Active Aperture Antennas

Abstract

Abstract Recent studies have shown that reflector surface adaptation can achieve performance characteristics on the order of phase array antennas without the complexity and cost. The work proposed in this study develops a class of antennas capable of variable directivity (beam steering) and power density (beam shaping). The actuation for these antennas is employed by attaching polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) film to a metalized mylar substrate. A voltage drop across the material will cause the material to expand or contract. This movement causes a moment which causes a moment to be developed in the structure which causes the structure to change shape. Several studies of flexible structures with PVDF films have shown that cylindrical antennas can achieve significant deflections and thereby offer beneficial changes to radiation patterns emanating from aperture antennas. In this study, relatively large curved actuators are modeled and a deflection vs. force relationship is developed. This relationship is then employed in simulations where the far field radiation patterns of an aperture antenna are manipulated.