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IWR1642BOOST: Center of lens/horn antenna

Prudhvi Sagar
Genius 3785 points
Part Number: IWR1642BOOST

Hello,

I am trying to design a lens/horn antenna for IWR1642BOOST. Where should I place the center of horn/lens or do I need to design 2 horns/lens for each TX and RX antenna. How can I analyse the situation better? My application is liquid level sensing for upto 40m which is difficult without a horn/lens. 

I have conducted CST simulation on a single antenna.

Regards,

Prudhvi Sagar

  • 0
    TI__Mastermind 25825 points

    Prudhvi Sagar,

        Lens have focal length and focal point, If the antenna is placed on the focal point then the lens and antenna shows best performance.  For level sensing application, the beam pattern narrower the better for example, as +/-5deg azimuth, +/-5deg elevation, depending upon the depth and diameter of container. This is the design choice, Lens/Antenna design and optimization need to be performed based on the desired antenna/lens gain to meet the link budget target to meet 40m distance.  

    We can not avoid non-ideality of lens by missing the focal point, However try to keep antenna on the focal point as much as possible. If you are using one Tx and one Rx position 2 would better choice.  The large lens gives narrower beam pattern and increase the antenna gain. The large lens shows less non-ideality when the antenna is missing the focal point.

    Thanks and regards,

    CHETHAN KUMAR Y.B.

  • 0 in reply to CHETHAN KUMAR Y.B.
    Genius 3785 points

    Hello Chethan,

    As you mentioned I am aiming for a +/-5deg azimuth, +/-5deg elevation output in my system for my application. How can I calculate the desired antenna/lens gain to meet the link budget target to meet 40m distance.  

    Regarding the lens design for IWR1642BOOST I have few questions:

    1. The material for lens design which can satisfy my needs.

    2.  A focal length to start iterations with.

    3. Shape of the lens and does it have to be complete solid?

    Does the same argument for center placement apply for a horn antenna too?

    Regards,

    Prudhvi Sagar

  • 0 in reply to Prudhvi Sagar
    TI__Mastermind 25825 points

    Prudhvi Sagar,

       For link budget estimation you could use the below sensing estimator. 

    https://dev.ti.com/gallery/view/1792614/mmWaveSensingEstimator/ver/1.3.0/

    You could tweak the parameters of desired interest, from this you could extract desired antenna gain for the edge of FOV to meet the distance target. 

    Material choice, type, shape of the lens is outside the scope of E2E. 

    Typically for horn antennas comes with Wave-guide standards (WR12, WR10 etc) depending upon frequency of operation.

    One has to design mictrostrip/CPW to Wave-guide launch solution on the board. Wave-guide transition need to take into consideration of insertion loss and return loss to be kept minimum. 

    You could refer to some of the commercial products which offers PCB launch connector to WR 12.  These design are pcb substrate specific. For your application you need design the transition..

    https://products.spinner-group.com/pcb-launch-connector-wr-12-60-90-ghz-bn533412

    Thanks and regards,

    CHETHAN KUMAR Y.B.

  • 0 in reply to CHETHAN KUMAR Y.B.
    Genius 3785 points

    Hello Chethan,

    I am using "High Accuracy Demo" for my application. I understand that the accuracy is dependent on the received signal strength from the reflection. The sensing estimator doesn't take in the accuracy as a parameter. My application requires accuracy in the order of few centimeters upto 40m range. I believe it requires better antenna gain than that estimated by the sensing estimator (kindly correct me if my understanding is wrong). I have attached sensing estimator output.

    Can you give us a starting point or few guidelines to work on lens like some reading material?

    Does this transition need to be built separately for both TX and RX channels? Do you recommend on using a horn for the patch antenna as we have a short deadline to achieve the waveguide transition. The waveguide transition is one option we will implement in the coming future. We have checked some design before (both conical and pyramidal). Conical seem to be giving better gain. Can simulation help me tune parameters for horn design?

    Regards,

    Prudhvi Sagar

  • 0 in reply to Prudhvi Sagar
    TI__Mastermind 25825 points

    Hello Prudhvi Sagar,

            Sensing estimator provides minimum antenna gain needed to meet the desired distance target. You are right, accuracy is dependent on the received signal strength from the reflection, which will translate to SNR at the ADC output. Higher the SNR better would be accuracy of the measurement

     

    For improving the SNR, higher antenna gain plays important role. 

    For reading material, There are many books are there, you could look for below books:

    Book on:  Antenna Handbook from Springer publication, There is a chapter on Lens Antennas. You may want to refer to latest edition, older addition may not be sate of the art.

    Book on : Microwave and Millimeter Wave Technologies: from Photonic Bandgap Devices to Antenna and Applications. You could refer a chapter on Lens Antenna design.

    Also you may be interested other aspect of Millimeter Wave design as well covered in the above books. 

    For horn antenna, if you design custom Wave-guide interface you could build together. Otherwise if you build with Wave-guide interface such as WR12/WR10 interface then separate transition to Tx and Rx ports.  Yes, you may need 3D EM simulations to achieve this. 

    Thanks and regards,

    CHETHAN KUMAR Y.B.

  • 0 in reply to CHETHAN KUMAR Y.B.
    Genius 3785 points

    Hello Chethan,

    Thank you for the support. I feel lens is a better way to go without doing any change on the PCB.

    Is this the book you mentioned about?

    Regards,

    Prudhvi Sagar

  • 0 in reply to Prudhvi Sagar
    TI__Mastermind 25825 points

    Prudhvi Sagar,

        Yes, this the book.  You might find one complete chapter on the Lens antennas. 

    Thanks and regards,

    CHETHAN KUMAR Y.B.