Ultra-wideband RCS reduction and gain

enhancement of patterned-surface-based
aperture coupling patch antenna with
optimized arrangement method
Cite as: AIP Advances 9, 075103 (2019); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5093216
Submitted: 18 February 2019 . Accepted: 24 June 2019 . Published Online: 02 July 2019

X. Q. Jia, Y. J. Zheng, X. Y. Cao, J. Gao, Q. Chen, and Y. Q. Fu

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AIP Advances 9, 075103 (2019); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5093216 9, 075103

© 2019 Author(s).
 AIP Advances ARTICLE scitation.org/journal/adv

Ultra-wideband RCS reduction and gain

enhancement of patterned-surface-based
aperture coupling patch antenna
with optimized arrangement method
Cite as: AIP Advances 9, 075103 (2019); doi: 10.1063/1.5093216
Submitted: 18 February 2019 • Accepted: 24 June 2019 •
Published Online: 2 July 2019

X. Q. Jia,1 Y. J. Zheng,1,a) X. Y. Cao,2,a) J. Gao,2 Q. Chen,1 and Y. Q. Fu1,a)

AFFILIATIONS
1
College of Electronic Science and Technology, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, China
2
Information and Navigation College, Air Force Engineering University, Xi’an 710077, China

a)
Electronic mail: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

ABSTRACT
A patterned-surface-based aperture coupling patch antenna (ACPA) with ultra-wideband radar cross section reduction (RCSR) and gain
enhancement is presented in this paper. Due to the air-filled gap structure of the ACPA, an air spacer is introduced to design double-layer
patterned surface (PS), which broadens the RCSR bandwidth of ACPA. Moreover, to obtain better gain of antenna, the arrangement of PS
is optimized based on its current distributions. Experimental results show that impedance matching of PS-based ACPA is preserved well
and operation band is broadened slightly from 8.0 to 11.3 GHz. The boresight gain is enhanced from 7.5 to 11.5 GHz, with a peak gain
enhancement of 4.1 dB at 9.7 GHz. Meanwhile, the PS-based ACPA possesses the ability of specular RCSR over the band 3.0-20.0 GHz for
both polarizations. The 10-dB RCS reduction of the antenna is achieved almost from 5.5 to 17.0 GHz for normal incidence.
© 2019 Author(s). All article content, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5093216

I. INTRODUCTION conductor (AMC). Subsequently, many excellent works are reported

to improve operation bandwidth, such as constructing the PSs with
Metamaterial, a new fashioned artificial electro-magnetic (EM) two broadband AMC structures,5,11 broadband and dual band AMC
structure whose properties can be tailored to exhibit unprecedented structures,12,13 and two dual band AMC structures.6,14
functionalities in the control of EM waves, is usually a periodical This kind of PSs has been used to reduce the RCS of patch
layout.1–3 Based on its preternatural features unattainable with con- antennas in Ref. 15 and two different PSs were applied for 2×2 slot
ventional materials, the metamaterial broadens the field to improve array antennas to reduce their RCS in Refs. 16 and 17. The radiation
performance of traditional targets and EM devices.4–9 Radar cross performance of these three antennas are guaranteed. For achieving
section reduction (RCSR) of EM devices is one of the important better radiation performance, a PS consists of polarization depen-
applications of metamaterial. Many manners could be utilized to dent AMC was proposed.18,19 However, there are few publications
achieve RCSR by using the metamaterials.5–9 One of the most rep- about the applications of the PS in design of wideband antenna to
resentative instances is reflective patterned surfaces (PSs), which can improve both the scattering and radiation performance. Further-
be constructed for RCSR based on the destructive phase cancellation more, the PSs are directly applied to antennas and there are few
principle.5,6 reports about the investigations of the loading method of PSs for
A chessboard reflective PS was proposed with RCSR near achieving better radiation performance in above works.
the broadside direction.10 However, the RCSR bandwidth is lim- Here a PS-based aperture coupling patch antenna (ACPA) is
ited by in-phase reflection characteristics of artificial magnetic proposed. A double-layer PS is designed and applied to ACPA to

