Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Tech Transfer
Microfabricated G-Band Antenna Arrays, Phase I
Project Introduction
This proposal addresses the need for an antenna technology platform that meets the requirements of high-performance materials, exacting dimensional tolerances, and the geometrical design freedom to enable planar antenna array technologies for frequencies greater than 100GHz. The PolyStrata fabrication technology, being developed at Nuvotronics, LCC, Blacksburg, VA., is capable of meeting or exceeding all of the requirements outlined to be a solution for these frequencies. Air-filled copper rectangular coaxial transmission lines are fabricated using a photolithographically defined layer-by-layer process. The resulting transmission lines are extremely broadband, low-dispersion, high-isolation, and low loss compared to other forms of planar transmission lines. These lines are smaller than rectangular waveguides because the transverse cross-sections of the lines are not resonant. Phase I of this work includes designing a frequency-scanned antenna-array operating from 140-160GHz that would provide ±16o beam steering with a beamwidth of 0.5o and 400MHz per beam bandwidth. An antenna array with this performance would require roughly a 24cm by 24cm aperture to fabricate. This is possible using 4 sub-arrays that each are fabricated on a single wafer and then tied together to achieve the overall system performance. The approach will offer a high-yield, cost effective product that will meet the NASA needs.
More »
Anticipated Benefits
Potential NASA Commercial Applications: Other agencies (Air Force, Navy) could use the GLARA's autonomous landing advantages as well as its small payload in autonomous landing and harbor guidance. The FSA would provide a substantially smaller payload for aircraft and heightened resolution in topography and velocity measurements. The GLARA realized by the batch-level PolyStrata process can reduce costthereby making the autonomous landing radar a viable solution on many aircraft increasing long-term safety of craft and personnel. Harbor guidance for ships deals with the same weather and atmospheric-related issues. Additional applications include weather warnings and atmospheric research, especially where radar is mounted on aircraft or other vehicles to conduct surveys. The cost advantages would aid in the proliferation of radar at these frequencies. Since many of the current generation radars used for weather warning systems and meteorological forecasts are being updated with newer technologies [Heinselman, 2008], the GLARA innovations could offer cost and size advantages.
More »
Primary U.S. Work Locations and Key Partners
| Organizations Performing Work | Role | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
(JPL)
|
Lead Organization | NASA Center | Pasadena, California |
| Nuvotronics, Inc | Supporting Organization | Industry | Radford, Virginia |
Primary U.S. Work Locations
-
California
-
Virginia
Project Library
Share this Project
Organizational Responsibility
Responsible Mission Directorate:
- Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD)
Lead Center / Facility:
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
Responsible Program:
- Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Tech Transfer
Project Management
Program Director:
Program Manager:
Principal Investigator:
Project Duration
Start: Jan 2009
End: Jul 2009
Technology Maturity (TRL)
| Start: | 3 |
| Current: | 3 |
| Estimated End: | 3 |
Applied Research
Development
Demo & Test
Technology Areas
Primary:
- TX08 Sensors and Instruments
- TX08.1 Remote Sensing Instruments/Sensors
- TX08.1.4 Microwave, Millimeter-, and Submillimeter-Waves
Suggest an Edit
Recommend changes and additions to this project record.
This is a historic project that was completed before the creation of TechPort on October 1, 2012. Available data has been included. This record may contain less data than currently active projects.