Dielectric lens balanced antipodal Vivaldi antenna with low cross-polarisation for ultra-wideband applications

The major deficiency of conventional ‘balanced antipodal Vivaldi antenna’ (BAVA) is its tilted beam over upper working frequencies. This study reports on a new BAVA to overcome this defect. By applying a dielectric lens in front of the antenna's aperture, beam-tilting in E-plane was improved within the ultra-wideband frequency range, as well as higher frequencies. In the new BAVA, the authors have also achieved an acceptable cross-polarisation. Measurements show that the antenna has better than 10 dB return loss within the aforesaid frequency range. The measurements successfully verify the simulation results. Group delay and fidelity factor as time domain characteristics of the proposed antenna have been studied. They have compared performance of the conventional BAVA, with achievements of the new BAVA as hereunder.

[1]  P. J. Gibson.  The Vivaldi Aerial , 1979, 1979 9th European Microwave Conference.

[2]  Jeremie Bourqui,et al.  Balanced Antipodal Vivaldi Antenna With Dielectric Director for Near-Field Microwave Imaging , 2010, IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation.

[3]  Peter Hall,et al.  Balanced antipodal Vivaldi antenna for wide bandwidth phased arrays , 1996 .

[4]  Homayoon Oraizi,et al.  Optimum design of tapered slot antenna profile , 2003 .

[5]  Jeremie Bourqui,et al.  Balanced Antipodal Vivaldi Antenna for Breast Cancer Detection , 2007 .

[6]  A. Swami,et al.  On the performance of UWB and DS-spread spectrum communication systems , 2002, 2002 IEEE Conference on Ultra Wideband Systems and Technologies (IEEE Cat. No.02EX580).

[7]  Alexander Yarovoy,et al.  Balanced antipodal Vivaldi antenna with novel transition from feeding line to the flares , 2011, Proceedings of the 5th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EUCAP).

[8]  K. S. Yngvesson,et al.  The tapered slot antenna-a new integrated element for millimeter-wave applications , 1989 .

[9]  J.R. Foerster.  The performance of a direct-sequence spread ultrawideband system in the presence of multipath, narrowband interference, and multiuser interference , 2002, 2002 IEEE Conference on Ultra Wideband Systems and Technologies (IEEE Cat. No.02EX580).

[10]  E. Gazit,et al.  Improved design of the Vivaldi antenna , 1988 .

[11]  J. J. Lee,et al.  Wide band bunny-ear radiating element , 1993, Proceedings of IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society International Symposium.

[12]  Kai Chang,et al.  Ultra wideband exponentially-tapered antipodal Vivaldi antennas , 2004, IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society Symposium, 2004..

[13]  D. Schaubert,et al.  Analysis of the tapered slot antenna , 1986 .

[14]  D. Schaubert,et al.  Effect of dielectric permittivity on infinite arrays of single-polarized Vivaldi antennas , 2006, IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation.

[15]  L. Marcaccioli,et al.  Conformal double exponentially tapered slot antennas (DETSA) for UWB communications systems' front-ends , 2005, 2005 IEEE International Conference on Ultra-Wideband.