Microstrip antenna system with multiple frequency elements.

摘要

An antenna system (20) includes an array (22) of micro-strip antenna elements (24) wherein each of the elements (24) includes two or more radiators (50). Electromagnetic signals are coupled from an input terminal (32) of each element (24) via one or more circulators (52) which allow for application of an input signal to a first of the radiators (50) followed by rerouting of respective signals to the next radiator (50). The radiators (50) are tuned to radiate at successively higher portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. By virtue of reflections of higher frequency radiation from a radiator (50) tuned to a lower portion of the signal spectrum, each radiator (50) radiates only said portion of the signal spectrum falling within the bandwidth of the radiator (50). By using three radiators (50), each antenna element (24) is capable of radiating a signal spectrum three times as wide as are the bandwidths of a single radiator (50). Included within the antenna system (20) is one or more power dividers (36) to form one or more beams of radiation. With the use of plural power dividers, switching circuitry may be employed to select sequentially individual ones of the power dividers so as to scan a beam of radiation.