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At least 271 records · Page 15

Millimeter-wave and terahertz integrated circuit antennas

This paper presents a comprehensive review of integrated circuit antennas suitable for millimeter and terahertz applications. A great deal of research was done on integrated circuit antennas in the last decade and many of the problems associated with electrically thick dielectric substrates, such as substrate modes and poor radiation patterns, have been understood and solved. Several new antennas, such as the integrated horn antenna, the dielectric-filled parabola, the Fresnel plate antenna, the dual-slot antenna, and the log-periodic and spiral antennas on extended hemispherical lenses, have resulted in excellent performance at millimeter-wave frequencies, and are covered in detail in this paper. Also, a review of the efficiency definitions used with planar antennas is given in detail in the appendix.

Rebeiz, Gabriel M.↗

A Compact Dual-Band Bowtie Antenna for RF and ISM bands Operation

Traditionally, bowtie antennas have been known to exhibit wide impedance characteristics, omnidirectional radiation patterns, and linear polarization. There is a broad range of applications from medical imaging, archaeological survey, and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to trackers and sensor networks where wideband bowtie antenna designs are required for their operations. Broadening the bandwidth of bowtie antenna requires widening the flare angle of the bowtie arms, which consequently results in a large surface area that may not be suitable for space-constrained applications. Moreover, drawback attributes of the wideband bowtie designs feature inconsistent radiation pattern across the bandwidth and low signal-to-noise (SNR) ratios. As it is known, the SNR would be improved in dual- or multi-band antennas due to their reduced bandwidth. To this end, dual-band/multi-band antennas are preferred over wideband antennas in applications where more than a single frequency of interest is present. Previously, a two-port double-dipole elements was reported, whose arms were orthogonally interleaved to facilitate operation in both the standard WLAN frequency bands (J. M. Steyn and et. al, Progress in Electromagnetic Research, Vol. – 10 pp. 151-161). Even though the antenna is not very compact it does exhibit good cross-polarization, moderate gain in both frequency bands. Another dual-band bowtie antenna which excites two bands using a single transmission line was reported (Wen Chao Zheng and et. al, IEEE Trans. Antennas propag., 2014). The design was compact and did not need multi-port feeding network. In this paper, a dual-band compact bowtie antenna operating at 900 MHz (RF band) and 2.45 GHz (ISM band) using a single excitation port is introduced. It is printed on a 1.54mm thick dielectric substrate (εr = 3.38). The antenna consists of two sets of bowtie arms, a microstrip transmission line to feed the bowtie arms, and a ground plane acting as a reflector to partially reduce the back radiation. One of the bowtie arms of each frequency is printed on the top layer and the other arm, which is mirror imaged, is printed on the bottom layer of the substrate. The length of the bowtie controls the resonance frequency of the antenna and the flare angle controls the bandwidth of the antenna. The microstrip transmission line, connected to a 50 Ω SMA probe, feeds the bowtie antenna. The compact antenna can be used for both RF and ISM band applications. The bowtie arms at the lower frequency band are miniaturized by elongating their electrical lengths. The influence of miniaturizing the bowtie arms and the supporting partial ground plane is observed in the reduced peak gain and degraded front-to-back ratio. These are partly neutralized using four quarter-wave choke-slots in the ground plane with two on each side of the feeding transmission line. The proposed antenna is numerically investigated and finalized by the finite-element based full-wave EM solver, ANSYS HFSS. The miniaturization has reduced the ground plane size by ~45% and the arms size by ~41%. In addition to the size reduction benefits, the antenna shows reasonable peak gain and front-to-back ratio in both the bands. The corresponding results will be presented and discussed at the conference.

Saininad Naik↗

The electrical characteristics of the conical horn-reflector antenna

The conical horn-reflector antenna was selected for the satellite communication ground station because of its broadband and low-noise properties. Prior to the construction of the full-size antenna, theoretical and model studies of its electrical characteristics were undertaken. These studies consisted of computing gain and radiation patterns for two modes of excitation, constructing of model antennas and measuring them. Results of these studies are presented in this paper together with results of the measurements of the full size antenna at Andover, Maine.

