Design and Implementation of Quasi Planar K-Band Array Antenna Based on Travelling Wave Structures

Sammanfattning: Designing antenna arrays based on travelling wave structures has been studied extensively during the past couple of decades and literature on several array topologies is present. It has been an active area of research as constant improvement of antenna arrays is desired for different communication systems developed. Slotted waveguide antennas are one form of travelling wave structures which is adapted in this study due to several advantages offered over other planar array structures. Waveguide slots have been used for a couple of decades as radiating elements. Several design studies have been carried out regarding use of slots with different orientations and geometry and cascading them together to be used as array antennas. Waveguide antennas are preferred as they provide low losses in the feed structure and also offer good radiation characteristics. This study provides a design procedure for implementing a circular polarized planar antenna array based on slotted waveguide structures. The antenna is designed to work in the 19.7 - 20.2 GHz range which is the operating frequency for the downlink of satellites.