AESA compound curred dome phased array antenna
A phased array antenna is provided. The phased array antenna includes a dome shaped substrate. The phased array antenna further includes a plurality of antenna elements disposed on the substrate.
1. A phased array antenna defining a circumferential direction and a radial direction, the phased array antenna comprising:
a dome-shaped substrate having an inner surface and an outer surface; and
a plurality of antenna elements disposed on the inner surface of the dome-shaped substrate such that the plurality of antenna elements are spaced apart from one another along the circumferential direction.
2. The phased array antenna of claim 1 , wherein:
radio frequency (RF) signals emitted via the plurality of antenna elements propagate through the dome-shaped substrate; and
RF signals received via the plurality of antenna elements propagate through the dome-shaped substrate.
3. The phased array antenna of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of antenna elements disposed on the inner surface are positioned within a cavity defined by the dome-shaped substrate.
4. The phased array antenna of claim 1 , wherein each antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements defines one or more slots.
5. The phased array antenna of claim 4 , wherein the one or more slots defined by a first antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements are different than the one or more slots defined by a second antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements.
6. The phased array antenna of claim 5 , wherein a size of the one or more slots defined by the first antenna element is different than a size of the one or more slots defined by the second antenna element.
7. The phased array antenna of claim 5 , wherein a shape of the one or more slots defined by the first antenna element is different than a shape of the one or more slots defined by the second antenna element.
8. The phased array antenna of claim 5 , wherein a radiation pattern associated with the first antenna element is different than a radiation pattern associated with the second antenna element.
9. The phased array antenna of claim 1 , wherein:
a frequency of a radio frequency (RF) signal emitted via the plurality of antenna elements is between 100 megahertz (MHz) and 100 gigahertz (GHz); and
a frequency of a RF signal received via the plurality of antenna elements is between 100 MHz and 100 gigahertz GHz.
10. The phased array antenna of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of antenna elements are equally spaced from one another along the circumferential direction.
11. The phased array antenna of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of antenna elements are the same size as one another.
12. The phased array antenna of claim 1 , wherein the dome-shape substrate comprises a material having a dielectric constant ranging from 2 to 10.
13. The phased array antenna of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of antenna elements comprise:
a first antenna element having a first gain in a first direction; and
a second antenna element having a second gain in the first direction, the second gain being different than the first gain.