1348 PIERS Proceedings, Marrakesh, MOROCCO, March 2023, 2011

Design of a Multilayer Composite-Antenna-Structure by Spiral Type

D. Kim
1
, J. Kim
1
, J. Kim
3
, W.-S. Park
2
, and W. Hwang
1
1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, POSTECH, Republic of Korea
2
Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, POSTECH, Republic of Korea
3
Antenna R&D Group, Mobile Comm. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Republic of Korea
Abstract We study a composite-antenna-structure (CAS) having high electrical and mechan-
ical performances that we have designed and fabricated. The CAS, consisting of a glass/epoxy
face sheet and a honeycomb core, acts as a basic mechanical structure, in which a spiral antenna
type is embedded. To increase the intensity, a carbon ber plate is used as a bottom sheet. This
structure of the 0.5 2 GHz band has a gain of 5 9 dBi with circular polarization characteristics
and reection loss below 10 dB within the desired frequency band.
1. INTRODUCTION
In the last 15 years there has been much research into the embedding of antennas in load-bearing
structural surfaces of aircraft, so as to improve both structural eciency and antenna perfor-
mance [13]. Structural, material and antenna designers have collaborated to develop a novel
high-payo technology known as a Conformal Load-bearing Antenna Structure (CLAS) [3]. This
technology shows great promise for enhancing the performance and capability of aircraft, by reduc-
ing weight, improving the structural eciency of airframes that contain antennas, and improving
the electromagnetic performance of antennas. To develop the load-bearing antenna structure, we
proposed the use of antenna-integrated composite structures of sandwich construction, specically
the surface-antenna-structure (SAS) [46] and the composite-smart-structure (CSS) [79]. In those
studies, we designed and fabricated a microstrip antenna structure which implemented satellite
communication in the X band (8.2 12.4 GHz) and the Ku band (12.4 18 GHz). At such high
frequencies the microstrip antenna has only a small bandwidth. In the present paper we report a
new CAS based on a spiral antenna type giving good performance in a low frequency band with
higher bandwidth [10, 11]. A sandwich composite consisting of a glass/epoxy face sheet and hon-
eycomb core is used as a basic mechanical structure, in which a spiral antenna type is embedded.
To increase the intensity, a carbon ber plate is used as the bottom sheet.
2. STRUCTURE AND MATERIALS
The basic design concept of the CAS panel is an organic composite multi-layer sandwich panel into
which spiral antenna elements are inserted. This concept originates mechanically from a composite
sandwich structure, and electrically from a spiral antenna, as shown in Figure 1. The sandwich
structure consists of two thin load-bearing facesheets, bonded to either side of a moderately thick
and lightweight core that prevents the face sheets from buckling. The sandwich structure gains
its bending rigidity mainly by separating the facesheets, and has very high structural eciency
(ratio of strength or stiness to weight). The SAS panel consists of several basic layers. Each
layer must meet its own combination of structural and electrical design requirements, as well as the
manufacturing and assembly requirements. The basic panel layers are: an outer facesheet, antenna
element, honeycomb core, and supporter elements. These are shown in Figure 2 in an exploded
view, which also species the materials chosen in each layer. The layers are bonded by adhesive
to form the nal assembly. The outer facesheet must carry a signicant portion of the in-plane
loads, since it contributes to the overall panel buckling resistance, and it also provides low velocity
impact and environmental resistance. This outer facesheet must also permit the transmitting and
receiving of RF signals. The facesheet material must be low loss and only weakly dielectric in
order to minimize signal attenuation and reection loss. The honeycomb cores transmit shear
loads between layers induced by bending loads in the panel, and support the facesheet against
compression wrinkling. They also provide impact resistance and increase the overall panel buckling
resistance. The thickness of the honeycomb cores contributes signicantly to the overall rigidity, and
is involved in the balance between panel thinness and structural rigidity. The supporter also carries
a signicant portion of the in-plane loads together with the outer facesheet, as well as supporting the
whole structure. It can be selected without need to consider electrical performances, and therefore
has the best mechanical properties of any layer in the CAS construction. Spiral antennas [10, 11]
Progress In Electromagnetics Research Symposium Proceedings, Marrakesh, Morocco, Mar. 2023, 2011 1349
Figure 1: Design concept of the composite antenna
structure.
Figure 2: Structure and materials of the composite
antenna structure.
can be used in high-performance aircraft, spacecraft, and in satellite and missile applications,
where constraints include size, weight, cost, performance, ease of installation, and aerodynamic
prole. These antennas are low-prole, conformable to planar and nonplanar surfaces, simple and
inexpensive to manufacture using modern printed-circuit technology, and compatible with MMIC
designs. Our CAS design is based on a spiral antenna type with a bottom layer of carbon ber
plate. The antenna does not work well if the the spiral antenna current is interrupted. To overcome
these problems, we used an electromagnetic wave absorber on a hole in honeycomb core. The spiral
antenna is placed on the absorber, which absorbs electromagnetic waves. Unwanted radiation
cannot pass through the absorber, reducing the eect of the reector.
3. DESIGN AND EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
The antenna is to be designed for low frequency and broadband communication. The antenna
requirements are: frequency range 0.5 to 2 GHz (bandwidth 1.5 GHz), and gain at least 10 dBi
with circular polarization. In designing the antenna elements, a computer-aided design tool (CST
Microwave Studio) is used to select a large number of strongly interacting parameters by means of
integrated full-wave electromagnetic simulation. The resulting antenna elements and their dimen-
sions are shown in Figure 3. The facesheet is used to a FR-4 glass/epoxy radiating patch comprising
a spiral antenna, 1 mm thick. This spiral antenna, set in a circle of diameter 30 cm, is 2 mm thick
and has 10.5-turns. FR-4 glass epoxy is a popular and versatile high pressure thermoset plastic
laminate grade with good strength to weight ratio. FR-4 undergoes negligible water absorption
and is commonly used as an electrical insulator possessing considerable mechanical strength. The
main objective is to obtain a good impedance match as seen by the feedline, in the range of fre-
quencies from 0.5 to 2 GHz. The feedline connected to the input port has characteristic impedance
50 , chosen for impedance matching at the port. Coaxial cable is used to feed the antenna in
the center. Manufacture of the CAS is a sequential process. The facesheet, including antenna
elements, are rst prepared by a photolithographic process. The honeycomb cores and each layer
must be aligned prior to permanent bonding, in order to give precise electromagnetic coupling. For
alignment, four guide holes are made near the edge of all layers. These are conrmed to have no
eect on antenna performance. The CAS is assembled by aligning these holes using a plastic nut
and bolt. Each layer is bonded to the top and bottom of its neighbors in the designed sequence,
using epoxy lm adhesive. The assembly, covered by a vacuum bag, is then cured in an autoclave
according to the recommended curing cycle for this adhesive (125

