IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MICROWAVE THEORY AND TECHNIQUES, VOL. 41, NO.

10, OCTOBER 1993 1715

Tapered Slotline Antennas at 802 GHz

Pranay R. Acharya, Student Member, IEEE, Hans Ekstrom, Steven S. Gearhart, Stellan Jacobsson, Member, IEEE
Joakim F. Johansson, Erik L. Kollberg, Fellow, IEEE, and Gabriel M. Rebeiz, Member, IEEE

Abstract— Tapered endfire slotline antennas, of the BLTSA 0.415

type, have been fabricated on 1.7 pm thin SiOz/ShN4 dielectric
membranes. Antenna patterns of the E-, H-, and D-planes have 0.33
been measured at 802 GHz. The -10 dB beamwidths were found
to be approximately 40° in all planes, with side lobe levels below
-11 dB (-19 dB in the E-plane). The cross-polarized peaks in 0.135
the D-plane are 8 dB below the co-polarized peak. A theoretical R
model for calculating the E- and H- plane patterns of tapered
slotline antenna has been extended to include the co- and cross-
polarized D-planes. Measured and calculated patterns show good
agreement.

I. INTRODUCTION

T HE growing interest in submillimeter wave technology,

e.g. for radio astronomy, has led to the development
of a variety of planar antennas, such as the integrated horn
antenna [1], the corner reflector antenna [2], the log-periodic
antenna [3], the double dipole antenna [4], the double slot
antenna [5], the dielectric waveguide antenna [6], and various
types of Tapered Slotline Antennas (TSA) [7]– [10]. The
TSA family belongs to the group of endfire traveling wave
antennas. The planar geometry of the TSA allows it to be
easily integrated with other planar devices such as filters,
S1S and Schottky-diode mixers, or bolometers. The TSA can
be designed to produce symmetrical radiation patterns, with Fig. 1. Dimensions (in millimeters) of the broken linearly tapered slotline
a half-power beam width between 20° and 40°, despite the antenna (BLTSA) at 802 GHz.

planar structure. The performance of the antenna is determined

both by its geometry and by the thickness and permittivity Slotline Antenna (BLTSA) [10], which is an antenna with a
of the supporting dielectric substrate. There is a trade-off in tapered slot consisting of three linear sections (Fig. 1). The
substrate thickness; a too “thick” substrate launches surface TSAS generally exhibit a high cross-polarization level in the
modes, which degrade the antenna performance, whereas a diagonal plane (D-plane), which is a common disadvantage of
too “thin” substrate gives higher cross-polarization and less this antenna type. In this paper, we report measurements on a
symmetrical beam patterns. The optimum substrate thickness, BLTSA at 802 GHz (the frequency of a convenient laser line).
t,has experimentally been found to be t N ‘y Ao(&– 1)-1 This antenna exhibits a lower (around 2 dB) cross-polarization
[8], wheres. is the permittivity of the supporting substrate and ratio in the diagonal plane than the LTSA and the CWSA,
0.005< ~ <0.03. Hence, in the submillimeter wave region, due to a shorter distance between the phase centers of the E-
the optimum substrate thickness is a few micrometers, which and H-planes. Furthermore, the BLTSA design can provide
makes the antenna fabrication complicated. smaller dimensions than the Vivaldi, and therefore the fragile
There are several different designs of the TSA, the Linearly supporting membrane can be made smaller.
Tapered Slotline Antenna (LTSA) [7,8], the Constant Width
Slotline Antenna (CWSA) [8], the exponentially tapered slot- II. THEORY
Iine antenna (“Vivaldi”) [9], and the Broken Linearly Tapered
Previously, the TSA radiation patterns have been theoreti-
ManuscriptreceivedOctober1, 1992 revised April 6, 1992. cally predicted in the E- and H-planes [11]. However, for a
P.R. Acharya, H. Ekstrom, S. Jacobsson and E. L. Kollberg are with better understanding of the slotline antenna, it is important to
Chalmers University of Technology, Dept. of Radio and Space Science, S-412
96 Goteborg, Sweden. J. F. Johanssorr is with Chalmers University, Dept. of
have knowledge of the D-plane pattern as well. Therefore, in
Radio and Space Science. this paper, the theoretical model has been extended to predict
S. S. Gearhart and G. M. Rebeiz are with NASA/Center for Space Ter- the co- and the cross-polarization patterns in the D-plane.
ahertz Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science,
University of Michigan, Arm Arbor, MI 48109–2122, USA.
In this analysis the TSA is approximated by a number of
IEEE Log Number 9211930. slot sections (usually five sections per free space wavelength)

