Simultaneously RHCP and LHCP Radiating Polarization Diversity C-Slot Antenna for Mobile Satellite Communications

Abstract

A new antenna for satellite-based mobile radio systems for communication with geostationary satellites is presented. The antenna allows the both right-handed (RH) and left-handed (LH) circular polarized (CP) waves to be transmitted/received independently over an elevation range from −20° to −75° and 20°–75° in the direction of zenith concurrently. The concurrent transmission of dual-sense CP in the non-identical spatial directions allows the antenna to behave as polarization diversity transceiver. Simultaneous dual-sense CP is achieved primarily by exciting the C-shaped slot of approximately one full wavelength symmetrically with a microstrip line. The simulated impedance bandwidth is 12.5% with respect to the center frequency of 4.8 GHz and axial ratio bandwidth of 11.7% is attained. In the aforementioned elevation ranges, the measured gain isolation between the RHCP and the LHCP components is maintained above 10 dB. The back radiation of antenna is shown to be minimized by using a square-shaped mushroom-based artificial magnetic conductor.

KEYWORDS:

• C-slot
• Left-handed CP
• Magentic currents
• Mobile satellite communications
• Polarization diversity
• Right-handed CP
• Simultaneous dual CP

Acknowledgments

The authors also want to thank TTSL Madurai for providing the testing facility for pattern measurements.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MietY) under the Visweswarayya PhD scheme [grant number Phd-MLA- 4(16)/2015-16].

Notes on contributors

G. Bharath Reddy

G Bharath Reddy received BTech in electronics and communications engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Kakinada, India., in 2013 and MTech in PSG College of Technolgy, Coimbatore, India in 2015. He is currently working towards PhD thesis in National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli. His research interests are applied electromagnetics, antenna design, microwave circuit design, electromagnetic metamaterials, and quantum microwave technology. Corresponding author Email: [email protected]

M. Harish Adhithya

M Harish Adhithya received BE in electronics and communications engineering from Madras Institute of Technology, India, in 2013 and MTech in PSG College of Technolgy, Coimbatore, India in 2015. Now, he is currently working towards PhD thesis in National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli. His research interests are antenna design, microwave circuits, and electromagnetic metamaterials. Email: [email protected]

D. Sriram Kumar

D Sriram Kumar is currently a professor in Department of Electronics and Communications Engineering in National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, India. He received BE (1991) in electronics and communication engineering, Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai, India and ME (1993) with distinction in microwave and optical engineering, Alagappa Chettiar College of Engineering and Technology, Karaikudi, India and PhD (2009) in microwave integrated circuits – coplanar waveguide-discontinuities, periodic structures – analysis, antenna applications, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, India. He published numerous research papers in international and national journals in the areas of microwave integrated circuits, optical networks, smart antennas, carbon nanotube antennas, free space optics, optical & reconfigurable antennas, flexible electronics, photonics. He is a Life Member of ISTE, New Delhi, India since 1995. Email: [email protected]