A Planar Wideband Wide-Scan Phased Array: Connected Array Loaded with Artificial Dielectric Layers

We present a novel concept for wideband, wide-scan phased array applications. The array is composed by connected-slot elements loaded with artificial dielectric superstrates. The proposed solution consists of a single multi-layer planar printed circuit board (PCB) and does not require the typically employed vertical arrangement of multiple PCBs. This offers advantages in terms of complexity of the assembly and cost of the array. We developed an analytical method for the prediction of the array performance, in terms of active input impedance. This method allows to estimate the relevant parameters of the array with a negligible computational cost. A design example with a bandwidth exceeding one octave (VSWR<2 from 6.5 to 14.3 GHz) and scanning up to 50 degrees for all azimuth planes is presented