Abstract: An antenna feed network includes a septum polarizer including a waveguide defining a cavity, wherein a septum is disposed in the cavity to divide the cavity to form a first port and as second port, a diplexer in signal communication with at least one of the first port and the second port of the septum polarizer to route a signal based upon a frequency, and a wave coupler/splitter in signal communication with the diplexer to send and receive signals therebetween, the wave coupler/splitter including a first signal path and a second signal path, wherein the wave coupler/splitter controls a phase shift of a signal transmitted through at least one of the first signal path and the second signal path.

Abstract: An antenna array comprises two or more antenna elements. Each of the two or more antenna elements is configured to scan within a field of view. Each of the two or more antenna elements is further configured to transmit or receive a signal. The antenna array also comprises a metamaterial lens coupled to the two or more antenna elements. The metamaterial lens is configured to distribute the signal according to a sinc-like distribution over an aperture of the antenna array.

Abstract: Various aspects of the disclosure provide low index metamaterials. The low index metamaterials may be used to form soft and/or hard electromagnetic (EM) boundaries to facilitate desired EM performance or propagation in applications including feed horns, spatial feed/combiners, isolation barriers between antennas or RF modules, and reduced radar cross-section applications. In one aspect, a low index metamaterial comprises a dielectric layer and a plurality of conductors on a surface of the dielectric layer, embedded in the dielectric layer or both, wherein the low index metamaterial appears as a medium having a dielectric constant less than one with respect to electromagnetic waves at predetermined frequencies and propagating at grazing angles with respect to a surface of the low index metamaterial.

Abstract: Examples of the present invention include metamaterials, including metamaterial lenses, having material properties that approximate the behavior of a material with low (0<n<1) effective index of refraction. Metamaterials may be designed and tuned using dispersion engineering to create a relatively wide-band low-index region. A low-index metamaterial lens created highly collimated beams in the far-field from a low-directivity antenna feed.

Abstract: A new class of feed horns is provided based on the use of metamaterial printed circuit board (PCB) liners on the walls of the feed horns. These feed horns may be implemented to achieve low cost operation. PCBs making up the metamaterial liner may be assembled together in such a manner as to form a feed horn with a square or rectangular aperture shape, although other suitable shapes are possible. These PCBs may be fabricated from standard low cost, off-the-shelf dielectric material. A conductor artwork pattern on the PCB surface forming the interior surface of the feed horn can be designed such that the PCB feed horn yields radio frequency (RF) properties similar to that of a corrugated feed horn. A simple flat plate ground plane bonded to the back side of the PCB can serve as the feed horn structure.

Abstract: An antenna array comprises two or more antenna elements. Each of the two or more antenna elements is configured to scan within a field of view. Each of the two or more antenna elements is further configured to transmit or receive a signal. The antenna array also comprises a metamaterial lens coupled to the two or more antenna elements. The metamaterial lens is configured to distribute the signal according to a sinc-like distribution over an aperture of the antenna array.

Abstract: An antenna array comprises two or more antenna elements. Each of the two or more antenna elements is configured to scan within a field of view. Each of the two or more antenna elements is further configured to transmit or receive a signal. The antenna array also comprises a metamaterial lens coupled to the two or more antenna elements. The metamaterial lens is configured to distribute the signal according to a sinc-like distribution over an aperture of the antenna array.

Abstract: A horn antenna includes a conducting horn having an inner wall and a first dielectric layer lining the inner wall of the conducting horn. The first dielectric layer includes a metamaterial having a relative dielectric constant of greater than 0 and less than 1. The horn antenna may further include a dielectric core abutting at least a portion of the first dielectric layer. In one aspect, the dielectric core includes a fluid. A waveguide including a metamaterial is also disclosed.

Abstract: A multiple beam reflector antenna includes at least one reflector, a plurality of feed horns for feeding the at least one reflector, and a metamaterial lens interposed between the plurality of feed horns and the at least one reflector. The metamaterial lens may provide an overlapping element distribution from at least two feed horns of the plurality of feed horns. In one embodiment, the metamaterial lens has an index of refraction between about zero and about one.

Abstract: Various aspects of the disclosure provide low index metamaterials. The low index metamaterials may be used to form soft and/or hard electromagnetic (EM) boundaries to facilitate desired EM performance or propagation in applications including feed horns, spatial feed/combiners, isolation barriers between antennas or RF modules, and reduced radar cross-section applications. In one aspect, a low index metamaterial comprises a dielectric layer and a plurality of conductors on a surface of the dielectric layer, embedded in the dielectric layer or both, wherein the low index metamaterial appears as a medium having a dielectric constant less than one with respect to electromagnetic waves at predetermined frequencies and propagating at grazing angles with respect to a surface of the low index metamaterial.

