A Novel Dual-Polarized Continuous Transverse Stub Antenna Based on Corrugated Waveguides—Part II: Experimental Demonstration
Maciej Śmierzchalski, Francesco Foglia Manzillo, Michele Del Mastro, Nicolas Capet, Baptiste Palacin, Ronan Sauleau, Mauro Ettorre
Abstract
We present the experimental validation of the dual-mode, polarization-agile parallel-fed continuous transverse stub (CTS) antenna architecture introduced in Part I of this two-part paper. The Ka-band dual-mode CTS array described in Part I is characterized when it radiates in horizontal and vertical polarization. To this end, it is combined with two different quasi-optical beamformers operating in a quasi-transverse electromagnetic (quasi-TEM) and in a quasi-transverse electric (quasi-TE1) mode, respectively. The scanning capabilities of both multibeam antenna systems are demonstrated. The CTS array and its feed network comprising corrugated parallel-plate waveguides (CPPWs) are fabricated by additive manufacturing. Measurements show that the dual-polarized CTS antenna works between 29 and 32 GHz in a field of view of about 45°, achieving a peak gain of 31.3 dBi and very low cross polarization. These promising results pave the way for the realization of dual-circularly polarized beam-scanning antennas with application to broadband and compact Ka-band ground terminals.