GROUND STATION↗

Distorted reflector antenna performance prediction technique

The application of a 3-D curve-fit technique to the electromagnetic analysis of reflector antennas is presented. the reflector antennas are described by the coordinates of an irregular distribution of measured points on the reflector surface. The reflector antenna analysis method used to calculate radiation patterns is geometric-optics with aperture-integration since an efficient and accurate computer code was readily available for modification.

Bailey, M. C.↗

Interfacing WIPL-D with Mechanical CAD Software

of almost any popular CAD format, e.g. IGES, Parasolid, DXF, ACIS etc. The solid models are processed (simplified) and meshed in GiD(R), and then converted into WIPL-D Pro input file by simple Fortran or Matlab code. This algorithm allows the user to control the mesh of imported geometry, and to assign electric p~perties to metalic and dielectric surfaces. Implementation of the algorithm is demonstrated by examples obtained from the NASA Discovery mission, Phoenix Lander 2008. Results for radiation pattern of Phoenix Lander UHF relay antenna with effect of Martian surface, both simulated in WIPL-D Pro and measured, are shown for comparison.

method of moments (MoM)↗

On the Accurate Calibration of the SeaWinds Radar Antenna: A Cylindrical Near-Field Measurement Approach

The radar antenna for the SeaWinds scatterometer will be of the multipolarized, multi- incidence angle, conical scanning design. It will measure echos from the sea surface to derive both the speed and direction of winds. To calibrate this radar, measurement error models are used to define the effects of near-field measurement bias errors on antenna gain and far-field radiation patterns.

SeaWinds↗

Flush-mounted dielectric-loaded axial slot on circular cylinder

An investigation is conducted of electric field patterns of a TE axial slot antenna which radiates through a dielectric window in a circular cylinder. The cylinder is partially coated with a dielectric layer. The investigation is to provide information regarding the effects of a high-temperature dielectric layer on the performance of antennas mounted on a space shuttle. Numerical results are presented for the far-field patterns. It is pointed out that the calculations show excellent agreement with experimental measurements.

Richmond, J. H.↗

The design of a microstrip antenna array for a UHF space telemetry link

An array of microstrip antenna panels was designed for use on a small instrumented satellite as part of a 400-MHz telemetry link between that satellite and NASA's shuttle spacecraft. A roughly omnidirectional phi-plane pattern was desired. The 1.4-wavelength diameter of the satellite and the various ports and structures on its surface presented strong constraints on the antenna array design. Eight antennas, each one a quarter-wavelength panel with one radiating and one shorted edge, were chosen. A phi-plane pattern ripple of 4.4 dB and a gain of at least 0.1 dB relative to a half-wavelength dipole were realized. The design technique used for the individual antenna panels included the study of feed-point location for impedance matching and the effect of losses in the dielectric. A superposition method was used to synthesize the radiation patterns for different numbers and different excitations of antennas on the satellite.

Post, R. E.↗

Analysis of cylindrical wrap-around and doubly conformal patch antennas by way of the finite element-artificial absorber method

The goal of this project was to develop analysis codes for computing the scattering and radiation of antennas on cylindrically and doubly conformal platforms. The finite element-boundary integral (FE-BI) method has been shown to accurately model the scattering and radiation of cavity-backed patch antennas. Unfortunately extension of this rigorous technique to coated or doubly curved platforms is cumbersome and inefficient. An alternative approximate approach is to employ an absorbing boundary condition (ABC) for terminating the finite element mesh thus avoiding use of a Green's function. A FE-ABC method is used to calculate the radar cross section (RCS) and radiation pattern of a cavity-backed patch antenna which is recessed within a metallic surface. It is shown that this approach is accurate for RCS and antenna pattern calculations with an ABC surface displaced as little as 0.3 lambda from the cavity aperture. These patch antennas may have a dielectric overlay which may also be modeled with this technique.

