CIRCULARLY
POLARIZED ANTENNAS
CIRCULARLY
POLARIZED ANTENNAS
Steven (Shichang) Gao, Qi Luo and Fuguo Zhu
University of Kent, UK
This edition first published 2014
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Gao, Steven.
Circularly polarized antennas/Steven (Shichang) Gao, Qi Luo, and Fuguo Zhu.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-118-37441-2 (cloth)
1. Spiral antennas. 2. Transmitting antennas. 3. Antenna radiation patterns. 4. Polarized beams
(Nuclear physics) I. Luo, Qi, 1982- II. Zhu, Fuguo. III. Title.
TK7871.67.S65G36 2014
621.382′4–dc23
2013030500
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN: 978-1-118-37441-2
Typeset in 10/12pt TimesLTStd by Laserwords Private Limited, Chennai, India
1
2014
Contents
Preface
Acknowledgements
Abbreviations and Acronyms
Introduction to Circularly Polarized Antennas
Introduction
1
1.1
1.2 Antenna Parameters
Input Impedance
1.2.1
1.2.2 Reflection Coefficient, Return Loss and Voltage Standing Wave Ratio
1.2.3 Radiation Patterns
1.2.4 Directivity, Gain and Efficiency
1.2.5
1.2.6 Bandwidth and Resonant Frequency
Linear Polarization, Circular Polarization and Axial Ratio
1.3 Basic CP Antenna Types
1.3.1 CP Microstrip Patch Antennas
1.3.2 CP Wire Antennas
1.3.3 Helix Antennas
1.3.4 Quadrifilar Helix Antennas and Printed Quadrifilar Helix Antennas
1.3.5
1.3.6 CP Dielectric Resonator Antennas
1.3.7 CP Slot Antennas
1.3.8 CP Horn Antennas
1.3.9 CP Arrays
Spiral Antennas
1.4 Antenna Modelling Techniques
1.4.1 Analytical Methods
1.4.2 Full-Wave Methods
Typical Requirements and Challenges in CP Antenna Designs
Summary
References
1.5
1.6
Small Circularly Polarized Antenna
Introduction
2
2.1
2.2 Basic Theory of Antenna Size Reduction
ix
xi
xiii
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
5
6
7
7
13
13
15
17
18
19
20
22
23
23
23
24
25
25
29
29
29
vi
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
Slot Loading
Shapes of Slot
Small CP Patch Antennas
2.3.1 Modified Shapes of Patch
2.3.2
2.3.3 High Permittivity Dielectric Material
2.3.4
Shorting Pins
2.3.5 Metamaterial
2.3.6 Multi-Feed
2.3.7 Other Small CP Patch Antennas
Small Helix, QHAs and PQHAs
2.4.1
2.4.2
Small CP Slot Antennas
2.5.1
2.5.2 Monopole Slot Antennas
2.5.3 CPW Feed
Small CP DRAs
2.6.1 Different Shapes
2.6.2 High Permittivity Dielectric Material
Small Helix Antennas
Small QHAs and PQHAs
2.7 Other Small CP Antennas
2.7.1 CP Double-Folded ILAs
2.7.2 Compact Printed Dipole Antennas
2.7.3
Summary
References
Small Multi-Feed CP DRA Antennas
2.8
Broadband Circularly Polarized Antennas
Introduction
3
3.1
3.2 Broadband CP Microstrip Patch Antennas
3.2.1 Broadband Single-Feed CP Patch Antennas
3.2.2 Broadband Multi-Feed CP Patch Antennas
3.2.3 Other Broadband CP Patch Antennas
3.3 Broadband Helix, QHAs and PQHAs
3.3.1 Broadband Helix Antennas
3.3.2 Broadband PQHAs
Spiral Antennas
3.4
3.5 Broadband CP Slot Antennas
3.5.1 Ring Slot with a Broadband Coupler
3.5.2 Circular/Square Slot with an L-Shaped Feed
3.5.3 Grounded Strip
3.5.4
3.5.5 Wide Slot with a Loading Patch
3.5.6 Other Broadband CP Slot Antennas
Shorted Ring Slot
3.6 Broadband CP DRAs
Single-Feed Stacked DRAs
Single-Feed Notched DRAs
3.6.1
3.6.2
3.6.3 Multi-Feed DRAs with a Coupler
Contents
30
30
33
37
38
40
43
44
46
47
48
53
53
54
56
59
60
61
63
63
64
64
66
69
73
73
73
73
83
91
93
93
94
103
106
106
107
109
111
112
115
116
116
117
118
Contents
3.6.4 Multi-Mode DRAs
3.6.5 Other Broadband CP DRAs
3.7 Broadband CP Loop Antennas
3.7.1 Parasitic Loop
3.7.2 Dual Loops in Series or Parallel
3.7.3 Dual Rhombic Loops with Parasitic Loops
3.8 Other Broadband CP Antennas
3.8.1 CP Antennas with Artificial Magnetic Conductors
3.8.2 Active CP Antennas
3.8.3 CP Antennas for 60-GHz Wireless Communications
3.8.4 CP Antennas with Reconfigurable Polarizations
Summary
References
3.9
Multi-Band Circularly Polarized Antennas
Introduction
4
4.1
4.2 Multi-Band CP Microstrip Patch Antennas
4.2.1 Multi-Band Single-Feed CP Patch Antennas
4.2.2 Multi-Band Multi-Feed CP Patch Antennas
4.2.3 Other Multi-Band CP Patch Antennas
4.3 Multi-Band QHAs and PQHAs
4.3.1 Multi-Band QHAs
4.3.2 Multi-Band PQHAs
4.4 Multi-Band CP Slot Antennas
4.4.1 Dual-Monopole
4.4.2
L-Shaped Feed
4.4.3 Concentric Ring Slots
4.4.4 Uni-directional CP Slot Antennas
4.4.5 Other Multi-Band CP Slot Antennas
4.5 Multi-Band CP DRAs
4.5.1 DRA/Slot or DRA/Patch Hybrid Antennas
4.5.2 Excitation of Multiple Modes
4.6 Multi-Band CP Loop Antennas
4.6.1 Dual-Loop Antennas
4.6.2 Excitation of Dual Modes
4.7 Other Multi-Band CP Antennas
4.7.1 Hybrid Antennas
4.7.2 Rectennas
4.7.3 Dual-Band Dual-Sense CP Antennas
4.7.4 Frequency Reconfigurable CP Antennas
Summary
References
4.8
Circularly Polarized Arrays
Introduction
5
5.1
5.2 CP Patch Antenna Arrays
5.2.1
Sequential Rotation
vii
119
120
120
120
121
122
123
123
