Characteristics of Double Exponentially Tapered Slot Antenna (DETSA) Conformed in the Longitudinal Direction Around a Cylinder

• Published in: IEEE antennas and wireless propagation letters Vol. 6; pp. 60 - 63
• Main Authors: Ponchak, G.E., Jordan, J.L., Chevalier, C.T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 2007; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Antenna measurements; Antenna radiation patterns; Antennas; Conformal antenna; Cylinders; Degradation; Diffraction; Diffraction patterns; Directive antennas; double exponentially tapered slot antenna (DETSA); Frequency measurement; Gain; NASA; Noise levels; Radius of curvature; Rotation measurement; Simulation; Slot antennas; slot-line antenna; Slotline
• ISSN: 1536-1225; 1548-5757
• DOI: 10.1109/LAWP.2007.890764

The characteristics of a double exponentially tapered slot antenna (DETSA) as a function of the radius that the DETSA is conformed to in the longitudinal direction is presented. It is shown through measurements and simulations that the radiation pattern of the conformed antenna rotates in the direction through which the antenna is curved, and that diffraction affects the radiation pattern if the radius of curvature is too small or the frequency too high. The gain of the antenna degrades by only 1 dB if the radius of curvature is large and more than 2 dB for smaller radii. The main effect due to curving the antenna is an increased cross polarization in the E-plane