А. S. Antonov1, E. L. Kapylov2, A. V. Kochetov3, E. A. Khvostova4
1–4 JSC «NPP «Radar mms» (St. Petersburg, Russia)

1 antonov_as@radar-mms.com, 2 kapylov_el@radar-mms.com, 3 kochetov_av@radar-mms.com,
4 hvostova_ea@radar-mms.com

S-band antenna systems remain highly important in radar and communications due to their resistance to weather conditions. However, achieving high angular resolution in this range traditionally requires antennas with a large aperture, which contradicts the requirement of compactness. In addition, the use of ultrashort pulses to increase range resolution imposes strict requirements on the broadband of the antenna system. Thus, the urgent task is to create a compact S-band antenna array that combines a wide bandwidth with the ability to form an ultra-narrow radiation pattern.

In this paper, a method of polarization narrowing of the radiation pattern, implemented on the basis of a low-element digital antenna array, has been proposed and experimentally investigated. The developed array consists of six broadband cascading microstrip emitters arranged in a ring with a diameter of one wavelength. The design of a single element with two resonators and an air gap provided a wide range of operating frequencies, which is confirmed by measurements of the reflection coefficient. Time measurements have showed that the antenna works correctly with ultrashort pulses lasting about 2 ns, providing a range resolution of about 30 cm.

The key feature of the method is the use of a spatially polarized lattice structure. Two ignition modes have been investigated: the circular polarization mode for viewing space and the in-phase mode, in which a deep dip is formed due to destructive interference of fields in the main direction. The normalization of the signals of these two modes makes it possible to form an acute differential radiation pattern. It has been experimentally demonstrated that the width of the radiation pattern narrows from 36° to 2° at the half-power level.

The effectiveness of the method has been confirmed in a field experiment to detect and accurately locate a real object with a complex and irregular effective scattering surface located at a significant angle to the grid normal. The results obtained prove the practical validity of the approach.

The developed architecture makes it possible to overcome the classical contradiction between the antenna size and its resolution. The polarizing service method opens up prospects for creating a new class of compact, high-resolution S-band radar systems that do not require bulky antenna structures.

Antonov А.S., Kapylov E.L., Kochetov A.V., Khvostova E.A. Polarization narrowing of the radiation pattern of a low-element S-band antenna array excited by ultra-short pulses. Antennas. 2026. № 1. P. 15–24. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18127/j03209601-202601-02 (in Russian)

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