Volakis, J. L.↗

Design tradeoff study for reflector antenna systems for the shuttle imaging microwave system

A general tradeoff is made of the symmetric Cassegrain antenna with regard to the possibility of meeting a 90% beam efficiency. The effects of aperture taper and blockage are calculated using an adjustable sidelobe circular distribution. Numerical integration is used. For the feed spillover calculation, a low sidelobe symmetric feed pattern is used with the equivalent parabola and numerical integration. Reflector cross polarization is calculated using double numerical integration. Reflector back lobes are estimated from radiation pattern envelopes of commercial common carrier dish antennas. The curves allow a range of f/D to be determined for a specified edge taper and blockage diameter ratio, and with a table of Cassegrain parameters, a range of possible designs that meet the 90% beam efficiency is obtained. It is shown that the feed and reflector design and implementation must be carefully done.

Hansen, R. C.↗

The design and fabrication of microstrip omnidirectional array antennas for aerospace applications

A microstrip antenna design concept was developed that will provide quasi-omnidirectional radiation pattern characteristics about cylindrical and conical aerospace structures. L-band and S-band antenna arrays were designed, fabricated, and, in some cases, flight tested for rocket, satellite, and aircraft drone applications. Each type of array design is discussed along with a thermal cover design that was required for the sounding rocket applications.

Campbell, T. G.↗

The analysis of reactively loaded microstrip antennas by finite difference time domain modelling

In recent years, much interest has been shown in the use of printed circuit antennas in mobile satellite and communications terminals at microwave frequencies. Although such antennas have many advantages in weight and profile size over more conventional reflector/horn configurations, they do, however, suffer from an inherently narrow bandwidth. A way of optimizing the bandwidth of such antennas by an electronic tuning technique using a loaded probe mounted within the antenna structure is examined, and the resulting far-field radiation patterns are shown. Simulation results from a 2D finite difference time domain (FDTD) model for a rectangular microstrip antenna loaded with shorting pins are given and compared to results obtained with an actual antenna. It is hoped that this work will result in a design package for the analysis of microstrip patch antenna elements.

Hilton, G. S.↗

A novel antenna for ultra-wide-band applications

An ultrawideband antenna based on a slotline feed structure, a bowtie horn, and a rolled edge termination was developed, analyzed, and measured. Empirical data showed that its beamwidths and bandwidth are dependent on its physical dimensions which are easily controllable by an antenna designer. Measured patterns of models with various radiation properties are shown to substantiate these design rules. A flat plateau-like main beam, low voltage standing-wave ratio (VSWR), the ability to produce both wide (60 deg) and narrow (30 deg) half-power beamwidths, low sidelobes and backlobe (40-50 dB down), low cross-polarized levels (20-25 dB down), and independent control of E- and H-plane beamwidths over an ultrawide bandwidth, say 2-18 GHz, are some of the strong points of this antenna type.

Lai, Albert K. Y.↗

Radiation by cavity-backed antennas on a circular cylinder

Conformal antenna arrays are popular antennas for aircraft, spacecraft and land vehicle platforms due to their inherent low weight, cost and drag properties. However, to date there has been a dearth of rigorous analytical or numerical solutions to aid the designer. In fact, it has been common practice to use limited measurements and planar approximations in designing such non-planar antennas. The finite element-boundary integral method is extended to radiation by cavity-backed structures in an infinite, metallic cylinder. The formulation is used to investigate the effect of cavity size on the radiation pattern for typical circumferentially and axially polarized patch antennas. Curvature effect on the gain, pattern shape, and input impedance is also studied. Finally, the accuracy of the FE-BI approach for a microstrip patch array is demonstrated.

Kempel, Leo C.↗

Theoretical and experimental investigations of antennas and waves in plasma

The near field characteristics of an antenna when it is covered by a plasma sheath were investigated. The areas of investigation were: (1) current distribution, (2) input admittance, and (3) radiation pattern as functions of the electrical length of the antenna. Diagnostic measurements were also made to determine the properties of the plasma. A numerical method was evolved to solve the problem of a finite cylindrical antenna in an infinite plasma column.

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