Two-Layer Dielectric Rod Antenna

A dielectric rod antenna (DRA) design that consists of two concentric dielectric cylinders and achieves more than 4:1 bandwidth is described. The new DRA is composed of a launcher section, followed by a waveguide section and ends in a radiation section. The utilization of two-layer structure avoids the excitation of high-order modes, thus extending the operational bandwidth. Properly chosen radii and dielectric constants of each layer in conjunction with a properly tapered radiation tip ensure frequency-insensitive radiation properties (gain and pattern) and stable phase center. The design example of a two-layer dual-polarization DRA presented in this paper operates from 2 to 8 GHz and produces symmetric radiation patterns with half-power beamwidth greater than 55deg. The current design is one of the most ideal antennas to be used as a near-field probe or reflector feed.