HIGH TEMPERATURE SUPERCONDUCTING ANTENNA ARRAY

MEASUREMENTS
Livio D. Poles, James P. Kenney, Jeffrey S. Herd,

Rome Laboratory, Electromagnetics and Reliability Directorate

Hanscom, A.F.B. Massachusetts

The development of High Temperature Superconducting films has sparked much interest within
the phased array antenna community. Using superconducting film for the RF power distribution
network of large array antennas can considerably reduce Ohmic losses and hence increase
antenna efficiency. In this paper we will discuss the measured results for a capacitivly coupled
array antenna design adopted to produce a 12 and 20 GHz, sixteen element (4x4), High
Temperature yttrium Barium Copper Oxide (YBCO) superconducting array.

I. INTRODUCTION
Researchers have proposed [1,2,3] using superconducting strip lines for the power
distribution networks of large array antennas in order to considerably enhance the array
efficiency. Lower operating temperatures and lossless transmission lines enhance the array
antenna noise figure. These benefits are very important for space borne antenna systems where RF
power is at a premium.
SIDE VIEW SIDE VIEW
tlzz2222222ii222222zZi222222zli222222iib

L,
TOP VIEW

12 GHz Amy ArtWcaare

Fig. 1 MICROSTRIP ARRAY

2. ARRAY ANTENNA ARCHITECTIJRE

A novel multi-layer 4X4 element microstrip array [4] with the upper patches at room
temperature separated and thermally isolated from the superconducting lower patches is used as
the basic antenna design architecture. Figure 1 shows the architectural design for the antenna
array. The stacked patch array consists of three dielectric layers which are, from top to bottom, a
quartz superstrate, a vacuum gap and a Lanthanum Aluminate substrate. Silver radiating patches
were deposited on the top surface of the quartz window. A lower network of power dividers and
microstrip patches was patterned on the top surface of the LaAI03 substrate from a thin fiJm of

ANIEM'94 593
high Tc superconductor (YBCO), while a silver layer deposited on the bottom provided the
ground plane.

The upper patches are exited by capacitive coupling to the lower patches, and thus broadens
the bandwidth by a factor of five over that of a single patch. A multi-layer spectral domain
Green's function was used with the method of moments to design the microstrip feed network and
antennas [4]. This approach models all mutual coupling effects, including surface wave
resonance's. For simplicity, the analysis assumes that the superconductor has infmite conductivity.
This appears to have been sufficient for the modeling of impedance and radiation properties of the
microstrip antennas and the modal phase velocity and characteristic impedance of the microstrip
lines. Several 4X4 arrays were designed and fabricated, with the lower layer feed networks
fabricated in both YBCO and silver for comparison.

3. CRYO-COOLER
The multi-layer microstrip stacked patch array was mounted inside a Janus continuous
transfer, cold fmger cryostat, shown in figure 2. The cryostat has two contiguous compartments,
one outside the cold fmger and one inside. The inside compartment is used to transfer the cryogen,
which in tum cools the cold fmger.
The outer compartment is evacuated to provide thermal isolation. The LaAI03 substrate with
superconducting power divider network and lower patch array is mounted on a brass ftxture which
is thermally coupled to the cold fmger. Liquid helium is transferred from a storage dewar through
a flexible transfer line into the inner compartment of the cryostat. The cold finger cools the
superconducting array assembly by conduction. The upper patches are virtually at room
temperature and are thermally

1- - - - - -,

, SPRING . '
,ASSEMIILY ,
1______ ,

VACWM
COMPARTMENT

-
Fig. 2 12 GHz ARRAY ANTENNA - CRYOSTAT ASSEMBLY

separated from the lower patches by the vacuum gap. This gap assists in maintaining the required
thermal isolation between ambient temperatures and superconducting temperatures. For the
proximity coupled microstrip antenna architecture it is important to keep the distance between the
upper and lower microstrip patches constant. Precisely cut Teflon spacers are used to separate the
arrays. Since cooling causes the cold finger to shrink in length by 1/32", directly attaching the
lower array to the cold fmger is not feasible. In our design a specially devised spring assembly
provides the compensation for the inherent cold fmger shrinkage. When properly designed and
constructed this spring assembly keeps the lower array in contact with the spacers and upper array.
To attain 8 good thermal transfer across the spring assembly the lower array is thermally
connected to the cold fmger by a flexible copper wire braid. A temperature sensor placed on the

594
lower array mounting fixture monitors the lower array temperature during measurement. The
lower array power divider network is connected to a standard SMA probe. Wire bonding is used
to connect the center pin to the lower patches and power divider network. Cryogenic, stainless
steel jacketed, semi rigid coaxial cable (.085- Dia.) provides the RF path between the power
divider network and the hermetically sealed SMA to SMA feed-through connector.

