A high-performance broadband triple-patch microstrip antenna array

The concept of placing a parasitic patch over a driven microstrip antenna forming an electromagnetically coupled patch (EMCP) structure, to enhance gain and impedance bandwidth of the conventional single layer microstrip antenna has been reported by several authors. Using stacked parasitic elements in microstrip arrays could improve the overall array performance offering a higher gain and a broader bandwidth. The same array design goals of a conventional single layer microstrip array can be met with fewer radiating elements. Thus, in microstrip arrays employed for T/R (transmit/receive) module active aperture array applications, the use of stacked microstrip configuration could result in fewer number of T/R modules and simpler beam forming network designs. The authors report on experimental investigations carried out on a novel microstrip array of stacked three-layer, circular microstrip radiating elements. The results of the radiation characteristics, impedance bandwidth and gain evaluated through a fairly wide scan angle are presented