K. V. Lyulyukin1, S. L. Chernyshev2, A. V. Zhiltsov3, E. S. Litvinov4
1, 3, 4 Bauman Moscow State Technical University’s Research Institute of Radioelectronic Technology (Moscow, Russia)
2 Bauman Moscow State Technical University (Moscow, Russia)

The design and development of low-profile broadband radiators of phased array antennas with wide-angle beam scanning has some problems. These include a relatively narrow frequency band of classical low-profile radiators designs and topologies, a sufficiently high level of mutual coupling of radiators, which leads to a mismatch of the radiators during wide-angle beam scanning, and in some cases to “blinding” of the phased array antenna. At the same time, it is required to ensure the ease and technological effectiveness of the design, as well as minimum weight and size characteristics.

The main purpose is to develop a strip radiator of a linear phased L-band antenna array with a relative width of the operating frequency band more than 15% and linear polarization. The array antenna must provide wide-angle sector scanning with a 90° angle, have maximum ease and reliability of design, and have minimum weight and size characteristics.

As a result the 8-element phased L-band antenna array model of the radiating aperture has been developed. Two proposed versions are based on two- and three-resonance low-profile strip radiators. The full-wave electrodynamic simulation of the radiator has been carried out in the Floquet unit cell as well as the model of an 8-element phased array antenna assembly. The model has been produced, and experimentally investigated. It has been concluded that the theoretical and experimental data are perfectly matched, and, as a result, the successful development of the strip radiator proposed version for operation as part of a linear low-element phased antenna array with a relative bandwidth of at least 15% and a beam scanning sector of 90°.

On the basis of the proposed radiator options , it is possible to create a type of both linear and plane low-profile phased antenna arrays operating in a wide sector of beam scanning angles and having a fairly technological, simple and relatively cheap design. These stripline radiators can be scaled for use in other frequency ranges up to the limitations imposed by manufacturing technology.

Lyulyukin K.V., Chernyshev S.L., Zhiltsov A.V., Litvinov E.S. Low-profile wideband phased array antenna radiator with wide-angle beam scanning. Antennas. 2022. № 6. P. 45–54. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18127/j03209601-202206-03 (in Russian)

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