Focal plane dielectric rod arrays with printed launchers

A novel antenna structure is proposed which combines features of both dielectric rod and vivaldi antennas and has some attractions for use in focal plane arrays. Its sampling performance is better than for the known fully printed types, though not as good as can be achieved by rod arrays with waveguide launchers. The structure combines good features of the two fully printed types. It has considerably lower cross polarisation than continuous width slot antennas arrays, but a bandwidth as least as good. Although the new antenna is not a fully printed one, it does remove most of the disadvantages of waveguide launchers. It can be relatively easily mass replicated and integrated with MIC