A planar wideband 2‐D beam‐forming network for multibeam application.

This article presents a wideband 2‐D beam‐forming network (BFN) utilizing a three‐layer strip‐line structure, which has 16 input ports and 16 output ports. The BFN, composed of multiple 2‐D couplers, crossovers, and phase shifter groups, can provide an equal power signal distribution with ±45° or ±135° phase differences between the adjacent output ports, hence achieving 2‐D beam scanning in both azimuth and elevation planes. To validate the concept, a prototype operating in the frequency range of 2.25–3.75 GHz is fabricated, measured, and discussed. The measurement results coincide well with the simulation ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]