0018–9480/93$03.00 @ 1993 IEEE

1716 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MICROWAVE THEORY AND TECHNIQUES, VOL. 41, N0. 10, OCTOBER 1993

— F(plkOx~) e~p’koz~
“}

..M’
+ri — ‘W sin ~{F(plkOx~)e-~P’’Ozj
P3 (
— F(plkOz~)e-~p3k0z~
‘}

Fig. 2. Linearly tapered slotline antenna (LTSA)with step approximation. + fi{F(p5k0x;)

-F(p,kOx;) })] (3)

of different widths and lengths, as shown in Fig. 2. The
impedance and the effective wavelength of the slot changes
from section to section, andaredetermined by the slot width
and the properties of the supporting dielectric substrate. It is
assumed that the lateral edges of the antenna (points a and
b in Fig. 2) are at infinity, and that the small discontinuities
between the slot sections do not generate higher order modes.
The fields in the different slot sections are related through
power conservation and the effects of the discontinuities,
due to the step approximation, are taken into account by
adding a reflected wave, calculated by using the theory of
small reflections. The far field electric field (1) is obtained by
integrating the aperture distribution, ,?3Z(z,,z) [11] over each
slot with afar field pattern Green’s function, ~(x,z,~).

E(+) = // f(z, 2,@) E2(z, z) dzczz (1)

s
The far field pattern function is calculated using the Green’s
function of a radiating slot situated near the edge of a semi-
infinite metal sheet [12]. The aperture distribution is deter-
mined by taking the dielectric substrate into account, which is
ignored in the far-field Green’s function. A previously devel-
oped computer program [13] was used to calculate the effective
wavelength and characteristic impedance of the slotline.
However, for permittivities less than 10 and thin
substrates, it is also possible to use approximate expres-
sions for the effective wavelength and impedance of the
slotline [14]. The closed form far-field expressions of
the electric field in the E-, H-, and D-planes for the ith section
of the slot (of length ALi) are given by:
where F(x) is the Fresnel integral of the form

. .-M’{F(P2~04)- ~(m’b%j)}* (5)

[ fi
ACHARYA et al.: TAPERED SLOTLINE ANTENNAS AT 802 GHz. 1717

and the other parameters are given as: . ,},.:;!.’,,,.

.,,
<,,,
,. .’,, ~-
,*,, .,
PI = (sin 19– cos +) ‘,~j.,,:{:

Micro-bolometer
p2 = (Ao/A: – Cos ~)
/@

p3= (Ao/A:+cos@)

P4= (~o/~!–sinO)
p5= (Ao/)t~+sin O)

1 for the H-plane

sint9 =
{J-- 1+COS2 *
—
2
# = k.ALi COS~+ k:(L - (N - i)AL’)
forthe D-plane

i—l

Silicon substrate v Membrane

Fig. 3. Broken linearly tapered slotline antenna (BLTSA) on a Si02/Si3N4
membrane supported on three sides by a silicon substrate.

therefore fragile. The antenna, made of chrome-gold, and

“[ #(2sin(3-cos@+l)
s bismuth micro-bolometer detector are patterned on the etched
membrane by lift-off. Fig. 1 shows the dimensions of the
+cos@–1

sin O+cOs +
1 BLTSA antenna, and Fig. 3 the 5 ~m wide bismuth micro
bolometer in the 10 urn wide antenna slot. The total length of

c~~v.,. =
42D,5sin O
l+COS @ the antenna is 6.75 Ao, the width is 2.83 Ao, and the opening
angle is 9 degrees, Since larger membranes are more fragile,
.-
antenna designs are limited to membrane areas smaller than

“[ *(2sin0-cos~+l)
s
approximately 3 x 7 mmz (>300 GHz for the BLTSA).

