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At least 217 records · Page 12

A design concept for an MMIC (Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit) microstrip phased array

A conceptual design for a microstrip phased array with monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) amplitude and phase controls is described. The MMIC devices used are 20 GHz variable power amplifiers and variable phase shifters recently developed by NASA contractors for applications in future Ka proposed design, which concept is for a general NxN element array of rectangular lattice geometry. Subarray excitation is incorporated in the MMIC phased array design to reduce the complexity of the beam forming network and the number of MMIC components required.

Lee, Richard Q.↗

New simple feed network for an array module of four microstrip elements

A simple microstripline feed network for an array module comprising four microstrip elements is described. The advantages and disadvantages of the network are discussed as well as a theoretical explanation for the radiation characteristics of array modules using the network.

Oberhart, M. L.↗

Microstrip dispersion including anisotropic substrates

A perturbation-iteration solution based on potential theory is develoepd for determining the effective dielectric constant, characteristic impedance, and current-charge distribution on a microstrip transmission line with isotropic and anisotropic substrates. The numerical implementation of the theory is described and is suitable for use on a personal computer. Computed data for several common substrate materials are included.

Kretch, Brian E.↗

Radiation characteristics of microstrip arrays with parasitic elements

Detailed experimental results on microstrip antennas consisting of one center-fed patch and several identical parasitic patches are presented. The effects of the number of elements and interelement spacing are studied for two configurations: a linear array and a five-element array. It is shown that placing identical parasitic elements adjacent to a fed patch permits broadside radiation patterns with significant enhancement in gain to be obtained without any degradation of the pattern characteristics.

Lee, R. Q.↗

A new model for broadband waveguide-to-microstrip transition design

A new model is presented which permits the prediction of the resonant frequencies created by antipodal finline waveguide to microstrip transitions. The transition is modeled as a tapered transmission line in series with an infinite set of coupled resonant circuits. The resonant circuits are modeled as simple microwave resonant cavities of which the resonant frequencies are easily determined. The model is developed and the resonant frequencies determined for several different transitions. Experimental results are given to confirm the models.

Ponchak, George E.↗

Slotline fed microstrip antenna array modules

A feed network comprised of a combination of coplanar waveguide and slot transmission line is described for use in an array module of four microstrip elements. Examples of the module incorporating such networks are presented as well as experimentally obtained impedance and radiation characteristics.

Lo, Y. T.↗

Computing Resonances Of Waveguide-To-Microstrip Transitions

Simplified mathematical model used to predict resonant frequencies of antipodal-finline waveguide-to-microstrip transitions. Makes it possible to place undesired resonances outside desired frequency band during design process; eliminates much of iteration in design process and thereby reduces both time and cost of design.

Ponchak, George E.↗

A user's manual for the Loaded Microstrip Antenna Code (LMAC)

The use of the Loaded Microstrip Antenna Code is described. The geometry of this antenna is shown and its dimensions are described in terms of the program outputs. The READ statements for the inputs are detailed and typical values are given where applicable. The inputs of four example problems are displayed with the corresponding output of the code given in the appendices.

Forrai, D. P.↗

Rigorous analysis of a circular patch antenna excited by a microstrip transmission line

Boundary conditions are enforced on a portion of the microstrip feed line as well as the patch antenna. The integral equation for the unknown currents on the antenna and feed is solved by applying the Galerkin method of moments in the Fourier transform domain. The validity of the solution is tested by comparison of computed results with experimental data. The theoretical treatment proves to be applicable to the most common feeding arrangements, namely, the direct edge-feed and proximity coupling excitation. In the latter case, two-layer substrates having distinct dielectric constants are studied. The purpose of the study is to deduce, for a given overall substrate thickness, the smallest line-ground plane separation for which a match of the radiator to the feed line is still possible. The advantages of such a configuration are discussed.

Davidovitz, Marat↗

Microwave microstrip resonator measurements of Y1Ba2Cu3O(7-x) and Bi2Sr2Ca1Cu2O(8-y) thin films

Radio frequency (RF) surface resistance measurement experiments on high T(sub c) thin films were performed. The method uses a microstrip resonator comprising a top gold conductor strip, an alumina dielectric layer, and a separate superconductivity ground plane. The surface resistance of the superconducting ground plane can be determined, with reference to a gold calibration standard, from the measured quality factor of the half-wave resonator. Initial results near 7 GHz over the temperature range from 25 to 300 K are presented for YBa2Cu3O(7-x) and Bi2Sr2CaCu2O(8-y) thin film samples deposited by an electron beam flash evaporation process. The RF surface resistance at 25 K for both materials in these samples was found to be near 25 milliohms.

