# Design and validation of A 30 ghz 8 × 8 slot antenna array with ridge waveguide pins/holes layers

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a compact, high-performance 8x8 slot antenna array for 30 GHz applications with high gain and efficiency.

## Contribution

The novel pin/hole-based design eliminates electrical contacts between layers, reducing fabrication complexity and cost.

## Key findings

- The array achieves a 33% impedance matching bandwidth from 25 to 35 GHz.
- It maintains a gain of over 23 dBi across the operating frequency range.
- The design uses standard milling techniques for fabrication.

## Abstract

This paper presents an 8 × 8-element slot antenna array optimized for 30 GHz band applications, achieving high gain, wide impedance bandwidth, and high efficiency. The array employs a pin/hole-based design, which enables a compact structure and reduces fabrication complexity and cost, as it eliminates the need for electrical contact between its three primary layers: the metal radiating slot plate, a sub-array cavity layer, and a ridge waveguide feed network layer. The corporate feed network is realized through an array of pins and guiding ridges integrated into a metal plate, effectively distributing power to the radiating elements. A double transition from ridge waveguide to rectangular waveguide, leading to a 2.92 mm coaxial connector, ensures efficient feeding. Each component, including the radiating elements, cavity layer, power dividers, and transitions, is designed and optimized to maintain a low reflection coefficient (|S11| < -10 dB) across the 25–35 GHz frequency range. The 8 × 8 array is fabricated using standard milling techniques. The measured impedance matching bandwidth of approximately 33% is obtained, covering the entire 25-to-35 GHz range. The array consistently demonstrates a gain of over 23 dBi validating its performance for high-frequency applications.