123
124
124
124
126
131
131
131
132
141
147
150
150
153
158
158
161
161
163
171
171
171
174
175
175
176
177
177
178
179
186
186
187
191
191
191
191
viii
Contents
5.2.2 Broadband CP Patch Antenna Arrays
5.2.3 Multi-Band CP Patch Antenna Arrays
5.2.4 High-Efficiency CP Patch Arrays at the Ku Band and Above
5.3 CP Dielectric Resonator Antenna Arrays
LP Element
5.3.1
5.3.2 CP Radiation Element
5.4 CP Slot Array Antenna
5.4.1 Printed Ring Slot CP Arrays
5.4.2 CP Slot Array with Metallic Reflector
5.4.3 CP Waveguide Slot Antenna Arrays
5.4.4 Radial Line Slot Antenna
5.5 CP Printed Reflectarrays
5.5.1 CP Feed
5.5.2
LP Feed
5.5.3 Multi-Band CP Printed Reflectarray
Integrated CP Array and Active CP Array
5.6.1
5.6.2 CP Active Array
Integrated CP Array
5.6
5.7 CP Array with Reconfigurable Beams
5.7.1 Beam-Switching CP Array using a Reconfigurable Feed Network
5.7.2 Beam-Switching CP Array using Butler Matrix Network
5.7.3 Beam-Switching Reflectarray using MEMS
5.7.4
Integrated Beam-Steering Array in LTCC
5.8 Other CP Arrays
Travelling-Wave CP Arrays
5.8.1 Compact Sequentially Rotated CP Arrays
5.8.2
5.8.3 CPW-Fed CP Arrays
5.8.4 Omni-directional CP Antenna Arrays
Summary
References
5.9
Case Studies
Introduction
6
6.1
6.2 Dual-Band CP Patch Array for GNSS Reflectometry Receiver on Board Small
6.3
Satellites
Small Printed Quadrifilar Helix Antenna for Mobile Terminals in Satellite
communications
Printed Broadband CP Rectangular Bi-Loop Antenna for RFID Readers
6.4
6.5 CP Reflectarray for Ka Band Satellite Communications
6.6 Circularly Polarized Logarithmic Spiral Antenna with a Wideband Balun
The Logarithmic Spiral Antenna
6.6.1
6.6.2 Design of a Wideband Balun
6.6.3
Summary
References
Logarithmic Spiral Antenna with Wideband Balun
6.7
Index
193
196
200
203
204
205
210
210
211
213
218
222
222
226
230
234
235
239
243
243
246
248
250
252
252
254
256
257
258
258
263
263
263
271
278
284
293
293
296
298
301
303
305
Preface
Due to the features of circular polarization, circularly polarized antennas are very useful
for various wireless systems such as satellite communications, global navigation satellite
systems, mobile communications, wireless sensors, radio frequency identification, wire-
less power transmission, wireless local area networks, wireless personal area networks,
worldwide interoperability for microwave access and direct broadcasting service television
reception systems. Recent decades have seen a lot of research and development activities in
CP antennas from industries and institutes worldwide. There are very few books focusing
on CP antenna design and principles. Thus, there is a need for a comprehensive book which
presents basic principles and up-to-date developments of CP antennas and arrays.
The purpose of this book is to present a comprehensive overview of various types of CP
antennas and arrays, including the basic principles, design methods, size reduction tech-
niques, broadband techniques, multi-band techniques, array design techniques and recent
developments, as well as their applications and case studies. This book can be used as
a reference book for graduate students, academics, researchers and antenna engineers. It
includes up-to-date developments from industry and academic research experts worldwide,
and numerous CP antenna design examples are illustrated.
The book is organized into six chapters. Chapter 1 introduces the reader to basic concepts
of antenna parameters and the principles of typical CP antennas. This will help readers who
are not familiar with the antenna basics. Many different types of basic CP antennas includ-
ing CP patch antennas, crossed dipoles, helix antennas, quadrifilar helix antennas, printed
quadrifilar helix antennas, spiral antennas, slot antennas, dielectric resonator antennas, patch
arrays and slot arrays are explained.
Chapter 2 discusses various techniques for designing small-size CP antennas. Size reduc-
tion of CP antennas is important for practical applications as mobile devices are getting
smaller and having more functions. Design techniques of different types of small CP anten-
nas are presented, and many design examples are illustrated.
Chapter 3 introduces various types of broadband CP antennas and their design techniques.
Broadband CP antennas are important for applications such as global navigation satellite
system receivers, high-speed satellite data downlink, high-speed wireless communication,
and so on. Design techniques of different types of broadband CP antennas are reviewed,
discussed and compared.
Chapter 4 presents the design techniques of multi-band CP antennas which are important
for many applications such as satellite communications, global navigation satellite systems,
radio frequency identification, wireless power transmission, wireless local area networks,