k(l
=
+cos’@+l

27r/Ao
1
k: = 27r/A:
IV. MEASUREMENTS
The E-, H-, and D-planes of the 802 GHz antenna have
been measured using a far-infrared laser as signal source. The
Notation: antenna was placed in the far-field of the output Gaussian beam
to ensure a plane wave incidence. The bolometer impedance
a constant
was 150 + 200 with a responsivity of 8 V/W at 100 mV bias,
: the angle from boresight, O S ~ < T(O S ~ < 7r/2
and the S/N ratio was better than 25 dB.
for the E-plane)
* The – 10 dB beamwidths of the measured patterns at
complex conjugate
802 GHz were x 40° for all three planes, and the side lobe
i the slot section index
levels in the E-, H-, and D-plane were –19 dB, –11 dB,
x:, x; the upper and lower z limits of the i’th radiating
and – 10 dB, respectively. The cross-polarized level in the D-
slot, see Fig. 2
plane, which is known to be high for this type of antenna,
Ao, A: the free space wavelength and effective wavelength
was 8 dB below the co-polarized peak (Fig. 4). By taking into
in the i’th slot section
account the measured patterns in the E-, H-, and D-planes,
+/+ the upper and lower signs correspond to the co- and
the directivity and the feed efficiency of the antenna were
cross-polarization, respectively
calculated to be around 13 dB and 50%, respectively.
r~ the total reflection coefficient seen from the sides
The feed efficiency is calculated for a plane wave incident
of the i ‘th narrow slot
on a parabolic reflector and peaks in this case for a subtended
Jo(X) the Bessel function of the first kind of order zero
half-angle of ~ = 20°, which corresponds approximately to
N the total number of slot sections
the – 10 dB level in the far field radiation pattern. Similar
ALi the length of the ith slot section
calculations for a conical horn measured at 40 GHz yielded a
feed efficiency of 66%.
III. FABRICATION The 802 GHz antenna had a narrower and more circular
The membrane is made of a 1.7 ~m thick dielectric layer beam than a scaled antenna measured at 348 GHz [15].
of Si02/Si3N4, which is deposited on a double-side polished Furthermore, the D-plane cross-polarized level was 2 dB lower
silicon substrate [15]. The membrane, with dimensions slightly in the 802 GHz design than for the 348 GHz antenna. The
larger than the antenna, is formed by anisotropic EDP-etching relatively thicker membrane at 802 GHz is the reason for
of the silicon substrate. The membrane is supported by the the improved radiation pattern at this frequency. According
thick silicon along three sides, leaving the endfire direction to numerical simulations [16], a 1.7 pm membrane thickness
of the antenna undisturbed, see Fig. 3. The membrane is should give better antenna patterns around 3 THz, with a
1718 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MICROWAVE THEORY AND TECHNIQUES, VOL. 41, N0. 10, OCTOBER 1993

0 -9
OL, 1 I 1 I

E-plane H-plane 1
g -5

-lo : -10
8
3 ,.. -,f
-15 : -15
:
al ,’
,. -20
.-> -20 :
3
-25
;
Ii
-30 ~..- ,- 1 I 1! ! I 1
-30 -’
-60 -40 -20 0 20 40 60 .60 -40 -20 0 20 40 60

Angle [degrees] Angle [degrees]

o o

-5 -5

-lo -lo

-15 -15
g
.- -20 -20
%
T) -25 -25
K
-30 -30
-60 -40 -20 0 20 40 60 -60 -40 -20 0 20 40 60

Angle [degrees] Angle [degrees]

Fig. 4. Radiation patterns of a BLTSA at 802 GHz. Calculated (solid line) Fig. 5. Radiation patterns at 802 GHz for a BLTSA designed for 348 GHz
and measured (dashed line). (see text). Calculated (solid line) and measured (dashed line).