4. MEASUREMENT
Antenna radiation patterns and gain/bandwidth measurements were performed with the array
at superconducting temperatures. Also, the array "tum-on" and "tum-oft" transition temperatures
were monitored as a function of time. Data acquisition time was minimized by using a fully
automated measurement system.

. -:,,;:: ----~c:x,z--,..:-:., ---

x-rx A ~ ~
----------------~- -~-

----------~-------

,...
---
Fig. 4 ISOTROPIC GAIN vs. FREQUENCY
Fig. 3 MEASUREMENT CONFIGURATION

Figure 3 shows the measurement setup and instrumentation used to perform the data
acquisition. The cryostat, which holds the proximity coupled patch array, is mounted horizontally
on the antenna positioner. The antenna array is accurately placed over the rotational center of the
positioner. The cryogen dewar and cryostat vacuum pump are mounted to the positioner and move
with the antenna during measurement.
An HP computer controls the SA 2Or---------------------------.
microwave receiver, SA
positioner/controller, HP synthesized
source, and reads the array temperature ,
sensor. During the measurement the 10 - ~ - - :- - ~ - - - ... - -

computer automatically stores the

receiver data and the temperarure of the li
antenna. Isotropic gain vs. frequency of ::s
the array is measured relative to a -8 0 I---r-/,--,.....,h--.-,---.--.-=-,....-...,\,I<-i----l
standard gain hom. Figure 4 shows that i
the measured bandwidth for this array ~
geometry is -100.4.
I t L I I

40 ~--~-~--~-~--~-~--~-~--~-~-
I I

A well behaved antenna radiation

pattern, taken at the center frequency of
12.2 GHz was reponed [6,7) and 4O~~~~~~U-~~~~~~~

showed that the isotropic gain and -90 -75 -60 -45 -30 -15 0 15 30 45 60 75 90
side lobe structure for the 12 GHz array Scan Angle (Deg)
design architecture was well with
predicted results. Figure 6 shows the Fig.6 19.4 GHzE&H RADIATION PAlTERNS
595
superimposed E&H radiation
patterns measured at 19.4 GHz •
Isotropic gain at this frequency is

..
-,.

-I
excellent and is well within the
predicted level. However, the
side lobe structure is not as well
behaved as in the 12 -GHz case I• ..
..
reported in [6,7]. The cause for "
the asymmetrical sidelobe

.......
structure is attributed to multiple
reflection that are likely to exist .. +-~~~~~~~~~~~~~.
within the array support structure
and its mechanism is currently
• 10 • 10 • •
--
Fig. 5 TRANSITION TEMPERA lURE
under investigation. The
transition temperature of the array is measured vs. time by monitoring the received power while
recording the array temperature at one minute intervals. Figure 5 shows the array "tum-on" and
"turn-ofr' temperatures as a function of time. The steep transition between the "tum-on" and
"rum-ofr' temperatures indicates, in part, a good quality superconducting film ..

4. CONCLUSION
Experimental measurements of the far field radiation patterns show excellent agreement with
predicted beamwidth, directive gain, resonant frequency and bandwidth for the broadside and
scanned beams arrays. Integrating the proximity coupled array antenna architecture as part of the
cryostat has eliminated the need for using a radome. This antenna-cryostat implementation
technique coupled with superior antenna performance make this emerging antenna technology
very attractive for many space borne antenna applications. Measurement results for both 12 GHz
and at 20 GHz array prototypes are very promising and can only get better.

REFERENCES
[1]. M.A. Richard, K.B. Bhasin, C. Gilbert, S. Metzler, and P.C. Clapsy "Measurement
Techniques for Cryogenic Ka-Band Microslrip Antennas," AMrA Proceedings /99/.

(2). R.C. Hansen, "Superconducting Antennas," IEEE Trans on Aerospace and Electronic
Systems, vol. 26, no.2 pp.345-354, March 1990.

[3]. J.S. Herd, D. Hayes, J.P. Kenney, L. Poles, K.G. Herd, W.G. Lyons, "Experimental Results
on 8 Scanned Beam Microstrip Antenna Array With a Proximity Coupled YBCO Feed Network",
IEEE Trans. on Applied Superconductivity, Vol.3,No I, pp. 2840-2843, March 1993.

[4]. J.S. Herd, "Scanning Impedance of Proximity Coupled Rectangular Microstrip Antenna
Arrays", Ph.D Thesis, University of Massachusetts, 1989.

[5]. J.S. Herd , "Full Wave Analysis of Proximity Coupled Rectangular Microsrrip Antenna
Arrays", Elect romagnetics, Jan 1992.

[6]. J.P. Kenney, L.D. Poles, J.S. Herd, "Measurements With a Superconducting Array Antenna",
AMTA Proceedings 1992.

[7]. L.D. Poles, J.P. Kenney, E.D. Martin, J.S. Herd, "High Temperature Superconducting Array
Development", Allerton Applied Antenna Symposium. University of Illinois 1993.

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