Broadband Flexible Microstrip Antenna Array with Conformal Load-Bearing Structure
To enhance the load-bearing mechanical properties and broadband electromagnetic characteristics of the conformal antenna, a broadband microstrip antenna array with a conformal load-bearing structure is proposed in this paper, which consists of three flexible substrate layers and two honeycomb core l...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Micromachines |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/14/2/403 |
| _version_ | 1797619260887924736 |
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| author | Can Tang Hongxing Zheng Ziwei Li Kanglong Zhang Mengjun Wang Chao Fan Erping Li |
| author_facet | Can Tang Hongxing Zheng Ziwei Li Kanglong Zhang Mengjun Wang Chao Fan Erping Li |
| author_sort | Can Tang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | To enhance the load-bearing mechanical properties and broadband electromagnetic characteristics of the conformal antenna, a broadband microstrip antenna array with a conformal load-bearing structure is proposed in this paper, which consists of three flexible substrate layers and two honeycomb core layers stacked on each other. By combining the antenna and honeycomb core layer in a structural perspective, the antenna array is implemented in the composition function of surface conformability and load-bearing. Additionally, the sidelobe level of the antenna is suppressed based on the reflection surface loaded. Meanwhile, an equivalent model of a honeycomb core layer has been established and applied in the design of a conformal antenna with a load-bearing structure. The presented model increases the accuracy of simulated results and reduces the memory consumption and time of the simulation. The overall size of the proposed antenna array is 32.84 × 36.65 × 4.9 mm (1.36 λ<sub>0</sub> × 1.52 λ<sub>0</sub> × 0.2 λ<sub>0</sub>, λ<sub>0</sub> is the wavelength at 12.5 GHz). The proposed antenna element and array have been fabricated and measured in the flat state and under other various bending states. Experiment results show the operating relative bandwidth of the antenna array is 20.68% (11.67–13.76 GHz and 14.33–14,83 GHz) in the flat state. Under different bending conditions, the proposed antenna array covers 24.16% (11.08–14.1 GHz), 23.82% (10.63–13.5 GHz), and 23.12% with 30°, 60°, and 90° in the <i>xoz</i> plane (11.55–14.33 GHz). In terms of mechanical load bearing, the structure has better performance than the traditional single-layer honeycomb core load-bearing structure antenna. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:24:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cb51a6ce7777487695d0fb44a57b94b2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-666X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:24:36Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Micromachines |
| spelling | doaj.art-cb51a6ce7777487695d0fb44a57b94b22023-11-16T22:11:46ZengMDPI AGMicromachines2072-666X2023-02-0114240310.3390/mi14020403Broadband Flexible Microstrip Antenna Array with Conformal Load-Bearing StructureCan Tang0Hongxing Zheng1Ziwei Li2Kanglong Zhang3Mengjun Wang4Chao Fan5Erping Li6State Key Laboratory of Reliability and Intelligence of Electrical Equipment, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300132, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Reliability and Intelligence of Electrical Equipment, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300132, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Reliability and Intelligence of Electrical Equipment, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300132, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Reliability and Intelligence of Electrical Equipment, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300132, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Reliability and Intelligence of Electrical Equipment, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300132, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Reliability and Intelligence of Electrical Equipment, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300132, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Reliability and Intelligence of Electrical Equipment, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300132, ChinaTo enhance the load-bearing mechanical properties and broadband electromagnetic characteristics of the conformal antenna, a broadband microstrip antenna array with a conformal load-bearing structure is proposed in this paper, which consists of three flexible substrate layers and two honeycomb core layers stacked on each other. By combining the antenna and honeycomb core layer in a structural perspective, the antenna array is implemented in the composition function of surface conformability and load-bearing. Additionally, the sidelobe level of the antenna is suppressed based on the reflection surface loaded. Meanwhile, an equivalent model of a honeycomb core layer has been established and applied in the design of a conformal antenna with a load-bearing structure. The presented model increases the accuracy of simulated results and reduces the memory consumption and time of the simulation. The overall size of the proposed antenna array is 32.84 × 36.65 × 4.9 mm (1.36 λ<sub>0</sub> × 1.52 λ<sub>0</sub> × 0.2 λ<sub>0</sub>, λ<sub>0</sub> is the wavelength at 12.5 GHz). The proposed antenna element and array have been fabricated and measured in the flat state and under other various bending states. Experiment results show the operating relative bandwidth of the antenna array is 20.68% (11.67–13.76 GHz and 14.33–14,83 GHz) in the flat state. Under different bending conditions, the proposed antenna array covers 24.16% (11.08–14.1 GHz), 23.82% (10.63–13.5 GHz), and 23.12% with 30°, 60°, and 90° in the <i>xoz</i> plane (11.55–14.33 GHz). In terms of mechanical load bearing, the structure has better performance than the traditional single-layer honeycomb core load-bearing structure antenna.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/14/2/403conformal load-bearing structuremicrostrip antenna arraybroadbandmechanical test |
| spellingShingle | Can Tang Hongxing Zheng Ziwei Li Kanglong Zhang Mengjun Wang Chao Fan Erping Li Broadband Flexible Microstrip Antenna Array with Conformal Load-Bearing Structure Micromachines conformal load-bearing structure microstrip antenna array broadband mechanical test |
| title | Broadband Flexible Microstrip Antenna Array with Conformal Load-Bearing Structure |
| title_full | Broadband Flexible Microstrip Antenna Array with Conformal Load-Bearing Structure |
| title_fullStr | Broadband Flexible Microstrip Antenna Array with Conformal Load-Bearing Structure |
| title_full_unstemmed | Broadband Flexible Microstrip Antenna Array with Conformal Load-Bearing Structure |
| title_short | Broadband Flexible Microstrip Antenna Array with Conformal Load-Bearing Structure |
| title_sort | broadband flexible microstrip antenna array with conformal load bearing structure |
| topic | conformal load-bearing structure microstrip antenna array broadband mechanical test |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/14/2/403 |
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