SBIR-STTR Award

Antenna elements are a key part of any phased array antenna system. The development of cost effective, high performance array antenna elements is challenging for wide bandwidth and broad scan angles. Wang Electro-Opto Corporation (WEO), teamed up with the Ohio State University (OSU), proposes to develop linear-polarized antenna elements covering S-Band through X-Band for high power radar applications with up to 100 watts per element. The technical approach will be based on the general technical approach that WEO and OSU have taken in a joint research effort for a wideband phased array with scan angle of 60 degrees for a radar application. It was noted that the design approach has potential to achieve an instantaneous bandwidth of 2.8-12.8 GHz. In Phase-I, the WEO-OSU team will expand the potential bandwidth to 2.0-12.0 GHz, fully covering S through X bands. A small planar array based on such element antenna will be designed, fabricated, and tested to demonstrate feasibility of the proposed approach adequate for Phase-II development. The proposed technology solution should have low acquisition and life-cycle costs and reliable operation in Navy shipboard applications.

Benefit:
The Antenna elements are a key part of any phased array antenna system. The development of cost effective, high performance antenna elements has applicability for all commercial and military avionics radars, all commercial radar applications, and all marine radar applications.

Keywords:
EW, EW, VSWR, Radar, wideband, wide scan angle, Antenna Elements, phased array

Phased arrays are a key component in modern naval warfare. Its applications range from radars to electronic warfare (EW), surveillance & communications, etc. Its important applications to other military and commercial systems and platforms are obvious. For decades, wideband wide-scan planar phased arrays have faced highly challenging technical difficulties and high costs. The proposed Navy SBIR Phase-II research program, Topic N111-040, is to develop a linearly-polarized array element design that can operate from 2 to 12 GHz, with a wide scan angle of 60 degrees or more. This wideband array can replace several arrays in S-X bands on a platform of limited surface area suitable for antenna mounting, thus potentially achieving a reduction of 70% or more in both acquisition and life-cycle costs. The feasibility of the proposed approach has been demonstrated in Phase-I effort at Wang Electro-Opto Corporation (WEO), supported by the ElectroScience Laboratory (ESL) of the Ohio State University (OSU). The design approach will be optimized by computer simulation and breadboard verification. A small phased array panel will be developed and its beam-scan capability will be demonstrated using a beam-steering network of limited angular range. The design is protected by U.S. patent #8,264, 410 B1, 11 September 2012.

Benefit:
The Antenna elements are a key part of any phased array antenna system. The development of cost effective, high performance antenna elements has applicability for all commercial and military avionics radars, all commercial radar applications, and all marine radar applications.

Keywords:
EW, VSWR, wideband, Antenna Elements, wide scan angle, phased array, Radar, Planar Array