Ball Grid Array Module With Integrated Shaped Lens for 5G Backhaul/Fronthaul Communications in F-Band
Bisognin, A.
; Nachabe, N.
; Luxey, C.
; Gianesello, F.
; Gloria, D.
;
Costa, J.R.
;
Fernandes, C. A.
; Alvarez, Y.
; Arboleya, A.
; Las-Heras, F.
; Dolatsha, N.
; Grave, B.
; Sawaby, M.
; Arbabian, A.
IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation Vol. 65, Nº 12, pp. 6380 - 6394, December, 2017.
ISSN (print): 0018-926X
ISSN (online): 0018-926X
Scimago Journal Ranking: 1,31 (in 2017)
Digital Object Identifier: 10.1109/tap.2017.2755439
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Abstract
In this paper, we propose a ball grid array (BGA) module with an integrated 3D-printed plastic lens antenna for application in a dedicated 130 GHz OOK transceiver that targets the area of 5G backhaul/fronthaul systems. The main design goal was the full integration of a small footprint antenna with an energy-efficient transceiver. The antenna system must be compact and cost-effective while delivering an approximately 30 dBi gain in the working band, defined as 120 GHz to 140 GHz. Accordingly, a 2 ×2 array of aperture-coupled patch antennas was designed in the 7 ×7 ×0.362 mm3 BGA module as the feed antenna of the lens. This achieved a 7.8 dBi realized gain, broadside polarization purity above 20 dB, and over 55% total efficiency from 110 GHz to 140 GHz (20% bandwidth). A plastic elliptical lens 40 mm in diameter and 42.3 mm in height was placed on top of the BGA module. The antenna achieved a return loss better than -10dB and a 28 dBi realized gain from 114 to 140 GHz. Finally, active measurements demonstrated a > 12 Gbps Tx/Rx link at 5 m with BER < 10 -6 at 1.6pJ/b/s. These results pave the way for future cost-effective, energy-efficient, high-data rate backhaul/fronthaul systems for 5G communications.
