Radiation Efficient Unidirectional Low-Profile Slot Antenna Elements
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Advances in Radio Science, 3, 143–146, 2005 SRef-ID: 1684-9973/ars/2005-3-143 Advances in © Copernicus GmbH 2005 Radio Science Radiation Efficient Unidirectional Low-Profile Slot Antenna Elements for X-Band Application C. Locker,¨ T. Vaupel, and T. F. Eibert FGAN-Research Institute for High Frequency Physics and Radar Techniques (FHR), Neuenahrer Str. 20, 53343 Wachtberg-Werthhoven, Germany Abstract. Slots in metallic ground planes are very promis- be placed closely to the slot, resulting in a typical stripline ing candidates for conformal antenna applications. However, or triplate configuration. Unfortunately, this structure admits a low-profile unidirectional antenna requires a back reflector parallel-plate propagation and the discontinuity slot/stripline close to the slot and the resulting stripline feed causes strong excites the corresponding modes. Higher order modes can excitation of parallel-plate modes. In this contribution, we be avoided by choosing a thin substrate, because their cut-off consider unidirectional reflector-backed slot configurations frequencies increase by decreasing the distance between with parallel-plate mode suppression by shorting pins. Start- the ground planes. The suppression of the fundamental ing from a parametric study with respect to shorting pin lo- mode, however, is a challenging task, since it is a TEM type cation and back reflector distance, we present a stripline-fed mode starting at 0 Hz. One method to suppress the TEM rectangular slot element with radiation efficiency of more mode is the use of twin slot configurations for destructive than 80% and a bandwidth of about 5% at centre frequency interference of the excited waves. An alternative method is 10 GHz. A careful optimisation of shorting pin locations the cavity backed slot (Galejs, 1963; Biebl and Friedsam, guarantees reliable parallel-plate mode suppression without 1995; Omiya et al., 1998). Metallic walls force the electric deteriorating the slot radiation behaviour. Coupling coeffi- field of the TEM wave to zero. A similar procedure is cients between parallel and aligned rectangular slot elements the placement of shorting pins around the slot aperture, are presented. For increased bandwidth applications, a bow- connecting the slot’s ground plane with the back reflector tie slot element with about 8% bandwidth and radiation effi- (Sommers, 1955). Compared to cavity backed slots, only ciency of close to 80% is proposed. little information about guidelines on positioning of vias is available in literature. Some papers treat stipline-slot-fed patch antennas (Brachat and Baracco, 1995; Bhattacharyya 1 Introduction et al., 1998), where a theoretical analysis for via-slot interaction is given in the latter. Due to their low profile, light weight, robustness and low cost, antennas in printed circuit technology are widely In this contribution, a parametric study is concerned with used in electronic warfare, communication, automotive, the influence of via and reflector positions on the input etc. Traditionally, many design instructions can be found in impedance and radiation efficiency of a single rectangular literature for patch antennas (James et al., 1981). However, slot element. Then, an optimised unidirectional slot element due to its resonant behaviour the radiating patch element printed on a very thin substrate with parallel-plate mode sup- has only narrow bandwidth, unless thick substrates are pression by shorting pins is presented by simulated and mea- used, which is disadvantageous with respect to integration sured data, based on the approach proposed in (Sommers, into non-planar surfaces. The surrounding of the patch is 1955). Towards array applications, we present mutual cou- inherently dielectric, which benefits propagation of surface pling investigations for different slot arrangements. A second waves resulting in low radiation efficiency. radiating bow-tie like aperture for bandwidth enhancement is presented by numerical and experimental results. The radiating slot element is an attractive alternative. A slot in a metallic ground plane is the complementary structure of the corresponding electric dipole. Since the 2 Rectangular Slot Element radiation pattern of the slot is bidirectional, a back reflector The geometry of the investigated rectangular slot element is must be used to avoid back radiation. With respect to depicted in Fig. 1. The slot is located in the upper ground antenna integration in curved surfaces, the reflector should plane and is excited by a stripline located in the centre of Correspondence to: C. Locker¨ the substrate with r =2.2. In order to suppress the parasitic ([email protected]) parallel plate mode, the upper and lower ground planes are 1442 C. C.L L¨ockocker¨ er et etal.: al.:Lo Low-Profilew-Profile Slot SlotAntenna AntennaElements Elements 2 C. L¨ocker et al.: Low-Profile Slot Antenna Elements 2 C. L¨ocker et al.: Low-Profile Slot Antenna Elements x2 700 x x 2 700 x = 5.0 mm 1 0 = x x 600 x0 5.0 mm 0 x 1 600 x = 4.5 mm x 0 x 0 x 0 x 2 700 x = 4.5 mm 1 0 500 Real =0 x x x0x =4.50. 