Phased Array Fed Lens Antenna for SATCOM Applications

We present a phased array fed lens (PAFL) that utilizes a gradient index (GRIN) partial Maxwell-Fisheye (PMF) lens to provide enhanced beamsteering performance. PAAs provide critical connectivity for modern 5G and satellite communications (SATCOM) devices and can be enhanced using GRIN lens technology, made recently practical through advances in additive manufacturing. In this paper, we build upon prior work using switched beam or rastered individual elements to demonstrate improved power efficiency and wide field-of-view performance with a simple PAA. This mode of operation enables faster steering and finer beam scanning precision than previously presented PMF-based antennas.