Lichtenberg, Christopher L.↗

Analysis of Microstrip Lines with Alternative Implementation of Conductors and Superconductors

An analysis of microstrip line structures in which either the strip or the ground plane or both are made of a high Tc superconductor is presented. The effect of implementation of a superconductor to the strip and the ground plane is explained with the calculation of a conductor loss of the structure by the Phenomenological Loss Equivalence Method (PEM). The theoretical values are compared with the experimental results from a ring resonator which is made of a gold ground plane and a high Tc superconductor, YBa2Cu3O(7-x), strip.

Kong, K.-S.↗

Resonance in cylindrical-rectangular and wraparound microstrip structures

A rigorous analysis of the resonance frequency problem of both the cylindrical-rectangular and the wraparound microstrip structure is presented. The problem is formulated in terms of a set of vector integral equations. Using Galerkin's method to solve the integral equations, the complex resonance frequencies are studied with sinusoidal basis functions which incorporate the edge singularity. The complex resonance frequencies are computed using a perturbation approach. Modes suitable for resonator or antenna applications are investigated. The edge singularity of the patch current is shown to have no significant effect on the accuracy of the results. It is shown that the HE10 modes of the cylindrical-rectangular and wraparound patches are more appropriate for resonator applications. The HE01 and TE01 modes of the cylindrical-rectangular and wraparound patches, respectively, are efficient radiating modes.

Ali, Sami M.↗

Analysis of finite phased arrays of circular microstrip patches

A method is presented for analyzing a finite planar array of circular microstrip patches fed by coaxial probes. The self- and mutual impedances between array elements are calculated using the method of moments with the dyadic Green's function for a dielectric layer on a ground plane. The patch circuits are determined by using the reaction integral equation. The active input impedance as well as the active element pattern of the array are computed from a knowledge of the resultant patch currents. The calculated results for two-element and eight-element linear arrays are in good agreement with experimental data. The active reflection coefficient and element pattern for the center and edge elements of a two-dimensional array as a function of scan angle are also presented.

Deshpande, Manohar D.↗

Reducing Cross-Polarized Radiation From A Microstrip Antenna

Change in configuration of feed of nominally linearly polarized microstrip-patch transmitting array antenna reduces cross-polarized component of its radiation. Patches fed on opposing sides, in opposite phases. Combination of spatial symmetry and temporal asymmetry causes copolarized components of radiation from fundamental modes of patches to reinforce each other and cross-polarized components of radiation from higher-order modes to cancel each other.

Huang, John↗

An experimental study of high Tc superconducting microstrip transmission lines at 35 GHz and the effect of film morphology

Microstrip transmission lines in the form of ring resonators were fabricated from a number of in-situ grown laser ablated films and post-annealed co-sputtered YBa2Cu3O(7-x) films. The properties of these resonators were measured at 35 GHz and the observed performance is examined in light of the critical temperature (Tc) and film thickness and also the film morphology which is different for the two deposition techniques. It is found that Tc is a major indicator of the film performance for each growth type with film thickness becoming important as it decreases towards 100 A. It is also found that the films with a mixed grain orientation (both a axis and c axis oriented grains) have poorer microwave properties as compared with the primarily c axis oriented material. This is probably due to the significant number of grain boundaries between the different crystallites, which may act as superconducting weak links and contribute to the surface resistance.

Chorey, C. M.↗

Ka-band MMIC microstrip array for high rate communications

In a recent technology assessment of alternative communication systems for the space exploration initiative (SEI), Ka-band (18 to 40 GHz) communication technology was identified to meet the mission requirements of telecommunication, navigation, and information management. Compared to the lower frequency bands, Ka-band antennas offer higher gain and broader bandwidths; thus, they are more suitable for high data rate communications. Over the years, NASA has played an important role in monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) phased array technology development, and currently, has an ongoing contract with Texas Instrument (TI) to develop a modular Ka-band MMIC microstrip subarray (NAS3-25718). The TI contract emphasizes MMIC integration technology development and stipulates using existing MMIC devices to minimize the array development cost. The objective of this paper is to present array component technologies and integration techniques used to construct the subarray modules.

Lee, R. Q.↗