Antenna Back-lobe and Side-lobe Suppression using Tapered Periodic Surfaces

Mission Research Corporation will design, fabricate, and test microwave antennas with very low side and back lobes using an innovative technology known as Tapered Periodic Surfaces (TPS). A TPS can be used as an edge treatment to drastically reduce EMfield diffraction. A TPS is similar to a tapered R-Card, except that it is reactive rather than resistive. The TPS has many advantages over a tapered R-Card. These include; frequency compensation, ease of fabrication, polarization diversity, and highpower robustness. In Phase I, several basic TPS structures (flat panels) will be designed, fabricated, and tested. These basic TPS designs will then be incorporated into a design of a simple demonstration antenna (TBD, but possibly a pyramidal or conicalhorn). Laboratory tests will be performed on this antenna to demonstrate the low side lobe effectiveness of the TPS treatment. Also in Phase I, a preliminary performance specification, as well as a conceptual design, will be generated for an advancedultra-low side/back lobe antenna. This antenna will be designed, fabricated, and tested in Phase II.The satellite telecommunications industry is currently expanding at an incredible rate. With vast increases in the number of both satellites and groundterminals, interference between adjacent systems in a crowded envrionment is a serious problem. Ultra low side lobe antennas will be desperately needed. In parallel with this SBIR program, MRC will maintain a relationship with major non-militarytelecommunications companies in order to address their need for low side lobe antennas.