Wide-band phased arrays of Vivaldi notch antennas

Examples of wide-band Vivaldi notch antenna arrays are presented and several key characteristics are described. Array elements may be fed by stripline or microstripline, and may be coupled electromagnetically, which is most common, or by tapered transitions. Parameter studies of single-polarized arrays reveal trends that can help to develop improved designs, and some of the anomalous resonances have been identified and predicted by simple models. Dual-polarized arrays are required for many demanding applications, but they introduce additional problems, such as “waveguide” resonances and packaging difficulties. Nevertheless, it is likely that advances in technologies such as photonics and continuing interest in high-performance, multifunction antennas will drive further development of Vivaldi notch arrays