High Gain, Broadband and Dual-Polarized Substrate Integrated Waveguide Cavity-Backed Slot Antenna Array for 60 GHz Band

In this paper, a compact substrate-integrated waveguide (SIW) cavity-backed slot antenna array with high gain, broadband, and dual-polarization performances is proposed for 60-GHz applications. An enhanced 17.1% impedance bandwidth was achieved by cutting semi-circle edges on the conventional slot radiator. A simplified SIW feed network is aperture-coupled vertically and constructed on a double-layered structure to implement the dual-polarization operation. By adopting innovative techniques on both radiating element and double-layered SIW feed networks, a high-gain, broadband, and dual-polarized 8 x 8 antenna array was designed on three-layered printed circuit board that allows for mass production. This configuration also resolves the trade-off between the bandwidth and gain of the existing 60-GHz dual-polarized antenna array. Its feasibility is proved by obtaining a measured gain in the range of 19.7-22.3 dB and an enhanced impedance bandwidth of 17.1% over 55.7-66.1 GHz for both horizontal and vertical polarizations. With advantages of high-gain, broadband, and dual-polarization performances in a low-cost low-profile structure, the proposed antenna array is a promising candidate for millimeter-wave wireless systems.