Study of a line configuration and coupling method in a partially driven array antenna with transmission line coupling

In the former partial drive technique, which contributes to the cost reduction of array antenna (AA), a part of the whole radiating elements are driven, and the rest are excited by spatial coupling[l][2]. This technique can realize the performance approximately equivalent to that of a fully driven AA(FDAA). But the configuration is limited in design freedom due to spatial coupling. In that case, it is necessary to optimally determine the height and the spacing of elements. Thus we have proposed a method to connect the driven and parasitic elements by using a transmission line in order to get sufficient coupling even in a printed antenna, and named it "a partially driven array antenna (PDAA) with transmission line coupling" [3] [4].