Electrically Small, Materials-Enhanced VHF/UHF Antenna for High Power Transmit Applications (1000-402)

SI2 Technologies will design an ultra-wideband high efficiency transmit antenna for high power, volume constrained airborne applications. The SI2 design will utilize previous research and state-of-the-art advances in metamaterials, lightweight magnetic materials, and low cost manufacturing techniques resulting in a polarization diverse transmit antenna maximizing radiation efficiency and bandwidth given the electrically small volume.In Phase I, SI2 will perform a detailed trade study evaluating antenna topologies, novel materials advancements and methods to incorporate ferrites, dielectrics, metamaterials, and wideband matching networks to maximize antenna bandwidth and efficiency. Additionally, simulations of potential antenna designs will be performed first in free space, and then in a representative environment consisting of a metallic ground plane in close proximity to the antenna. Finally, SI2 will design and build an antenna demonstrator for VSWR and low-power radiation pattern testing. Initial high power testing will also be performed to determine potential modes of failure at high power.In Phase II, SI2 will improve upon the concept from Phase I depending on the results obtained during the Phase I pattern and power testing. The antenna design will be modified for integration into the desired platform to conclude with on-platform testing, for both low and high power.