Broadband planar wide-scan array employing tightly coupled elements and integrated balun

Abstract

In this paper we present the design, fabrication and demonstration of an X-band phased array capable of wide-angle scanning. A new non-symmetric element for wideband tightly coupled dipole arrays is integrated with a low-profile microstrip balun printed on the array ground plane. The feed connects to the array aperture with vertical twin-wire transmission lines that concurrently perform impedance matching. The proposed element arms are identical near the center feed portion but dissimilar towards the ends, forming a ball-and-cup. A 64 element array prototype is verified experimentally and compared to numerical simulation. The array aperture is placed λ/7 (at 8 GHz) above a ground plane and shown to maintain a VSWR < 2 from respectively.

Planar Phased Array With Wide-Angle Scanning Performance Based on Image Theory

“…Wide-angle scanning up to a maximum of 60° was achieved at the operating frequency band. In [6], a broadband planar wide-scan array employing tightly coupled elements is proposed. This array can scan up to 75° and 60° in E and Manuscript H-plane, respectively.…”

Charateristics of decade-bandwidth, Balanced Antipodal Vivaldi Antenna (BAVA) phased arrays with time-delay beamformer systems

“…Variations of tightly-coupled printed dipoles [8][9][10][11] have utilized a concept similar to Prof. Ben Munk's current sheet antenna (CSA) [12]. They offer substantial size, weight, and volume saving with superior bandwidth.…”

Wide‐angle scanning circular polarization phased array based on polarization rotation technology

“…However, Most of the above‐mentioned antennas cannot produce wide 3‐dB beamwidth or wide axial ratio (AR) beamwidth more than 110°, correspondingly, the planar CP phase array can only scan its main beam direction from −55° to 55° with a gain fluctuation of 4‐5 dB because of the limited beamwidths of its elements and strong coupling between elements as its beam close to the end‐fire direction. Recently, a lot of work on expanding the beamwidth of CP antenna and wide‐angle scanning phase array with linear polarization has been reported . A crossed dipole loaded by a magneto‐electric dipole is reported to have a right‐hand circular polarization radiation with CP beamwidth more than 165° .…”

“…A planar phased array employing tightly coupled elements scans up to 60° and 75° in E‐plane and H‐plane . Using pattern reconfigurable elements, the array can scan its main beam from −70° to 70° by dividing the scanning space into multiple regions .…”