Plasma Phased Array Radar Antenna Architecture

To reach the objectives of new and innovative technologies and architectures for phased array radar system development, ionized gas plasma antennas (GPA) and waveguides may be effective. GPA approaches such as windowing to reduce back and side lobes,increase radiation efficiency and provide rapid reconfigurability would support new revolutionary radar designs. Plasma waveguides would decrease the size, weight and cost of these systems. A larger electrical aperture for a given volume provided by plasmawould give greater power, flexibility, efficiency and directivity. Replacement of metal elements with plasma in frequency selective surfaces design would allow selective bandwidth and filtering for a given frequency. When the GPA is deionized the antennaelectrically disappears. Plasma barriers could be developed by selecting proper plasma skin depths, ion and electron densities and gas pressure. Any and all of these plasma attributes could be applied to evolutionary as well as revolutionary phased arrayradar architectural designs.ASI Technology is the pioneer in plasma research. Innovations include plasma antennas, plasma waveguides, plasma frequency selective surfaces, plasma shields and reflectors, plasma jet engine noise reduction and plasma decontamination. ASI's staff includesDr. Ted Anderson and Dr. Igor Alexeff, leaders in the field of plasma science. Gas plasma could have applications in many commercial areas. Replacing smart antennas with gas plasma in wireless communication operations would reduce multipath problems. Byincreasing the number of antenna elements, the number of directional lobes can be increased thereby increasing the SNR. ASI Technology is working with Rennsalaer Polytechnic Institute to address this problem. DC discharge plasma could be used to develop avolumetric device capable of destroying bacteria in forward-deployed areas. ASI recently received a STTR award to study this problem in partnership with Eastern Virginia Medical School. Plasma could be created and activated in jet engines to reduce noisepollution. ASI is working with the National Center for Physical Acoustics (NCPA) to determine the feasibility of this technology for commercial application.