This study introduces an innovative K-/Ka-band planar active shared-aperture phased array (ASAPA), advancing low earth orbit (LEO) terminal design through synergistic innovations in shared-aperture topology and three-dimensional (3D) integration. Breaking from conventional shared-aperture topologies plagued by cross-band interference and radiation pattern distortion, we propose a partial-element-reuse-based (PER) topology that strategically repurposes 50% of dual-band dual-polarized elements for simultaneous transmit and receive (STAR) operation. This configuration eliminates active element pattern distortion while achieving a reduction in element count, enabling wide-angle beam scanning essential for dynamic satellite tracking. Furthermore, a sandwich-structured printed circuit board (PCB) lamination method is further employed to streamline integration by partitioning functional modules into antenna, coupler, and active circuit layers interconnected via ball grid array (BGA) technology. This 3D integration strategy simplifies vertical interconnects, minimizes PCB layer requirements, and enhances thermal dissipation through embedded air gaps. Experimental results validate robust beamforming performance across ±60° scanning ranges for both transmitting and receiving arrays, achieving high transceiver isolation and signal integrity, which are imperative for high-capacity satellite links. By addressing key bottlenecks in LEO terminal design, the proposed innovations can accelerate the deployment of energy-efficient, cost-effective satellite networks, thus advancing the 6G vision of ubiquitous global connectivity.

We provide the design of a co-polarized simultaneous transmit and receive (STAR) array antenna, aiming to address the issue of undesired isolation in the antenna domain of the millimeter-wave (mm-Wave) full-duplex co-polarized communication system. As the cornerstone for the design and development of the antenna, the guided-wave structures of the virtual-electric-wall (VEW)-based ridge substrate-integrated waveguide (RSIW) and ridge parallel plate waveguide (RPPW) are proposed and applied to the full-duplex antenna design. Compared with conventional RSIW, VEW-based RSIW has the merits of lower ohmic loss and releasing the fabrication tolerance in the array antenna. Additionally, on the basis of parallel plate waveguide (PPW), the proposed RPPW exhibits a Chebyshev filtering response. The radiating part of the proposed array employs a slot-pair array excited along orthogonal directions by using the preceding guided-wave structures. Among them, the RSIW array serves as the Tx antenna, and the RPPW array is regarded as the Rx antenna. To achieve co-polarized radiation patterns in the boresight direction, the substrate-integrated waveguide (SIW) feed network is integrated into the reverse side of the antenna, providing differential and common-mode excitations for the RSIW-excited and RPPW-fed arrays. Furthermore, the inter-port isolation is effectively ameliorated by inserting the mushroom-type metamaterial between linear arrays. As a proof-of-concept, a shared-aperture full-duplex array operating in the${Q}$-band is developed and fabricated to demonstrate the above concept by using standard printed circuited board technology. The measured overlapped impedance bandwidth covers from 38.18 GHz to 39.13 GHz. The measured Tx-to-Rx isolation is greater than 25.5dB in the Q-band. The measured peak gains in Tx- and Rx-mode are 18.4 dBi and 17.8 dBi. The simulation and measurement results show good consistency, verifying the effectiveness of the proposed array in inter-port isolation, array size, planarization, and lightweight, making it suitable for mm-Wave shared-aperture full-duplex communication systems.

本文提出并设计了一种毫米波平面共口径阵列天线. 通过集成基板集成波导 (SIW) 和带状线激励网络, 将K波段天线嵌入至Ka波段天线内部. 通过共享辐射口径减小天线尺寸, 降低其剖面高度. 所设计的Ka波段天线通过SIW腔体表面的一对平行缝隙辐射水平极化波, 而K波段天线通过SIW腔体表面的蝴蝶结形缝隙辐射垂直极化波. 两个波段的阵列天线可以共享物理口径进行辐射, 且在两个频段都具有很好的隔离度. 为了验证以上设计思想, 我们设计了一款中心工作频率为19 GHz和30 GHz的8×8共口径阵列天线, 并采用多层印刷电路板 (PCB) 技术进行加工制造. 实测结果表明, 该天线在K波段和Ka波段的−10 dB阻抗带宽分别为7.73%和大于20%, 相应的隔离度分别高于60 dB和44 dB. 所提出的共口径天线具有小尺寸、 低剖面和高隔离度的优点, 可应用于小型化毫米波无线通信系统.

Abstract The fifth generation (5G) wireless communication networks are being deployed worldwide from 2020 and more capabilities are in the process of being standardized, such as mass connectivity, ultra-reliability, and guaranteed low latency. However, 5G will not meet all requirements of the future in 2030 and beyond, and sixth generation (6G) wireless communication networks are expected to provide global coverage, enhanced spectral/energy/cost efficiency, better intelligence level and security, etc. To meet these requirements, 6G networks will rely on new enabling technologies, i.e., air interface and transmission technologies and novel network architecture, such as waveform design, multiple access, channel coding schemes, multi-antenna technologies, network slicing, cell-free architecture, and cloud/fog/edge computing. Our vision on 6G is that it will have four new paradigm shifts. First, to satisfy the requirement of global coverage, 6G will not be limited to terrestrial communication networks, which will need to be complemented with non-terrestrial networks such as satellite and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) communication networks, thus achieving a space-air-ground-sea integrated communication network. Second, all spectra will be fully explored to further increase data rates and connection density, including the sub-6 GHz, millimeter wave (mmWave), terahertz (THz), and optical frequency bands. Third, facing the big datasets generated by the use of extremely heterogeneous networks, diverse communication scenarios, large numbers of antennas, wide bandwidths, and new service requirements, 6G networks will enable a new range of smart applications with the aid of artificial intelligence (AI) and big data technologies. Fourth, network security will have to be strengthened when developing 6G networks. This article provides a comprehensive survey of recent advances and future trends in these four aspects. Clearly, 6G with additional technical requirements beyond those of 5G will enable faster and further communications to the extent that the boundary between physical and cyber worlds disappears.