Low-Profile Conformal Circular Beam-Steering Array with Ultra-Broad Instantaneous Bandwidth

Abstract

This paper reports continued development of an ultra-broadband smart beam-steering circular array antenna with parasitically excited surface waveguides for low cost. The array has a low profile and is conformable to platforms, with a directivity of 5 to 10 dBi. Its steered beam and null cover full 360deg azimuth angles. Significant progress has been made in expanding the array's instantaneous bandwidth from 20-250 MHz to about 1000 MHz, which is an octaval bandwidth of 2:1 over the operating range of 1-2 GHz.