Characteristics of TCDA With Polarization Converting Ground Plane

In this study, we propose a tightly coupled dipole array (TCDA) with a polarization convertor (PC) to overcome the bandwidth limitation at h = 0.5 λ and 1 λ of a conventional TCDA. Ultrawideband and low-profile array antennas are gaining considerable attention with widespread of wireless electronic systems. Although TCDA has such characteristics and several advantages compared with others, their bandwidth is still limited by the ground plane (GP) reflection. The use of resistive frequency selective surface (FSS) to overcome this limitation entails ohmic losses which deteriorate the radiation efficiency of the array antenna. In the present study, we propose a 20.9:1 TCDA antenna without resistive FSS. The proposed array antenna employs a PC to overcome the limitation of bandwidth due to GP reflection when the height of the array antenna is 0.5 λ and 1 λ. The concept neither involves any dielectric superstrates nor does it introduce any resistive loss. Thus, beam steering is possible without surface wave generation. As a result, the proposed array antenna is expected to be successfully applied to wideband and beam-scannable array with improved performance of wireless electronic devices.