CP antenna concept using rotated patch antennas to create a circularly polarized wave
The development of circularly-polarized antennas is an old problem, but the increasing demands of wireless systems has rekindled a considerable interest in circular-polarization (CP). Supporting multiple standards or broad bandwidths is a must, especially for systems streaming multimedia data or those having multiple functions. For many of these upcoming systems, maintaining a low-profile geometry is of paramount importance, but it comes at the cost of lower bandwidths. Patch antennas offer an excellent platform in achieving these characteristics, and they integrate nicely with microstrip circuits. However, achieving CP over a broad bandwidth with patch antennas has been a longstanding problem within antenna engineering. Current techniques either take on geometries that are difficult and costly to fabricate or add further complexity to the system.
I have explored many different techniques to further enhance the bandwidth of CP patch antennas. In one case, I explored a modification to well-known, single-input CP patch designs. I also investigated exotic patch antenna shapes shaped by optimizers to achieve broad bandwidth. In fact, I recently collaborated on an exciting group project that took our design and applied it as an antenna element in future Mars Rover antenna arrays. My most recent work in this area investigated the possibility of using Composite Right/Left-Handed (CRLH) Transmission Lines—a structure falling under the broad class of metamaterials obtaining exotic phase characteristics—to increase bandwidths of CP patch antennas well-beyond conventional techniques.
Related Publications
- Design strategies for metamaterial quadrature power dividers in CP antennas: Are two CRLH-loaded lines necessary?
J. M. Kovitz and Y. Rahmat-Samii, “Design strategies for metamaterial quadrature power dividers in CP antennas: Are two CRLH-loaded lines necessary?,” 32nd URSI General Assembly and Scientific Symposium, Montreal, QC, 2017.
- CRLH Networks for Wideband CP Arrays: Revisit, review, and extensions of current techniques for high-performance antenna systems
J. M. Kovitz, J. Choi, and Y. Rahmat-Samii, “Supporting Wide-Band Circular Polarization: CRLH Networks for High-Performance CP Antenna Arrays,” IEEE Microwave Magazine, vol. 18, no. 5, pp. 91-104, July-Aug. 2017.
- High-Performance Circularly-Polarized Patch Subarrays for Dual-Band Direct-to-Earth Communications in Future Mars Rover Missions
J. M. Kovitz, J. Santos, Y. Rahmat-Samii, N. Chamberlain, and R. Hodges, “Enhancing Communications for Future Mars Rovers: Using high-performance circularly polarized patch subarrays for a dual-band direct-to-Earth link,” IEEE Antennas and Propagation Magazine, vol. 59, no. 4, pp. 50-61, June 2017.
- Circularly-polarised half E-shaped patch antenna: a compact and fabrication-friendly design
J. M. Kovitz, H. Rajagopalan, and Y. Rahmat-Samii, “Circularly-polarised half E-shaped patch antenna: a compact and fabrication-friendly design,” IET Microwaves, Antennas, and Propagation. vol. 10, no. 9, pp. 932-938, June 2016.
- The CP Half E-shaped patch: Evolving from linear polarization to compact single feed circularly polarized antennas
J.M.Kovitz, J.P.Santos and Y.Rahmat-Samii, “The CP Half E-shaped patch: Evolving from linear polarization to compact single feed circularly polarized antennas,” in Proceedings of the IEEE Antenna and Propagation Society International Symposium, pp. 1918 – 1919, July 2015.
- Dispersion engineered right/left-handed transmission lines enabling near-octave bandwidths for wideband CP patch arrays
J.M.Kovitz, Y.Rahmat-Samii and J.Choi, “Dispersion engineered right/left-handed transmission lines enabling near-octave bandwidths for wideband CP patch arrays,” in Proceedings of the IEEE Antenna and Propagation Society International Symposium, pp. 2525 – 2526, July 2015.
- Design and Implementation of Broadband MEMS RHCP/LHCP Reconfigurable Arrays Using Rotated E-Shaped Patch Elements
J.M. Kovitz, H. Rajagopalan and Y. Rahmat-Samii, “Design and Implementation of Broadband MEMS RHCP/LHCP Reconfigurable Arrays Using Rotated E-Shaped Patch Elements,” IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, vol. 63, no. 6, pp. 2497 – 2507, June 2015.
- Using Thick Substrates and Capacitive Probe Compensation to Enhance the Bandwidth of Traditional CP Patch Antennas
J. M. Kovitz and Y. Rahmat-Samii, “Using Thick Substrates and Capacitive Probe Compensation to Enhance the Bandwidth of Traditional CP Patch Antennas,” IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, vol. 62, no. 10, pp. 4970-4979, October 2014.
- Understanding the radiation pattern anomalies in the broadband CP reconfigurable E-shaped patch
J. M. Kovitz and Y. Rahmat-Samii, “Understanding the radiation pattern anomalies in the broadband CP reconfigurable E-shaped patch,” in Proceedings of the IEEE Antenna and Propagation Society International Symposium, pp. 1580-1581, July 2014.
- Enhanced broadband performance of thick CP patch antennas: A novel annular gap capacitor design
J. M. Kovitz and Y. Rahmat-Samii, “Enhanced broadband performance of thick CP patch antennas: A novel annular gap capacitor design,” in Proceedings of the IEEE Antenna and Propagation Society International Symposium, pp. 1881-1882, July 2014.
- A Novel Optimized Broadband Reconfigurable RHCP/LHCP E-shaped Patch Antenna
J. M. Kovitz, H. Rajagopalan, and Y. Rahmat-Samii, “A Novel Optimized Broadband Reconfigurable RHCP/LHCP E-shaped Patch Antenna,” in Proceedings of the IEEE Antenna and Propagation Society International Symposium, Chicago, IL, July 2012.