Ultrawideband Hybrid EBG/Ferrite Ground Plane for Low-Profile Array Antennas

The design and analysis of an ultrawideband and low-profile hybrid electromagnetic band-gap (EBG)/ferrite ground plane is presented for implementation with antenna systems in airborne foliage penetrating radar and EW applications. The hybrid EBG/ferrite ground plane consists of an EBG structure with a ferrite slab placed on top of the structure´s perfect electric conductor (PEC) ground plane. Reflectivity and phase analyses show that the hybrid EBG/ferrite ground plane offers ultrawideband operation beginning in the 100s of MHz with one design version offering an operational bandwidth exceeding 22:1 starting at 170 MHz. Additionally, analysis of the hybrid ground plane implemented with dipole antennas verifies that the hybrid ground plane effectively produces uni-directional radiation for bi-directional radiating antennas. The designed hybrid ground plane is also simulated with Raytheon´s long slot array antenna and the obtained results further verify its ultrawideband performance