directivity and D-plane cross-polarization level around 15 dB ACKNOWLEDGMENT

and – 13 dB, respectively. The predicted feed efficiency is then This work has been supported by the Swedish National
60% for a subtended half-angle of 14°. Board of Industrial and Technical Development (NUTEK),
The antenna scaled to 348 GHz and built on a 1.7 ,um thick the NASA Center for Space Terahertz Technology at the
membrane [15] was also measured at 802 GHz. The 348 GHz University of Michigan, and ESA/ESTEC under control
antenna is identical in shape to Fig. 3 but with a scale factor No. 7898/88/NL/PB(SC). The authors thank Dr. Gordon Chin
of 2.305. This antenna is of course very long in terms of the and Hermant Dav6e, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, for
wavelength at 802 GHz, but, as seen in Fig. 5, still provides their help in the far-infrared laser setup.
good patterns at this higher frequency. The 802 GHz antenna
patterns, as well as the patterns of the 348 GHz antenna REFERENCES
measured at 802 GHz, are compared with calculated patterns
[1]W. Y, Mi-Ahmad, G. M. Rebeiz, W. L. Bishop, and T. W. Crowe,
(Figs. 4 and 5), and show good agreement. The beamwidths “AU 86– 106 GHz quasi-integrated low noise Schottky receiver,” to be
and the side lobe levels are predicted to within 4° and 3 dB, published in IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech., vol. MTT-41, no. 3,
respectively. The predicted D-plane cross-polarized level is Mar. 1993.
[2] S. S. Gearhart, C. C. Ling, G. M. Rebeiz, H. Dav4e, and G. Chin,
generally 2 dB higher than the measured value. “Integrated 119 –p m linear corner-cube array,” LEE,? Trans. Microwave
Guided Wave Lett., vol. 1, no. 7, pp. 155–157, July 1991.
[3] H. van de Stadt, Th. de Graauw, and A. Skalare, “MM and subMM
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Int. Astrophysical Colloquium; from Ground-Based to Space-Borne
V. CONCLUSIONS Sub-mm Astronomy, pp. 365–368, July 3–5, 1990, Li5ge, Belgium,
ESA SP-314, ESA Publ. Div., ISBN 92-9092-098-X.
The BLTSA on a thin (1.7 &m) dielectric membrane shows [4] A. Skalare, Th. de Graauw, and H. van de Stadt, “A planar dipole array
antenna with an elliptical lens,” Microwave Opt. Technol. I,ett., vol. 4,
very good performance at 802 GHz, with a symmetric beam no. 1, pp. 9–12, Jan. 5, 1991.
and low sidelobes. Measured E-, H-, D-plane antenna patterns [5] J. Zmuidzinas and H. G. LeDuc, “Quasi-optical slot antenna S1S
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pp. 1797– 1804, Sept. 1992.
fabricated on 0.5– 1.5 pm thick membranes for frequencies [6] D. B. Rutledge, S. E. Schwarz, T.-L. Hwang, D. J. Angelakos, K. K. Mei,
up to 10 THz. and S. Yokota, “Antennas and waveguides for far-infrared integrated
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et al.: TAPERED SLOTLINE ANTENNAS AT 802 GHz, 1719

