Arbitrary polarization circular and cylindrical antenna arrays

1. An arbitrary polarization circular or cylindrical antenna array, comprising:

a first conductive substrate having a disc-shape;

a second ring-shaped conductive substrate being positioned generally parallel with respect to the first conductive substrate, the second conductive substrate having an outer diameter generally coinciding with an outer diameter of the first conductive substrate; and

a plurality of Balanced Antipodal Vivaldi Antenna (BAVA) elements disposed between the first conductive substrate and the second conductive substrate, the BAVA elements forming a circular antenna array along edges of the first conductive substrate and the second conductive substrate, the first conductive substrate and the second conductive substrate jointly forming a parallel plate waveguide for the circular antenna array, wherein the BAVA elements are disposed at a slant angle with respect to the first conductive substrate, wherein the BAVA elements are disposed perpendicular to the first conductive substrate, or wherein the BAVA elements comprise a first element disposed at a first angle with respect to the first conductive substrate and a second element disposed at a second angle with respect to the first conductive substrate different from the first angle.

2. An arbitrary polarization circular or cylindrical antenna array, comprising:

a first conductive substrate;

a second conductive substrate being positioned generally parallel with respect to the first conductive substrate, the second conductive substrate having an outer diameter generally coinciding with an outer diameter of the first conductive substrate;

a plurality of Balanced Antipodal Vivaldi Antenna (BAVA) elements disposed between the first conductive substrate and the second conductive substrate, the BAVA elements forming a circular antenna array along edges of the first conductive substrate and the second conductive substrate, the first conductive substrate and the second conductive substrate jointly forming a parallel plate waveguide for the circular antenna array, wherein the BAVA elements are disposed at a slant angle with respect to the first conductive substrate, wherein the BAVA elements are disposed perpendicular to the first conductive substrate, or wherein the BAVA elements comprise a first element disposed at a first angle with respect to the first conductive substrate and a second element disposed at a second angle with respect to the first conductive substrate different from the first angle; and

at least one tapered extension extending from at least one of the first conductive substrate and the second conductive substrate.

3. The antenna array of claim 2 , wherein two adjacent BAVA elements of the plurality of the BAVA elements are placed approximately 1.2 inches apart, wherein the outer diameters of the first conductive substrate and the second conductive substrate are between 2 and 4 feet, wherein a distance between the first conductive substrate and the second conductive substrate is approximately 1 inch, and the first conductive substrate has a disc shape and the second conductive substrate has a ring shape.

4. The antenna array of claim 1 , wherein the BAVA elements are disposed perpendicular to the first conductive substrate.

5. The antenna array of claim 1 , wherein each BAVA element is slanted at a 45 degree angle.

6. The antenna array of claim 1 , wherein the BAVA elements each comprise the first and second elements, wherein the first elements are disposed in a first row and second elements are disposed in a second row, the first row being distinct from the second row.

7. An arbitrary polarization circular or cylindrical antenna array, comprising:

a first conductive substrate;

a second conductive substrate being positioned generally parallel with respect to the first conductive substrate, the second conductive substrate having an outer diameter generally coinciding with an outer diameter of the first conductive substrate;

a plurality of Balanced Antipodal Vivaldi Antenna (BAVA) elements disposed between the first conductive substrate and the second conductive substrate, the BAVA elements forming a circular antenna array along edges of the first conductive substrate and the second conductive substrate, the first conductive substrate and the second conductive substrate jointly forming a parallel plate waveguide for the circular antenna array, wherein the BAVA elements are disposed at a slant angle with respect to the first conductive substrate, wherein the BAVA elements are disposed perpendicular to the first conductive substrate, or wherein the BAVA elements comprise a first element disposed at a first angle with respect to the first conductive substrate and a second element disposed at a second angle with respect to the first conductive substrate different from the first angle; and

wherein the BAVA elements each comprise the first and second elements, wherein the first elements are disposed in a first row and second elements are disposed in a second row, the first elements in the first row being in a distinct orientation from the second elements in the second row, wherein the first and second elements intersect.

8. An antenna system, comprising:

a first conductive substrate having a disc-shape;

a second ring-shaped conductive substrate being positioned generally parallel with respect to the first conductive substrate, the second conductive substrate defining an outer perimeter that generally coincides with an outer perimeter of the first conductive substrate;

a third conductive substrate defining an outer perimeter that generally coincides with the outer perimeter of the first conductive substrate;

a first row of Balanced Antipodal Vivaldi Antenna (BAVA) elements disposed between the first conductive substrate and the second conductive substrate; and

a second row of BAVA elements disposed between the third conductive substrate and the second conductive substrate.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first row of BAVA elements forms at least one of: a circular antenna array, an elliptical antenna array or an oval-shaped antenna array and beam forming electronics are disposed between the first conductive substrate and the second conductive substrate within a diameter associated with the first row of BAVA elements.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein a distance between the first conductive substrate and the second conductive substrate is determined based on a lowest operating frequency supported by a radar system using the antenna system.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the distance is approximately 1 inch.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the distance is approximately 1.2 inches.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein each of the first row of BAVA elements is horizontally polarized.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the system is configured to provide more than one polarization.

15. An antenna system, comprising:

a first transmit aperture comprising:

a first conductive substrate having a disc-shape;

a second ring-shaped conductive substrate being positioned generally parallel with respect to the first conductive substrate, the second conductive substrate defining an outer perimeter that generally coincides with an outer perimeter of the first conductive substrate; and

first Balanced Antipodal Vivaldi Antenna (BAVA) elements disposed between the first conductive substrate and the second conductive substrate; and

a second receive aperture stacked with respect to the transmit aperture and comprising:

a third conductive substrate;

a fourth conductive substrate generally parallel to the third conductive substrate; and

second BAVA elements disposed between the third conductive substrate and the fourth conductive substrate.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first BAVA elements form at least one of: a circular antenna array, an elliptical first antenna array or an oval-shaped antenna array.

17. The system of claim 15 , further comprising:

an isolation material between the second conductive substrate and the third conductive substrate.

18. The system of claim 15 , further comprising:

another transmit aperture stacked with respect to the first transmit aperture; and

another receive aperture stacked with respect to the second receive aperture.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein an intervening space between the first transmit aperture and the second receive aperture comprises material treated treatments for improved isolation.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first and second BAVA elements are configured for dual polarization.