Abstract: A horn antenna includes a conducting horn having an inner wall and a first dielectric layer lining substantially the entire inner wall of the conducting horn. The first dielectric layer includes a metamaterial having a dielectric constant of greater than 0 and less than 1. The horn antenna may further include a dielectric core abutting at least a portion of the first dielectric layer. In one aspect, the dielectric core includes a fluid. A waveguide and a power combiner assembly, each including a metamaterial, are also disclosed.

Abstract: An antenna array comprises two or more antenna elements. Each of the two or more antenna elements is configured to scan within a field of view. Each of the two or more antenna elements is further configured to transmit or receive a signal. The antenna array also comprises a metamaterial lens coupled to the two or more antenna elements. The metamaterial lens is configured to distribute the signal according to a sinc-like distribution over an aperture of the antenna array.

Abstract: An artificial dielectric antenna structure for reducing the mass and insertion loss of an antenna is provided. The artificial dielectric antenna structure includes a plurality of layers of dielectric material. Each layer of dielectric material has a dielectric constant. The artificial dielectric antenna structure further includes a plurality of spacing layers interposed between the plurality of layers of dielectric material. Each of the plurality of spacing layers has a dielectric constant lower than the dielectric constant of any of the plurality of layers of dielectric material. The artificial dielectric antenna structure may be disposed within a horn antenna. The artificial dielectric antenna structure may alternately be disposed upon a transmission medium to form a dielectric resonator antenna.

Abstract: A horn antenna includes a conducting horn having an inner wall and a first dielectric layer lining the inner wall of the conducting horn. The first dielectric layer includes a metamaterial having a relative dielectric constant of greater than 0 and less than 1. The horn antenna may further include a dielectric core abutting at least a portion of the first dielectric layer. In one aspect, the dielectric core includes a fluid. A waveguide including a metamaterial is also disclosed.

Abstract: A horn antenna includes a conducting horn having an inner wall and a first dielectric layer lining substantially the entire inner wall of the conducting horn. The first dielectric layer includes a metamaterial having a dielectric constant of greater than 0 and less than 1. The horn antenna may further include a dielectric core abutting at least a portion of the first dielectric layer. In one aspect, the dielectric core includes a fluid. A waveguide and a power combiner assembly, each including a metamaterial, are also disclosed.

Abstract: An antenna system includes a helical antenna that includes one or more helically shaped conductors. Each conductor is substantially embedded in a dielectric structure.

Abstract: An artificial dielectric antenna structure for reducing the mass and insertion loss of an antenna is provided. The artificial dielectric antenna structure includes a plurality of layers of dielectric material. Each layer of dielectric material has a dielectric constant. The artificial dielectric antenna structure further includes a plurality of spacing layers interposed between the plurality of layers of dielectric material. Each of the plurality of spacing layers has a dielectric constant lower than the dielectric constant of any of the plurality of layers of dielectric material. The artificial dielectric antenna structure may be disposed within a horn antenna. The artificial dielectric antenna structure may alternately be disposed upon a transmission medium to form a dielectric resonator antenna.

Abstract: A directive monopole antenna element with good RF performance (e.g., directivity and cross-polarization) and a low assembly cost is provided. The directive monopole antenna includes a dielectric support structure and one or more conductive directors coupled to the support structure. Each of the conductive directors is disposed parallel to every other conductive director and in a first plane of the support structure. The directive monopole antenna further includes a conductor coupled to an end of the support structure. The conductor has a feed probe section disposed in the first plane perpendicular to the one or more conductive directors and extending beyond the end of the support structure. The conductor further has a bent section disposed in the first plane parallel to the one or more conductive directors. The feed probe section and the bent section are electrically coupled. The directive monopole antenna element may be fed by a waveguide or a coaxial feed line.

Abstract: A helical antenna having a central axis defined between a base end and a distal end comprises a helical conductor wound about the central axis and having a feed line disposed at the base end and along the central axis, and may also include an elongated dielectric core about which the electrical conductor is wound.

Abstract: A concentric arrangement of multiple spacecraft antennas mounted symmetrically about the yaw axis of rotation or center of gravity of the spacecraft that provides the capability for spacecraft with multiple antennas to maneuver without introducing errors into navigation signals and without adding complexity to the spacecraft and/or remote terminals. An arrangement of multiple spacecraft antennas comprising a first antenna array mounted on a spacecraft bus, the first antenna array having a center located on a yaw axis of the spacecraft and a second antenna array mounted on the spacecraft bus, the second antenna array having a coincident or overlapping frequency band as the first antenna array and mounted symmetrically about the yaw axis of the spacecraft in a central portion of the first antenna array so as to be concentric with the first antenna array.