Smart aperture antennas

Abstract

Recent studies have shown that reflector surface adaptation can achieve performance characteristics of the order of phase array antennas without their complexity and cost. 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 metallized Mylar substrate. A voltage drop across the material will cause the material to expand or contract. This movement 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 modelled and a deflection - force relationship is developed. This relationship is then employed in simulations where the far-field radiation patterns of an aperture antenna are manipulated.