LOW INTERFERENCE CROSS POLARIZATION PHASED ARRAY RADIATING ELEMENTS

Phased arrays are becoming increasingly desired in communication applications because of their high performance capability and relative ease of installation into mobile platforms. However, present-day phased arrays cannot maintain pure polarization characteristics over a large scan column. This polarization degradation with scan leads to cross-polarization interference in operating in an array environment. Alpha Omega Electromagnetics (AOE) will conduct a systematic and rigorous EM-simulation based investigation of array effects (including the use of WAIMs) on the polarization of radiating elements. This information will then be applied to the design of AOE's proposed dual-polarized high-cross-polarization discrimination (XPD) radiating element candidates. AOE wil employ proprietary finite element and moment method electromagnetic simulation software to accurately predict the element's scanning and polarization performance. This state-of-the-art software has been extensively validated and has led to numerous advanced technology radar aperture designs over the past decade. In Phase I, AOE will evaluate the viability of it's proposed radiating element configurations as solutions to the hgh XPD wide-scanning radiating element problem. From this investigation, AOE will produce a fundamental and credible design which will be demonstrated by hardware in Phase II of the effort.