A stripline flat plate antenna with low sidelobes

The development of a . diameter flat plate array antenna operating at X-band is described. The antenna has 52 stripline fed slot elements with plated mode suppressors and a feed network integrated in a single-layer structure. The main interest has been in side lobe performance. As a goal specification an average side lobe level of -35 dB was required. This has also been achieved in practice but with the first side lobes peaking somewhat higher. In the paper the theoretical design, including aperture excitation synthesis, mutual coupling consideration and tolerance analysis, is discussed. The development of the radiating element and the feed network is also treated and a brief description is given of the manufacturing process and the measured performance of two prototypes.