X-band circularly polarized antenna gain enhancement with metamaterials

On board systems are of growing interest for aerospace applications due to the increase of air traffic as well for civil as for military applications. Moreover, the spread out of drones leads to new security issues. On board systems requires not only detection capabilities but also a “sense and avoid” operation mode. This article describes the study of a X-band antenna that could be suitable for this application. First, a 2 × 2 circularly polarized antenna array is designed, fabricated and measured. Then an optimization process using a micro Genetic Algorithm (mGA) coupled to a “home made” 3D-TLM electromagnetic software is applied to improve its performances. A metamaterial type Partially Reflective Surface (PRS) is inserted above the whole structure for this purpose. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.26150