circuits,” IEEE J. Quantum Electron., vol. QE-16, no. 5, pp. 508–516, Stellan Jacobsson received his M. SC. and Ph.D. degrees from the School
May 1980. of Electrical Engineering at Chalmers University of Technology in 1979 and
[7] S. N. Prasad and S. Mahapatra, “A new MIC slot-line aerial,” IEEE 1988, respectively. His present research activities are in the fields of millimeter
Trans. Arstenrtas Propagat., vol. AP-31, no. 3, pp. 525-527, May 1983. and submillimeter wave technology.
[8] K. S. Yngvesson, D. H. Schaubert, T. L. Korzeniowski, E. L. Kollberg,
T. Thungren, and J. F. Johansson, “Endfire tapered slot antennas on
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[9] P. J. Gibson, “The Vivaldi aerial,” Proc. 9th Eurouean Microwave Conf,
Brighton, UK pp. 101 – 105, Microwave Exbib.’& Publ. Ltd., 1979. -
[10] P.R. Acharya, J. F. Johansson, and E. L. Kollberg, “Slotline antennas for
millimeter and submillimeter waves,” Proc. 20th European Microwave
Conf, Budapest, Hungary, pp. 353-358, Microwave Exhib. & Pub]. Joakim F’.Johansson (S’83–M’88) was born in Tollsjo, Sweden, on Novem-
Ltd., 1990. ber 3, 1959. He received the degrees of Civilingenjor (M. SC,), Tekn. Lie.,
[11] R. Janaswamy and D. H. Schaubert, “Analysis of the tapered and Tekn. Dr. (Ph. D.) in Electrical Engineering from Chalmera University of
slot antenna< IEEE Trans. Arstennas Propagat., vol. AP-35, no. 9, Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden, in 1983, 1986, and 1988, respectively.
pp. 1058– 1065, Sept. 1987. He is currently a Research Fellow at the Department of Radio & Space
[12] C.-T. Tai, Dyadic Green’s Functions in Electromagnetic Theory, ch. 10, Science with Onsala Space Observatory, Chalmers Univ., doing research
p. 148, INTEXT Educational Publ., 1971, ISBN 0-7002-2345-2. on millimeter and sub-millimeter wave radio astronomy instrumentation and
[13] G. Johansson, P. R. Acharya, and J. Johansson “Determination of slotline quasi-optics.
characteristics,” Research Rep. No. 51., Dept. of Applied Electron Dr. Johansson is a member of Eta.
Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, Goteborg, Sweden, Feb.
1991.
[14] R. Janaswamy and D. H. Schaubert, “Characteristic impedance of a wide
slotline on low-Permittivity Substrates,” IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory
Tech., vol. MTT-34, no. 8, pp. 900-902, Aug. 1986.
[15] H. Ekstrom, S. Gearhart, P, R. Acharya, G. M. Rebeiz, E. L. Kollberg,
and S. Jacobsson, “348-GHz endfire slotline antennas on thin dielectric
membranes,” IEEE Trans. Microwave Guided Wave Lett., vol. 2, no. 9,
pp. 357–358, Sept. 1992. Erik L. Kollberg (M’83– SM’83–F’91) receivedhis TeknologieDoktorde-
[16] P.R. Acharya and J. F. Johansson, “Slotline antenna design method,” Int. gree in 1970 from Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden,
.
Rep. No. 63, Dept. of Applied Electron Physics, Chalmers University where he was employed as associate professor 1974. He because professor
of Technology, Goteborg, Sweden, July 1992. at the Electrical Engineering Department of Chalmers 1979, He was on six
months sabbatical l;ave to ~alT~ch, Pasadena, until March 1991.
Most of his work has been focused on low noise receiver technology for
applications in radio astronomy at Onsala Space Observatory, and he has
published more than 150 papers. From 1963 to 1976 he made research on
Pranay Raj Acharya (S’83) was born in Nepal low-noise maser amplifiers. Various types of masers were developed for the
on November 25, 1962. He received his M. Eng. frequency range 1 to 35 GHz. In 1972 research was initiated on low-noise
in Radio Electronics from the Higher Institute of Schottky diode mixers, and in 1981 also on millimeter and submillimeter
Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Varna, Bul- wave superconducting quasiparticle mixers (S1S). Recently he has broadened
garia, in 1987. In 1992 he received the licentiate his interest in high Tc superconducting circuits and semiconductor devices,
of Engineering degree from Chalmers University including various types of diodes and three terminal devices.
of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden. His research Dr. Kollberg waa the winner of the 1982 Microwave Prize given at the 12th
interests include design and manufacture of slot-line European Microwave Conference in Helsinki, Finland, and was awarded the
antennas on thin substrates and in sandwich stric- Gustaf Dak%r gold medal in 1986.
tures at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths.

Gabriel M. Rebeiz (S’86– M’88) was born in December 1964 in Beirut,

Lebanon. He graduated in 1982 from the American University in Beirut
Hans Ekstrom received his M. SC. and Licentiate degrees from Chalmers with a B.E. (Honors) in electrical engineering. In September 1982, he joined
University of Technology, Sweden, in 1987 and 1992, respectively. His the California Institute of Technology, and earned the Ph.D. in electrical
research interests include design and fabrication of integrated superconducting engineering in June 1988.
mixers and planar antennas for microwaves and millimeter waves. He joined the faculty of the University of Michigan in September 1988
where he is now an Assistant Professor in the Electrical Engineering and
Computer Science Department.
Dr. Rebeiz has been awarded a NASA-Certificate of Recognition Award
for his contribution to the millimeter-wave space program (March 1990) and
the Best Paper Award at the 1990 International Conference on Antennas,
Nice, France, He received an NSF Presidential Young Investigator Award in
1991. His research interests lie in planar millimeter-wave antennas, receivers
Steven S. Gearhart, photograph and biography not available at the time of and transmitters, and fabrication and measurements of novel millimeter-wave
publication. transmission-lines and devices.