Low-Cost Phased Array with Enhanced Gain at the Largest Deflection Angle

This paper presents a low-cost 1-bit phased array operating at 17 GHz (Ku band) with an enhanced scanning gain at the largest deflection angle to extend the beam coverage for ground target detection. The phased array is designed using 16 (2 × 8) radiation-phase reconfigurable dipoles and a fixed-phase feeding network, achieving 1-bit beam steering via a direct current (DC) bias voltage of ±5 V. Measurement results demonstrate a peak gain of 9.2 dBi at a deflection angle of ±37°, with a 3 dB beamwidth of 94° across the scanning plane. Compared with conventional phased array radars with equivalent peak gains, the proposed design achieves a 16% increase in the detection range at the largest deflection angle.