DESIGN OF DIELECTRIC-LOADED CIRCUMFERENTIAL SLOT ANTENNAS OF ARBITRARY SIZE FOR CONICAL AND CYLINDRICAL BODIES

摘要

A class of dielectric-loaded slot antennas designed to conform to the shape of various body structures is described. These antennas are flush with the body surface, and designed to occupy minimum space. The basic radiating structure is a low-loss dielectric-core substrate plated with a thin copper wall to form a dielectric-filled cavity. A circumferential radiating slot is in the outer surface of the cavity. The cavity is excited by an inductive post driven from a coaxial line. The conformal radiating slot can be designed in the surface of small or large dielectric structures and results in durable antennas that may operate in the UHF or microwave frequency regions. It is efficient, operates very well over a 10% bandwidth, and can be designed to produce many desired antenna patterns. Theory and experimental data on the different modes of radiation are discussed, along with the intrinsic characteristics of the selected dielectric materials. Design techniques, performance characteristics, and illustrations of a variety of prototype antennas are presented.