Phased array antenna and inter-element mutual coupling control method

1. A phased array antenna comprising a first array element and a second array element and a dielectric separator, the dielectric separator taking the form of a wall and being interposed between the first and second array elements within a path of an IMC signal between the first and second array elements, and wherein:

the dielectric separator has a combination of dielectric constant, profile and/or width that is determined in order to reduce the effect of mutual coupling between the first and second array elements;

the dielectric separator is arranged to increase or decrease the electrical path length between the first and second array elements;

the dielectric separator is arranged to control the phase component of the IMC signal so as to influence embedded radiation patterns of the first and second array elements;

wherein the dielectric separator is any one or combination of the following: a plain flat wall, an annular wall, a plurality of conjoined plane flat walls, profiled wall, a plurality of conjoined profiled walls; and

wherein the array comprises at least one of a two-dimensional array, a linear array of array elements and a conformal array of array elements, and wherein:

all of the array elements are substantially in a single plane;

at least one of the first and second array elements is completely surrounded by a dielectric separator; and

differing portions of the dielectric separator have different thicknesses and/or relative permitivitties.

2. A phased array antenna comprising a first array element and a second array element and a dielectric separator, the dielectric separator being interposed between the first and second array elements within a path of an Inter-element Mutual Coupling (IMC) signal between the first and second array elements, wherein the array comprises at least one of a two-dimensional array, a linear array of array elements and a conformal array of array elements, and wherein at least one of the first and second array elements is completely surrounded by a dielectric separator.

3. An antenna according to claim 2 wherein differing portions of the dielectric separator have different thicknesses and/or relative permitivitties.

4. A phased array antenna comprising a first array element and a second array element and a dielectric separator, the dielectric separator being interposed between the first and second array elements within a path of an Inter-element Mutual Coupling (IMC) signal between the first and second array elements, the array comprising at least one of a two-dimensional array, a linear array of array elements and a conformal array of array elements with a grid of dielectric separators interposed between the array elements.

5. A phased array antenna comprising a first array element and a second array element and a dielectric separator, the dielectric separator being interposed between the first and second array elements within a path of an Inter-element Mutual Coupling (IMC) signal between the first and second array elements, wherein the array comprises at least one of a two-dimensional array, a linear array of array elements and a conformal array of array elements, the array elements being arranged in a grid.

6. An antenna according to claim 5 wherein the dielectric separator has a combination of dielectric constant, profile and/or width that is determined in order to reduce the effect of mutual coupling between the first and second array elements.

7. An antenna according to claim 5 wherein the dielectric separator is arranged to increase or decrease the electrical path length between the first and second array elements.

8. An antenna according to claim 5 wherein the dielectric separator is arranged to control the phase component of the IMC signal so as to influence embedded radiation patterns of the first and second array elements.

9. An antenna according to claim 5 wherein the dielectric separator is any one or combination of the following: a plain flat wall, an annular wall, a plurality of conjoined plane flat walls, profiled wall, a plurality of conjoined profiled walls.

10. An antenna according to claim 5 wherein the dielectric separator has a dielectric constant of between 3 and 12.

11. An antenna according to claim 5 wherein the array comprises at least one of a two-dimensional array, a linear array of array elements and a conformal array of array elements.

12. An antenna according to claim 11 wherein all of the array elements are substantially in a single plane.

13. An antenna according to claim 5 wherein each array element is separated from at least one neighbouring array element by a respective dielectric separator.

14. An antenna according to claim 13 wherein the respective dielectric separators are be discrete or are formed as a part of a larger, continuous grid of dielectric with the array elements located in spaces bounded by regions of the grid.