Publications

Electronically scanned array (ESA) antennas capable of efficiently radiating over an octave of bandwidth provide system designs with more flexibility in multiple mode operation. Communication and radar bands occupy different frequency allocations and the growing research in Ultra-Wideband (UWB) communications make the use of a single ESA to cover these frequencies an area of interest. Array antennas constructed of tapered-slot antennas and TEM horns have been investigated and shown to operate successfully over an octave bandwidth. These antennas use vertical feeds which make them optimal for brick architectures, but less than desirable for tile architectures. Conventional notch antennas require a feed extending vertically away from the notch antenna which makes a flat 2-D connection between antennas difficult. In this work an Ultra-Wideband Step Notch Array (UWSNA) was designed for ESA applications. The array operates over a 6-12 GHz range using a flat, tile-based 2-D feed network making this array optimal for conformal applications with a minimum of vertical distance. Simulation results and measurements on a small prototype demonstrate the concept.