A K-band microstrip phased array radiator for airborne antennas

A K-band microstrip radiator has been developed and prototyped for application in phased arrays for airborne antenna systems. The electrical requirements for the radiator included broad impedance and polarization bandwidths (19.2 - 21.2 GHz) over a full field-of-view scan volume ( ±60° in azimuth and elevation). Mechanical requirements included a thin form factor, fabrication using conventional printed circuit techniques, and direct integration with multilayered feed and control circuitry. This paper presents the design details of the radiator and measured results from prototyped single radiators and a seven-element test array. Computer predicted performance is presented for larger arrays. Presented data includes reflection coefficient and polarization performance versus frequency. GTRI researchers were awarded U.S. Patent 6,466,171 for the design innovations.