A switched beam antenna array with butler matrix network using substrate integrated waveguide technology for 60 GHz wireless communications

The 60 GHz band has a lot of potential for high speed multi-gigabit wireless communications. In this paper, a switched beam antenna array based on substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) technology is designed and simulated at 60 GHz band. The antenna array is fed by 4 × 4 planar butler matrix network in order to achieve the switched beam characteristic. The use of SIW technology offers a low cost and a planar design. Each of the components is designed and simulated in the electromagnetic simulation tool CST MWS. The components are integrated later to form the switched beam antenna. Then the designed switched beam antenna is fabricated for measurement. The simulated results agree well with the measured values which validates the proposed design. The return losses and isolations are lower than −10 dB from 57 GHz to 64 GHz for all of the input ports. The peak gain for the switched beam antenna array is 17.5 dBi at 60 GHz.