AIP Advances 9, 075103 (2019); doi: 10.1063/1.5093216 9, 075103-1

© Author(s) 2019
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reduce RCS. The designed patterns are printed on each side of a

thin grounded substrate. In order to obtain better gain, the arrange-
ment of PS is optimized based on its current distributions. Through
careful investigation of the arrangement, radiation and scattering
performance of the PS-based ACPA are greatly improved.

II. DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF

PATTERNED-SURFACE-BASED ACPA
Due to the air-filled gap structure of ACPA, an air spacer is
introduced to design double-layer units. Two AMC units consist of
thin substrate, air spacer and ground plane are presented in Fig. 1.
The multiple-scale patches are printed on the upper surface of the
thin substrate and the square patch is etched on the middle sur-
face. The larger AMC unit is marked as AMC1 and the smaller one FIG. 2. Reflection phases and magnitudes of the two AMC units.
is marked as AMC2. The substrate is Polytef slab (F2B, εr=2.65,
tanδ=0.002).
The reflection performances of this two AMCs are analyzed These results meet the requirement to AMC units based on phase
with full-wave simulation by HFSS software. The reflection mag- cancellation principle. As Fig. 2 presents, the phase difference stays
nitudes and phases are shown in Fig. 2. AMC1 owns two zero- in the range of 180○ ±30○ almost from 4.5 to 17.3 GHz. The 180○
reflection-phase points at 4.11 GHz and 12.63 GHz, and AMC2 has phase difference is observed at 4.8 GHz, 7.1 GHz, 12.0 GHz and 16.4
two zero-reflection-phase points at 7.04 GHz and 18.73 GHz. More- GHz. In addition, although the phase difference beyond 180○ ±30○
over, the reflection phases bounding frequency of AMC1 (AMC2) phase difference region from 8.4 to 10.6 GHz, the exceeding margin
is close to zero-reflection-phase frequency of AMC2 (AMC1). Thus, is small. An ultra-wideband RCSR is expected.15
the 180○ ±30○ phase difference region is broadened. The magnitudes An ACPA is chosen as the candidate for its low profile, ease of
of the two AMC units maintain upon 0.994 from 3.0 to 20.0 GHz. feeding and potential to have a broader bandwidth. The structure
of ACPA is shown in Fig. 3. The ground plane and feeding line are
printed on the Rogers 4350 substrate (εr =3.48, tanδ=0.003). Rect-
angular patches are printed on both sides of F2B. The patches are
coupled through the papilionaceous slot on ground plane, which is
separated from ground plane by an air-gap with the thickness of h2.
A PS-based ACPA is constructed. The PS consists of 2×2 AMC
tiles in a chessboard configuration. Each AMC tile is composed of
5×5 AMC units. As Fig. 4(a) shows, the PS and antenna share the
same substrate and ground plane. The AMC units at the center
(cross-shaped) are removed to place the patches and maintain good
impedance matching. The dot surrounded structure is the feeding
line. The antenna shown in Fig. 4(a) is marked as primary PS loaded
antenna.
The |S11 | of primary and primary PS loaded antennas is pre-
sented in Fig. 5(a). It can be observed that although operation
band of the primary PS loaded antenna shifts upward slightly, the
impedance matching and operation bandwidth are maintained well.

FIG. 1. Schematic geometries of the two AMC units: (a) AMC1; (b) AMC2. Design FIG. 3. Schematic geometry of broadband ACPA. Design parameters of the ACPA
parameters of the units are P=9.0, t1=3.0, t2=3.0, L1=2.8, L2=3.4, L3=8.7, L4=1.2, are Lf1=40.4, Lf2=5.15, Wf=1.2, Lg1=7.2, Wg1=2.6, Wg2=1.0, Lp1=4.0, Wp1=2.5,
L5=1.6, L6=5.5, units: mm. Lp2=8.2, Wp2=7.5, h1=3.0, h2=3.0, h3=0.508, La=90.0, units: mm.

