Design and scan performance of large, probe-fed stacked microstrip patch arrays

A strategy is presented on how to design large, direct-contact microstrip patch arrays with broad bandwidths and useful scanning ranges. It is shown that to maximize these characteristics the lower layer of a stacked patch configuration must have a relatively high dielectric constant, greater than 10 and the upper laminate must have a low dielectric constant value. Doing so yields bandwidths in excess of 25% over a scanning range of ±45° in the principle planes. Such arrays may be suitable for millimeter-wave systems such as collision avoidance radars and microcellular mobile communication base stations