Conformal Antenna Research in the US.

摘要

Within the United States, interest in conformal and low profile antennas is in response to space and airborne requirements, and also to the volume constraints of shipborne radar. Elements and arrays on generalized surfaces have also been analyzed using the finite difference time domain (FDTD) and finite element (FEM) methods. Analytical results for antennas on electrically larger bodies have been obtained using a combination of the Method of Moments (MOM) plus quasi-optical techniques. Recent work extends the utility of the hybrid methods using new Green's functions developed from the Uniform Geometrical Theory of Diffraction (UTD) to elevate the mutual coupling between elements on a uniformly coated, perfectly conducting, but otherwise arbitrarily shaped convex surface. In addition to advances in analytical treatments, a number of small arrays have been built conformal to cylinders and other metallic structures. Fully electronically scanned arrays have been developed for airborne satcom at SHF and EHF frequencies. Arrays with dimensions large compared to the local radius of curvature will also be discussed, including an ultra wide band UHF radar array.