AIP Advances 9, 075103 (2019); doi: 10.1063/1.5093216 9, 075103-2

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FIG. 4. Schematic geometries of (a) the primary PS loaded antenna; (b) the
improved stage#1 antenna; (c) the improved stage#2 antenna.

The boresight gain is shown in Fig. 5(b). Compared with primary

antenna, the gain of primary PS loaded antenna is enhanced in FIG. 6. The radiation patterns at 9.5 GHz: (a) E-plane; (b) H-plane.
lower and upper frequency ranges but decreased in middle fre-
quency bands. To explain the reason, the radiation patterns at 9.5
GHz, which is the mid-frequency of operation band and also one of the gain deterioration frequency, are investigated. As Fig. 6 shows,
Beam width of E-plane is broadened and the main beam of H-plane
is divided into two beams. Therefore, the boresight gain of primary
PS loaded antenna is decreased.
In order to resolve the above issues, the loading method is
investigated detailly when the PS is applied to the ACPA. As Fig. 4(b)
shows, the AMC tiles in Fig. 4(a) are rotated 45○ along clockwise
direction. It is also observed that some minor alterations are car-
ried out. The current distributions of primary PS loaded antenna
and the antenna with AMC tiles rotation (marked as improved
stage#1 antenna) at 9.5 GHz are shown in Fig. 7. Intense current
is mainly induced in the AMC1 units. The intense current in the
AMC1 units located at radiation direction is observed in Fig. 7(a).
However, the intense current is released as the AMC1 tiles rotated
45○ , presented in Fig. 7(b). Thus, it can be concluded that the intense

FIG. 7. Current distributions of (a) primary PS loaded antenna and (b) improved
FIG. 5. The (a) |S11 | and (b) boresight gain of the antennas. stage#1 antenna at 9.5 GHz.

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To obtain gain enhancement in the whole operation band, the

current distributions at 9.1 GHz (lowest gain is emerged) are investi-
gated. As Fig. 8(a) shows, the intense current is induced in the AMC
units located at 135○ diagonal direction. The radiation patterns of
improved stage#1 antenna at 9.1 GHz are shown in Fig. 9. The beam
width of E-plane is broadened and the main beam of H-plane is
divided into two parts. Therefore, the deterioration of radiation per-
formance is caused by the intense current. For weakening the strong
current, a unit transposition method is presented as in Fig. 4(c).
The AMC units located at the dash surrounded area are modified.
FIG. 8. Current distributions of (a) improved stage#1 antenna and (b) improved The novel altered antenna is denoted as improved stage#2 antenna.
stage#2 antenna at 9.1 GHz.
The current distributions of improved stage#2 antenna are presented
in Fig. 8(b). Compared with that of improved stage#1 antenna, the
weak current is observed in the AMC units located at 135○ diagonal
current located at radiation direction may cause the deterioration of direction. Meanwhile, the current is distributed in the entire sur-
radiation performance. face. The radiation patterns of improved stage#2 antenna at 9.1 GHz
The radiation properties of improved stage#1 antenna are are also shown in Fig. 9. The beam width of E-plane becomes nar-
investigated and compared with those of primary and primary PS row slightly and the split main beam of H-plane is eliminated.
loaded antennas. The |S11 | of the three antennas is also plotted in The impedance matching of improved stage#2 antenna is preserved
Fig. 5(a). The impedance matching and operation bandwidth of well and the operation band is slightly broadened, as plotted in
improved stage#1 antenna are maintained well. The boresight gain Fig. 5(a). As Fig. 5(b) shows, obvious gain enhancement of improved
of the antennas is shown in Fig. 5(b). It is remarkably improved in stage#2 antenna is observed also in low and middle frequency
middle frequency bands while the gain of improved stage#1 antenna bands.
is still dropped in some frequency ranges especially at 9.1 GHz. The The scattering characteristics of improved stage#2 antenna are
radiation patterns of the antennas at 9.5 GHz are presented in Fig. 6. investigated. As Fig. 10 shows, remarkable monostatic RCSR is
The main beams of E- and H-plane become narrow. Hence, the observed in the band 3.0-20.0 GHz for both x and y polarizations
boresight gain enhancement is achieved. The radiation deterioration at normal incidence. The peak RCSR is 27.3 dB; the ultra-wideband
can be attributed to the intense current in the AMC1 units. RCSR is kept well for incident angles below 30○ . These results

