Theoretical and Experimental Studies of Properties of L, M-BAND Waveguide Slotted Antenna Arrays

Waveguide slotted antenna arrays (WSAA) are the special class of multibeam microwave antennas, which are widely used both in independent transmitting or receiving devices, and in the elements of complex antenna system. Nowadays WSAA is one of perspective airborne antenna system which has found wide application in radiolocation, radionavigation and radiocommunication devices. Being multiple beam airborne antenna system, WSAA have a number of incontestable advantages: (i) absence of projecting parts; (ii) simple realization of optimum antenna radiation characteristics by means of forming so much of the main lobes and their directivity, width of the main lobes, side radiation level, etc. In Measuring Systems Research Institute (NIIIS) the procedure of scientific research, design and production technology for rectangular multiple beam millimeter WSAA with specified radiation parameters have been introduced. Taking into account specificity of the WSAA as airborne antenna systems, we have studied the case of the round aperture array. Recently the broadband and ultra broadband antenna systems have been designed. The results of bandwidth research are also presented in this paper. Theoretical and experimental studies have demonstrated that: (i) one of the possible ways for WSAA overall dimensions optimization is rounding of its rectangular aperture, that leads to improvement of WSAA radiating properties, namely sidelobe level decreasing; (ii) WSAA can be used for radiation - reception of broadband signals with the bandwidth up to 2 GHz.