Analysis and Design of a Rapid Cooldown High-Temperature Superconductor Antenna Package

Infrared Components Corporation (ICC) proposes to perform a design study for a rapid cooldown, long life High Temperature Superconductor (HTS) Antenna. This design study will utilize ICC's existing rapid cooldown Infrared Detector Assembly (IDA) packaging technology together with AEL industries' work on HTS spiral antennas to produce a design which meets the requirement of rapid cooldown and antenna performance capability is not degraded as a result of cryocooling or final packaging constraints. A new antenna concept operating in the UHF/VHF/SHP bands for anti-radiation seeker applications, Radar Warning Receiver (RI-M), and Electronic Support Measures (ESM), is conceived. This antenna is based on the optimal application of High Temperature Superconductor (HTS) Technology to two-arm or four-arm spirals coupled with efficient cryogenic packaging making the entire package field usuable. Superconducting spiral antennas offer significant improvements over their non- superconductor or copper based counterparts. These improvements were demonstrated as part of the OAR/U.S. Navy contract N00014-94C-002, ARPA/U.S. Army contract DAAB07-92-C-1617, and AEL patent application P104-132 and internal research and development efforts. This technology coupled with efficient field useable cryogenic packaging will be developed.