Differential and single ended elliptical antennas for 3.1-10.6 GHz ultra wideband communication

The paper introduces differential and single ended antenna designs for ultra wideband 3.1-10.6 GHz communication. The primary design is an ultra thin, low profile differential antenna with an incorporated ground plane for use with a UWB IC receiver. The differential capability eases the design complexity of the RF front-end, and the incorporation of a ground plane enables conformability with small electronic UWB devices. Two single ended designs are also presented for use with a UWB IC transmitter. Both designs result in excellent bandwidth, efficiency, and nearly omnidirectional radiation patterns. Viability of these antennas is tested with a UWB pulse transmitter. Time domain responses are compared to that of a commercial 1-18 GHz double ridged waveguide horn.