Millimeter-wave integrated-circuit horn-antenna imaging arrays

Citation

Guo, Yong (1992) Millimeter-wave integrated-circuit horn-antenna imaging arrays. Dissertation (Ph.D.), California Institute of Technology. doi:10.7907/ewa6-ey43. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-07242007-092924

Abstract

A new millimeter-wave, integrated-circuit, back-to-back, horn-antennamixer array is presented. The configuration of the array is one called "displaced back-to-back horn-antenna array," which consists of a set of forward- and backward-looking horns made with a set of silicon wafers. The front side is used to receive the incoming signal, and the back side is used to feed the local oscillator. IF is led out from the side of the array. Pyramidal-shaped horns in silicon bounded by (111) crystal planes were formed by anisotropic etching of the silicon wafers. The power received by the horns is picked up by antenna probes suspended on thin silicon-oxynitride membranes inside the horns. The array is fully two-dimensional, and the horns are made simultaneously by integrated-circuit processing techniques. Aperture efficiency of the horn-antenna array has been improved up to 72 %, and system coupling efficiency is 36 %. In the efficiency measurements, a new thin-film, power-density meter is developed for measuring the asolute power densities. The main applications of the array include imaging, remote sensing and plasma diagnostics.

Thesis Files