Radome integrated slotted waveguide antennas

The development of slotted waveguide antennas with an integrated radome is discussed. The integrated radome is intended to improve the resistance of slotted-waveguide antennas against complex environmental conditions and to extend application areas of the antennas. Efficient approaches to the design, simulation, and fabrication of such antennas are considered. The development of a single plane monopulse Ku-band circular array is presented as an example of the implementations of such approaches. The antenna test results are presented to verify the design, simulation, and manufacturing solutions proposed

Large-aperture slotted-waveguide antenna arrays: Development and fabrication advances

An efficient approach to the synthesis of large-aperture slotted-waveguide antennas (SWA) is proposed. The approach is based on a combined usage of a full wave simulation and physical properties of SWA. The proposed approach was applied to the development of a large-aperture Ka-band antenna with a 1 meter aperture. The obtained antenna gain is close to the theoretical maximum for such aperture. The antenna is also characterized by a relatively wide frequency operational range that is achieved by application of the subarraying technique. The influence of the systematic and random manufacturing errors on the antenna performance is investigated. A comparison of the simulation results with the antenna measurement results is presented as well

KA-Band, P-I-N switchable antenna array system

An original electrically switchable, Ka-band antenna array system has been recently developed, produced, and tested. The system consists of four identical sections, which are connected to radar transmitter/receiver by means of a high-power, multipole P-i-N switch. The introduced P-i-N switch enables for a fast electrical scanning of the antenna beam what essentially extends possible areas of the antenna system application. The antenna system is used in a helicopter collision avoidance, surveillance, and weather radar. This paper describes design features of the antenna system, its main characteristics, results of its testing, and the antenna integration in the radar

Recent advances in millimeter-wave radars

The usage of millimeter-wave radar systems is widened to a number of civil applications including: airborne radars for obstacle avoidance, altimetry and landing aids, automotive radars for collision avoidance, driving safety support, autonomous vehicle control, meteorological radars, radars for remote sensing applications, and radars for medical imaging and diagnostic. We review some of these developments supported by advances in millimeter-wave components and achievements in signal processing technique. A recently developed at the Institute  of Radio Astronomy ground based millimeter-wave synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is described in more details as an example of the activity in the field. The hardware and software solutions introduced into the radar are described along with the results of the first radar tests