Traveling-wave antenna array (TWAA) with multioctave scan-gain-bandwidth

Abstract

This paper presents the latest progress in demonstrating and characterizing the Traveling-Wave Antenna Array (TWAA) as a Multioctave Planar Phased Arrays (MPPA) capable of efficient wide-angle scan over multioctave bandwidth. (Beam Steering Network (BSN) and T/R module are not included here.) Four brass board TWAA panels having 16×16 array elements were fabricated and tested for wide-angle scan up to 60° off broadside over 2-12 GHz using a True-Time Delay (TTD) BSN in a corporate feed configuration. Fairly good performance was exhibited using conventional far-field antenna range tests in anechoic chambers. This study appears to be the first time that an MPPA is demonstrated to be capable of multioctave bandwidth for efficient 60° scan in a full-fledged manner with direct calibration. The test data are in good agreements with computer simulation data generated by The Ohio State University. MPPA's state-of-the-art is reviewed, and relevant ambiguities and controversies are discussed.