FIG. 10. Specular RCSR of improved stage#2 antenna for different incident angles
FIG. 9. Radiation patterns of the antennas at 9.1GHz: (a) E-plane; (b) H-plane. under (a) x(TE)- and (b) y(TM)-polarizations.

AIP Advances 9, 075103 (2019); doi: 10.1063/1.5093216 9, 075103-4

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FIG. 11. Fabricated antennas and measurement circum-

stance.

indicate that ultra-wideband RCSR of the PS-based antenna is patterns of the two antennas at 9.5 GHz are presented in Fig. 13.
obtained in wide spatial ranges. The difference exists between the simulated and measured results.
The discrepancy may be caused by fabrication error, assembly error
III. FABRICATION AND MEASUREMENT and measurement environment.
Samples of the primary and improved antennas are manu- To verify the RCSR performance, the two sample antennas
factured using PCB technology, shown in Fig. 11. Four Nylon were match-loaded and vertically placed on the test platform. Two
columns are utilized to support the whole structure. A vector net- 1-18GHz horn antennas were used. Both the two horn antennas
work analyzer (VNA) Agilent N5230C is utilized to measure the were connected to the VNA. Besides, the time-domain gating of the
|S11 |, and the radiation performances are measured in an ane- VNA was used to only filter the desired reflection signals. The sim-
choic chamber. The measurement circumstance is also presented in ulated and measured RCSR for horizontal (y or TM polarization in
Fig. 11. The measured and the simulated |S11 | of the primary and simulation) and vertical (x or TE polarization in simulation) polar-
the improved antennas are plotted in Fig. 12(a). Good impedance izations are shown in Fig. 14. The RCS of the improved antenna in
matching is obtained. The measured operation band with |S11 |<−10 the band 3.0-18.0 GHz is remarkably reduced for both polarizations,
dB is 7.9-11.0 GHz for the primary antenna and 8.0-11.3 GHz for and the peak RCSR is 34.3 dB. The 10-dB RCSR band is 5.5-17.0
the improved one. Fig. 12(b) presents the boresight gain of the two GHz, indicating a 102.2% relative bandwidth.
antennas. The improved antenna possesses gain enhancement in
the band 7.5-11.5 GHz, which includes the whole operation band.
The peak gain enhancement is 4.1 dB at 9.7 GHz. The radiation

FIG. 12. Simulated and measured (a) |S11 | and (b) boresight gain of primary and FIG. 13. Simulated and measured radiation patterns at 9.5 GHz of the primary and
improved antennas. the improved antennas: (a) E-plane; (b) H-plane.

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3
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15
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Y. Liu, Y. W. Hao, K. Li, and S. X. Gong, “Radar cross section reduction
of a microstrip antenna based on polarization conversion metamaterial,” IEEE
Authors thank the supports from the National Natural Science Antennas Wireless Propag. Lett. 15, 80 (2016).
Foundation of China under Grant (61271100, 61471389, 61501494, 16
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17
Y. Liu, K. Li, Y. T. Jia, Y. W. Hao, S. X. Gong, and Y. J. Guo, “Wideband RCS
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