior radiation pattern control.

5G and beyond networks, 5G sensing, communication applications for digital awareness.

5.6 dB gain for the 4-face unit cell at boresight; 9.6 dB gain if the beamformer IC is utilized for amplification. ±54° -3dB electrical beam steering range; ±41° effective beam steering range when accounting for -4.2 dB sidelobe level (SLL). 0.2 dB insertion loss for the novel foldable "arch" interconnect. 48 mW DC power consumption in standby, 576 mW in receive mode, and 882 mW in transmit mode.