0m mmm 2 1 x1 500 Real 0 = x ) 600 x0 4.0 mm 2 x 400 = ) x =3.0 mm 0 x m 0x 4.5 mm 0 0 = h 400 x 3.0 mm m 0 x1 500 Real O h 300 x = 4.0 mm x ( 0 2 O ) 300 ( e 1 400 = c x 3.0 mm m l 0 e 200 1 n h c l 1 1 a 200 n O y y 300 1 ( d 1 1 a y 100 e y d e w 0 0 1 1 p y y 100 e c l w 0 0 200 p n m y y 1 I 0 1 a 1 y m y d I 0 1 w 1 100 e w 0 0 w -100 p y y -100 Imag m stripline I 0 Imag 1 stripline 1 r -200 l w r 1 -200 l -100 -300 Imag stripline via -300 slot r 1 -2050 10 15 20 slot via l 5 10 15 20 -300 Frequency (GHz) d x via 3 Frequency (GHz) slot d x3 5 10 15 20 x 4x ground plane 4 Frequency (GHz) d x3x ground plane 5x Fig. 2. Parametric study: Input impedance with respect to via- x 5 Fig. 2. Parametric study: Input impedance with respect to via- 4 positionFig. 2. xParametric0. study: Input impedance with respect to via- ground plane x 0 (a) (b) 5 positionFig. 2. xParametric. study: Input impedance with respect to via- (a) (b) position x0. position x0. (a) (b) 1000 Fig. 1. Geometries of investigated apertures: (a) stripline-fed rect- 1000 Fig.Fig 1.. 1. Geometries of ofin investigatedvestigated apertures: apertures:(a) stripline-fed(a) stripline-fedrect- = d =2.00 mm angular slot element, (b) bow-tie slot element 8010000 d 2.00 mm rectangularangularFig. 1.slotGeometries slotelement, element,of(b)(b)inbovestigatedw-tiebow-tieslot slotapertures:element element.(a) stripline-fed rect- 800 d = 1.50 mm d = 1.50 mm d= = 2.00 mm ) d 1.00 mm angular slot element, (b) bow-tie slot element 608000 = ) d 1.00 mm m 600 Real d= = 1.50 mm h m Real d =0.75 mm h O d = 0.75 mm ( ) d 1.00 mm = 4O 06000 d 0.50 mm ( e m 2 Rectangular Slot Element 400 Real d = 0.50 mm c = e connected2 Rectangular by shortingSlot pinsElement or vias. Antenna dimensions are h d 0.75 mm n c O a ( n d = 0.50 mm d 204000 a x x x = y y e (unit:2 millimetre):Rectangular Slot=4.5,Element=1.5, 0.25, =1.5, =2.2 e 0 1 2 0 1 d 200 c p e n p The geometry of the investigated rectangular slot element is a m (constant distance in y-direction), r=0.5, d=1, w =0.435 and I The geometry of the investigated rectangular slot1 element is d 0200 m I e 0 ldepicted=8.25.The geometryin Fig. 1.of theTheinslotvestigatedis locatedrectangularin the upperslot elementgroundis p 1depicted in Fig. 1. The slot is located in the upper ground m -2I 000 plane and is excited by a stripline located in the centre of the -200 Imag planedepictedand isineFig.xcited1. byThea striplineslot is locatedlocatedininthetheuppercentregroundof the Imag = 2 2 substrate with r = .2 .2 In order to suppress the parasitic -40-2000 Imag substrateToplane gainand awith broadis excitedr understandingby. a. striplineIn order oflocated theto influencesuppressin thethe ofcentre viaparasitic posi-of the -4050 10 15 20 parallel plate mode, =the2upper2 and lower ground planes are 5 10 15 20 tionsparallelsubstrate and reflectorplatewithmode,r distancesthe. upper. onIn order theand resonancelotowersuppressground behaviour,theplanesparasitic theare -400 Frequency (GHz) Frequency (GHz) slotconnectedconnectedparallel was investigatedbyplatebyshortingshortingmode, bypinsthepins a parametricupperororvias.vias.andAntennaAntennalo study.wer grounddimensions Todimensions avoidplanes trans-areareare 5 10 15 20 (unit: millimetre): x0 = 4.5, x1 = 1.5, x2 = 0.25, y0 = 1.5, Frequency (GHz) formation(unit:connectedmillimetre): andby compensationshortingx0 =pins4.5,orx effects1vias.= 1.Antenna5 by, x coupling2 = 0dimensions.25, fromy0 = 1 theare.5, Fig. 3. Parametric study: Input impedance with respect to re¯ector = 2 2 = 0 5 = 1 Fig. 3. Parametric study: Input impedance with respect to re¯ector y1 (unit:= .2millimetre):2(constant distancex0 = 4.in5,y-direction),x1 = 1.5, x2 r= 0=.25.0,,5yd0 ==1.,15, sloty1 to the. stripline(constant anddistance the openin y-direction), stripline stub,r the. stripline, d , distancedistanceFig. 3. dPdarametric study: Input impedance with respect to re¯ector w1 ==0.4352 2 and l1 = 8.25. = 0 5 = 1 Fig. 3. Parametric study: Input impedance with respect to reflector wy11= 0.435. (constantand l1 =distance8.25. in y-direction), r .