NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Press Enter or click the Search button to begin your search.

Back to Results
Stripline feed for a microstrip array of patch elements with teardrop shaped probesA circularly polarized microstrip array antenna utilizing a honeycomb substrate made of dielectric material to support on one side the microstrip patch elements in an array, and on the other side a stripline circuit for feeding the patch elements in subarray groups of four with angular orientation and phase for producing circularly polarized radiation, preferably at a 0.degree., 90.degree., 180.degree. and 270.degree. relationship. The probe used for coupling each feed point in the stripline circuit to a microstrip patch element is teardrop shaped in order to introduce capacitance between the coupling probe and the metal sheet of the stripline circuit that serves as an antenna ground plane. The capacitance thus introduced tunes out inductance of the probe. The shape of the teardrop probe is not critical. The probe capacitance required is controlled by the maximum diameter for the teardrop shaped probe, which can be empirically determined for the operating frequency. An aluminum baffle around each subarray blocks out surface waves between subarrays.
Document ID
20080008729
Acquisition Source
Headquarters
Document Type
Other - Patent
Authors
Huang, John
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
November 27, 1990
Subject Category
Communications And Radar
Report/Patent Number
Patent Application Number: US-Patent-Appl-SN-404293
Patent Number: US-Patent-4,973,972
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
Patent
US-Patent-4,973,972
Patent Application
US-Patent-Appl-SN-404293
No Preview Available