Low-Profile Phased Array Antenna With Clustered Pillars for Wideband Scanning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wideband phased array antennas are large, costly, and heavy, and struggle to optimize bandwidth, scan volume, and polarization without compromising size, weight, and manufacturability.

Innovation Solution

A phased array antenna design with clustered pillars and radiating elements that enhance coupling between adjacent elements, allowing relaxed lattice spacing, wide bandwidth, and wide scan-volume, while reducing mechanical complexity and requiring overmolding of signal ears for reduced mechanical failure and electrical discontinuities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If traditional wideband phased array antennas are designed to achieve wide bandwidth and wide scan-volume, then the antenna performance is improved, but the size, weight, and cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovebandwidthVSAvoidantenna weight

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The antenna array is divided into multiple modular units, each containing a subset of radiating elements. These modular segments can be independently manufactured and assembled, reducing the weight and complexity of individual components while maintaining the overall wideband performance through coordinated operation of all segments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple radiating elements are nested or closely integrated within a compact array structure. The elements are arranged in a space-efficient configuration that allows wide bandwidth operation without proportionally increasing the overall antenna size and weight

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Adaptability or versatility

If antenna element spacing is reduced to increase scan-volume, then the scan range is improved, but the coupling between elements increases and performance degrades

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvescan-volumeVSAvoidelement coupling performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The spacing between radiating elements is optimized locally rather than uniformly across the entire array. Elements in different regions of the array can have different spacing configurations tailored to minimize coupling in high-density areas while maintaining adequate scan-volume coverage, allowing closer overall spacing without performance degradation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If antenna element length is increased to achieve impedance matching at minimum frequency, then the bandwidth is improved, but the polarization and scan-volume are negatively influenced

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovebandwidthVSAvoidpolarization performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The antenna elements incorporate adjustable or reconfigurable length characteristics, allowing the electrical length to be dynamically optimized for impedance matching across the bandwidth while maintaining consistent physical dimensions that preserve polarization and scan-volume performance. This may include use of adjustable matching networks or reconfigurable element geometries

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Power

If the number of antenna elements is increased to achieve higher gain, then the gain performance is improved, but the size, weight, and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveantenna gainVSAvoidantenna weight

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple radiating elements are merged into a compact array configuration where elements share common support structures, feeding networks, and housing. This consolidation achieves high gain through increased element count while minimizing the proportional increase in weight by sharing structural components and reducing redundant elements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The design achieves a low-profile, lightweight, and cost-effective phased array antenna with improved polarization and scan-volume, enabling flexible scaling for various applications.

Implementation Method 1

A phased array antenna design with clustered pillars and radiating elements that enhance coupling between adjacent elements

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapacitive coupling: Capacitance

Data Source

PatentUS12500352B2Low-profile, wideband electronically scanned array for integrated geo-location, communications, and radar

Publication Date: 2025.12.16 THE MITRE CORPORATION

AI summary

An antenna element including a base plate, a first ground clustered pillar projecting from the base plate, a second ground clustered pillar projecting from the base plate and spaced apart from a first side of the first ground clustered pillar is provided. The ground clustered pillars, the signal ears, and the ground ears can be shapes so that the capacitive coupling between the ears and the pillars is sufficient to allow them to be spaced further apart, thereby reducing the number of elements required in the phased array. In some embodiments, the ground ear can be directly machined with the base plate thereby obviating the need for the ground ear to be overmolded into the base plate with the signal ear. In other embodiments the phased array antenna can utilize elastomeric connectors to further improve the mechanical and electrical reliability of the connections of the phase array antenna.