SBIR-STTR Award

The Haleakala Research & Development Inc. will develop and analyze two plasma antennas in which the higher frequency VHF/UHF is nested inside the lower frequency HF/VHF antenna or a VHF/UHF plasma antenna array stacked with a HF/VHF plasma antenna array in which the higher frequency plasma antenna array propagates through the lower frequency plasma antenna array. This effort will support the PEO Ammunition Acquisition Program. We can do this with plasma but not with metal because of the properties of plasma physics. Because of the properties of plasma physics high gain and aperture can be achieved above and beyond that of a metal antenna of the same size by matching the plasma frequency to the antenna operating frequency of the antenna. By nesting and stacking the plasma antennas we can achieve high power, high bandwidth, and compactness. Our nested plasma antenna design will a minimum gain of 12 dBi over as wide a frequency band at HF/VHF with a maximum size of 2 meters in diameter and 3 meters in length ) and another similar antenna at VHF/UHF with a maximum size of 1.2 meters in diameter and 2 meters long

The Haleakala R&D Inc. during phase I did theoretical modeling and built experimental prototypes on an innovative antenna design which stresses high bandwidths, high gain, high power, and small compact size for operation on vehicles or fixed sites with operational parameters as described below. We solved the compact size problem by using two plasma antennas with one nested inside the other. Nesting cannot be done with metal antennas, but it saves space. High bandwidth is achieved by using plasma spiral antennas and when there are several layers of nested plasma antennas, the bandwidths and power of each plasma layer adds. In phase I we went beyond developing a theoretical model of our innovative antenna designs and built and tested prototypes which is not requested until phase II. We are developing an innovative antenna which is smaller and covers wider bandwidths that those available will find communications applications in Wi-Fi applications, last mile applications ,and RFID. By being invited and participating in the SMi Stealth Conference during the past two years, The Haleakala R&D Inc. plasma antenna technology has become a high profile technology to the US DOD.

Keywords:
Plasma antennas, plasma nested antennas, high gain, high bandwidth, high power, compactness, plasma antenna arrays, reconfigurability.