A Wideband Planar Array Antenna Using Both-Sided MIC and Leaf-Shaped Bowtie Slot Elements

This paper presents a 2×2 planar array antenna which is designed to operate over frequency band of 7GHz to 10GHz. Leaf-shaped bowtie slot antennas are used as radiating elements of the array structure. Both-sided microwave integrated circuit (MIC), which contributes to suppression of cross-polarization, is used as feeding circuit of the designed planar array antenna. Characteristics of the designed planar array antenna are evaluated by Finite Element Method (FEM) in commercial software (EMPro). From simulated results, −10dB impedance bandwidth is within 7.5GHz to 9.7GHz, which is 26% fractional bandwidth of frequency band 7GHz−10GHz. Cross-polarization level within half-power beamwidth in E-plane and H-plane are less than −34dB and −28dB, respectively. To validate simulated results, measurement of the designed array antenna characteristics is conducted.