Development of a novel faceted, conformal, slotted-waveguide subarray for sensor applications with full 360° azimuth tracking capabilities

This paper describes the design and implementation of a conformal subarray antenna that was developed as part of a larger circular array which is intended to provide full 360deg azimuth coverage for a sensing system operating from 16 - 16.6 GHz. Despite the fact that several technologies from prior art were incorporated into the design of the presented center-fed, narrow-wall slotted waveguide array, the innovative character of this approach lies in the development of a faceted conformal waveguide subarray and its use with neighboring similar arrays to provide azimuth angular tracking information. The measured reflection coefficient and radiation patterns of two fabricated prototypes demonstrate good agreement with those predicted by FEM simulations.