USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Mark Kragalott

Mark G Parent

Gregory C Tavik

Rickie W Kindt

William Pala

An ultra-wideband antenna array architecture includes a first array of radiating elements, a second array of radiating elements, and a third array of radiating elements, with their respective element widths proportionately ascending in size. In one configuration, the first array radiating element width is half a wavelength at the highest frequency of operation, the second array element width is twice the first width, and the third array element width is twice the second width. The first, second, and third arrays are positioned in a wavelength-scaled lattice wherein the wavelength scaling is based on design operative frequencies and whereby adjacent actively-radiating elements for an operative frequency are aligned so as to produce constructive interference when powered up. Feed means such as a diplexer with a selected-band frequency control then provides power to each array.

Wavelength-scaled ultra-wideband antenna array

The inline coaxial balun fed cornu flared horn antenna is formed by transitioning a coaxial transmission line to a parallel-plate transmission line with a Klopfenstein impedance profile and terminating with a flared horn antenna based on a scaled cornu spiral. The cornu spiral is a mathematical plane curve formed by parametrically plotting the scaled cosine Fresnel integral versus the scaled sine Fresnel integral. The antenna has the property that the curvature of the flare increases linearly in proportion to the arc length of the flare. The Klopfenstein impedance profile of the inline balun ensures a low voltage reflection across a wide bandwidth with a minimum transition length and together with the cornu flare satisfies the requirements for a wideband design. The design efficiently radiates and receives a high power pulse of ultrawideband electromagnetic waves over a preferred range of angles in space and transmits a field that is nearly the scaled temporal derivative of the input voltage signal and receives a voltage that is nearly the scaled replica of the incident field.

Growing community of inventors

Woodbridge, VA, United States of America

Mark Kragalott