| EPSRC Reference: |
GR/J12734/01 |
| Title: |
SINGLE & COUPLED TAPERED SLOT ANTENNAS & PLANAR FEED ARRANGEMENTS FOR BROAD-BAND ANTENNA APPLICATIONS |
| Principal Investigator: |
Mirshekar, Professor D |
| Other Investigators: |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
Computing and Electronic Systems1 |
| Organisation: |
University of Essex |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
01 October 1993 |
Ends: |
30 June 1997 |
Value (£): |
165,186
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| RF & Microwave Technology |
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| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
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| Panel History: |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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Our main objectives in prioritised order are:1. To develop a general modelling technique for the analysis of single and coupled tapered slot antennas (TSAs) on low and high dielectric constant substrates.2. To characterise, theoretically and experimentally, the performance of various single and coupled pairs of TSAs.3. To develop simple uni-planar wide-band couplers for coupling coplanar waveguide and slot line to the TSA.4. To investigate by measurement and theory the performance (including cross-polarisation) of single and coupled TSA with the feed.5. To study the transient responses of the TSA with the feed. In this project the majority of the activity is to be carried out at mm-wavelengths where the lengths of the antennas are small and suitable for MMIC applications.Progress:In March 1994, a senior research officer (Dr. Y Huang) was appointed to carry out the modelling and measurement tasks. He was with us for 11 months until the end of January 1995 when he took up an appointment as a lecturer at the University of Liverpool. Since March 1994 we developed a computer program for the analysis of single element tapered slot antennas, based on a three-dimensional condensed node transmission line matrix (TLM) method. The program is capable of predicting the far field radiation patterns including the cross-polarisation characteristics in addition to the input impedance. The program was initially tested on a dipole antenna and a slot antenna for which there is a wealth of published information. The results compared favourably with those obtained with other techniques. It was found that the method is not very suitable for calculating the input impedance at very low frequencies. This is expected, since at low frequencies the absorbing boundaries strongly interfere with the antenna. However, as far as the tapered slot antennas is concerned, this inaccuracy will not be significant because at low frequencies these antennas are at cut-off. Following the initial validation of the program, several tapered slot antennas, designed for mm-wave applications, were analysed by the program. The results successfully confirmed the measured radiation patterns and cross-polarisation reported in the literature. In this connection, a paper has been accepted and is to be presented at an international conference [1]. Parallel to the above activities, we examined possible ways of feeding the tapered slot antenna using coplanar waveguides (CPW). Several broad band transitions from the CPW to the slot line were studied, designed and fabricated on InP (er=12.5). In this work software based on the spectral domain technique was used. These studies were carried out in collaboration with BT Labs. who have interest in the application of the tapered slot antennas in radio-fibre systems. Publication [2] is based on this work. 1. TLM analysis of tapered slot antennas ,Y. Huang, I.J. Dilworth and D. Mirshekar-Syahkal, to be published in the Proc. of the 9th Int. Conf. on Antennas and Prop., April 1995. 2. Coplanar waveguide to slotline transitions for tapered slot antennas on Indium Phosphide ,D. Mirshekar-Syahkal, D.J. Newson, D. Wake and I.D. Henning, Proc. of the 23rd European Microwave Conference, 1924-1928, Cannes, France, Sept. 1994.
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Key Findings |
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.sx.ac.uk |