Metamaterial-Based Electrically Small Antenna

Small antennas are required to support surveillance sensors, communication links, navigation systems, command and control systems, and precision strike capabilities on Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV). Research advancements in metamaterials show promise in the design of high efficiency small antennas. Under this project, Applied EM is proposing to develop electrically small antenna designs using degenerate band edge (DBE) and magnetic photonic crystal (MPC) configurations. During Phase I, extensive simulation studies were conducted to design and build DBE antenna prototype achieving Chu-Harrington limit. Loading effects of lumped or distributed capacitive/inductive elements on DBE elements were also considered to overcome the fundamental gain bandwidth product limit. A key aspect of our Phase I work is the emulation of bulk anisotropic material properties using coupled transmission lines inserted into ordinary dielectric materials. Fundamental limits can accommodate size reduction of state of the art UWB arrays. During Phase II, we propose to adapt the metamaterial elements (DBE and MPC) developed under Phase I to realize multiband/wideband apertures incorporating wave slow down for miniaturization. Multi-arm transmission line coupled DBE/MPC antennas exploiting the newly achieved mode diversity will be also investigated to design wide and multiband conformal antennas which can also structurally integrated within the UCAV.