4G/5G Phased Array Antenna Basics and Types

This page covers Phased Array Antenna basics and types, including short notes on 4G/5G Basestation Array Antennas and 4G/5G Smartphone Antennas.

An array antenna is a structure composed of a collection of radiating elements, each fed with a specific amplitude and phase.

The electromagnetic (EM) fields from these individual radiating elements combine to form a radiation pattern at a specific distance from them, specifically in the far-field region. In a phased array antenna, the main radiation beam can be altered electrically in any desired direction by varying the excitation phases of the individual EM waves fed to the radiating elements. Array architectures of this type can achieve beam scanning rates in the millisecond range.

Phased Array Antenna Types

Types of Array Antennas

There are four main types of array antennas, classified based on the position and shape of the radiating elements:

• Linear Array: Radiating elements are arranged in a single line.
• Circular Array: Radiating elements are arranged in a circular pattern.
• Planar Array: Radiating elements are arranged in a two-dimensional grid.
• Conformal Array: Radiating elements are arranged on a three-dimensional surface.

4G/5G Basestation Array Antenna

Linear Array Antenna Configuration

The figure above depicts a linear array antenna configuration. Multiple radiating elements are arranged in a single line. The phase and amplitude of each radiating element are varied to steer the beam in the desired direction. This beam steering is typically accomplished using a beam steering computer or dedicated controlling system. The feed antenna array system is connected to transmitter and receiver modules.

“4G/5G” refers to the 4th and 5th generations of wireless systems, respectively. Multibeam antenna arrays of various types are used in basestations for both transmission and reception; these are referred to as 4G/5G basestation array antennas.

Basestation Array Antennas

The figure above illustrates basestation array antennas of different types. It shows both an adaptive antenna and a multibeam antenna. The adaptive antenna employs a space diversity concept and covers a 360-degree region by using three spatially separated antenna array systems.

4G/5G Smartphone Antenna

Different types of antennas are used as 4G/5G smartphone antennas. The most common designs include the inverted-F antenna (IFA) and the slot antenna. Patch antenna designs are also used in mobile phones or smartphones. Refer to resources on Mobile Patch Antenna Design for more information.