Wideband & wide angle scanning array with parasitic superstrate

We present a wideband Tightly Coupled Dipole Array (TCDA) with integrated balun and novel parasitic superstrate capable of wide angle scanning. Although previous TCDAs have been shown to have good scanning performances, use of dielectric superstrates are required, implying additional costs and weight. In this paper, we replace the solid dielectric with parasitic periodic elements for wide angle and wideband impedance matching. The proposed design achieves unprecedented 6.1:1 bandwidth with VSWR<;3.2 when scanning ±60° in H-plane and ±75° in E-plane. The lossless parasitic elements are printed on the same PCB as the radiating elements and the integrated balun, resulting in a low-cost and light-weight design as compared to conventional TCDAs with dielectric loading.