A multi-feed antenna for antenna-level power combining

This paper proposes a multi-feed antenna structure that synthesizes the desired radiation characteristics with antenna-level power combining. Compared with an antenna array that spatially combines the radiation E-field and H-field at the far-field, the proposed multi-feed antenna combines the radiation power from different feeds directly on the antenna. Such a unique structure occupies a much smaller footprint and offers the flexibility to optimize the antenna driving impedances based on the locations of the antenna feeds. As two proof-of-concept designs, a two-feed 0.5λ slot antenna and a three-feed 0.7λ slot antenna with the input feeding networks are designed at 10.3GHz. A conventional single-feed 0.5λ slot antenna and a single-feed 0.7λ slot antenna are also implemented as the reference designs. Well matched radiation patterns between the proposed multi-feed antennas and the conventional single-feed antennas are observed, demonstrating the antenna-level power combining capability of the proposed multi-feed antennas.