Standing wave antenna array of notch dipole shunt elements

Abstract

A compact high-performance antenna. The antenna includes a waveguide (,) for providing or receiving electromagnetic energy. A feed circuit (,) provides or receives the electromagnetic energy to or from the waveguide (,). A radiating circuit (,) provides or receives the electromagnetic energy to or from the feed circuit (,). One or more notches (,) in the feed circuit (,) compensate for insertion phase errors in the electromagnetic energy. One or more tabs (,) in the radiating circuit (,) compensate for radiation phase errors in the electromagnetic energy. In a specific embodiment, the antenna is a dipole antenna and includes an array of dipole cards. The radiating circuit (,) includes first (,) and second (,) radiating circuits included in each of the dipole cards (,). The first (,) and second (,) radiating circuits include a plurality of quarter-wave stripline transformers (,). The transformers (,) include one more rectangular tabs (,) for tuning out radiation phase errors, capacitance effects, and/or junction effects. The feed circuit (,) includes v-shaped notches (,) near the bases of the transformers that compensate for insertion phase errors. In the illustrative embodiment, the transformers (,) are arranged so that an equivalent circuit of the radiating circuit (,) appears shunt to an equivalent circuit of the feed circuit (,). Each transformer (,) is connected to a slotline radiating element (,). The magnitude of the transmitted or received electromagnetic energy is a function of the sizes of the transformers (,). The feed waveguide (,) includes indentations for inductive tuning.