Microstrip array antenna with and without airgap in plasma environment

Abstract

The present paper explores the important characteristics of an array of 4×4-element planar array of circular patch microstrip antenna (CPMA) designed on RT-duroid substrate(ɛ_r= 2.32) at 1.155 GHz (L-band) for on-board applications in mobile communication through satellite. An airgap is introduced in between the dielectric and the ground plane which improves the bandwidth and maintain the gain of the antenna geometry. This antenna geometry is studied in presence of plasma environment and the effect of generation of electroacoustic waves on the radiation characteristics of the given geometry is determined. For this, a well established linearized hydrodynamic theory and vector wave function technique is used to derive the expression for the field pattern and radiated power by the antenna. The important antenna parameters like radiation conductance, efficiency, directive gain and bandwidth along with radiation patterns are computed and plotted for both plasma as well as for the free space.