Analysis and measurement of a broadband spiral antenna

Author

Afsar, Mohammed N. ; Wang, Yong ; Cheung, Rudolf

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., Tufts Univ., Medford, MA, USA

Volume

46

Issue

1

fYear

2004

fDate

2/1/2004 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

59

Lastpage

64

Abstract

A broadband spiral antenna (2 to 18 GHz) is modeled using the FDTD method. The inner turn of the antenna is an Archimedean spiral, while the outer turn is an Archimedean spiral with a zigzag shape. The current-density distribution along the spiral arms is first presented in the time domain, interestingly manifesting the impulse current propagation from the feed point to the outer end of the spiral arms. The performance of the broadband spiral antenna is also measured in an anechoic chamber. The simulated and measured results showed the sensitivity of the axial ratio and radiation pattern to the current distribution. The simulated linear gain, radiation patterns, and axial ratios agree well with the measured data over all of the frequency range from 2 to 18 GHz.

Keywords

UHF antennas; antenna radiation patterns; broadband antennas; current distribution; finite difference time-domain analysis; microwave antennas; spiral antennas; 2 to 18 GHz; Archimedean spiral; FDTD method; anechoic chamber; axial ratio; broadband spiral antenna; current-density distribution; feed point; finite-difference time-domain method; impulse current propagation; linear gain; radiation pattern; sensitivity; spiral arms; Anechoic chambers; Antenna measurements; Antenna radiation patterns; Antennas and propagation; Arm; Broadband antennas; Feeds; Finite difference methods; Shape; Spirals;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Antennas and Propagation Magazine, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1045-9243

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/MAP.2004.1296145

Filename

1296145