Brick or Tile? Evaluation of Integration Concepts for Microwave Phased Array Antennas

This paper will present examples of two different approaches to the packaging of AESAs: Brick, where the active circuits are perpendicular to the antenna array and Tile with the active circuitry in plane with the antenna elements. For both concepts solutions are discussed to enable feed-networks for 30 GHz together with multi-technology integration of GaN/GaAs circuits for Tx and Rx together with highly integrated SiGe technology for phase and amplitude steering. The requirements for microwave signal distribution, power supply and thermal management of the active components shall be explained and demonstrated as concept and in hardware.