C for 90 minutes at a pressure

of 3 kg/cm
2
). Figure 4 shows the appearance of each layer and the top view of the nal assembly
after fabrication. The size of the CAS is 30030027 mm. Antenna performance of the fabricated
CAS is determined by electrical measurements. The return loss characteristic, which measures the
mismatch or the ratio of the reected power to the incident power at the input port, is measured
using a Network Analyzer 8510 under laboratory conditions. The radiation patterns are measured
in an anechoic chamber at four frequencies, 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 GHz, in order to show the bandwidth
patterns. Gains and axial ratios are calculated by comparing the magnitude of the electric eld
against a standard-gain horn antenna.
4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
We have studied an antenna embedded in a structural surface, which provides good structural
and good electrical eciencies at the same time. The design is a composite sandwich structure
1350 PIERS Proceedings, Marrakesh, MOROCCO, March 2023, 2011
Figure 3: Design of the spiral antenna element.
Figure 4: Structure and fabrication of the composite
antenna structure.
(a) Reflection coefficient (b) Gain (c) Axial ratio
Figure 5: Electrical performance of composite antenna structure.
0
45
90
135
180
225
270
315
0
0
-10
-10
-20
-20
-30
-30 -40
RHCP
LHCP
0.5 GHz 0
45
90
135
180
225
270
315
0
0
-10
-10
-20
-20
-30
-30 -40
RHCP
LHCP
1.0 GHz 0
45
90
135
180
225
270
315
0
0
-10
-10
-20
-20
-30
-30 -40
RHCP
LHCP
1.5 GHz
0
45
90
135
180
225
270
315
0
0
-10
-10
-20
-20
-30
-30 -40
RHCP
LHCP
2.0 GHz
Figure 6: Radiation patterns in bandwidth.
in which a spiral antenna element has been inserted. This design provides antenna performances
that meet our requirements. Figure 5 shows the electrical performance of the composite antenna
structure. Figure 5(a) shows the return loss characteristic; a bandwidth of approximately 1.5 GHz is
seen, corresponding to the frequency range of interest (0.52 GHz). Figure 5(b) shows the antenna
gain and the gain reduction occurs at low frequencies and is caused energy loss due to absorption.
Figure 5(c) shows the axial ratio, and measuring less than 3 dB within the band and get the value of
circular polarization is well formed. Figure 6 shows the radiation patterns at 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 GHz.
The radiation pattern indicates that emissions from the front of the spiral antenna is LHCP (Left
Hand Circularly Polarized), RHCP (Right Hand Circularly Polarized) include coming out the back.
The back radiation is low because of the carbon ber plate, and front radiation is large with a LHCP
characteristic.
5. CONCLUSIONS
In this paper, we have designed and fabricated a spiral antenna of honeycomb sandwich construc-
tion. The nal demonstration article is a 300 300 27 mm at antenna panel with an antenna
Progress In Electromagnetics Research Symposium Proceedings, Marrakesh, Morocco, Mar. 2023, 2011 1351
element. Electrical measurements of the fabricated structure show that is satises the design re-
quirements, with a bandwidth above 1.5 GHz and a high gain with circular polarization. The
design concept can be extended to give a useful guide for manufacturers of structural body panels
as well as antenna designers, and promises to be an innovative future communication technology.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This research was nancially supported by the Ministry of Education, Science Technology (MEST)
and Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology(KIAT) through the Human Resource Training
Project for Regional Innovation.
REFERENCES
1. Lockyer, A. J., K. H. Alt, D. P. Coughlin, M. D. Durham, and J. N. Kudva, Design and
development of a conformal load bearing smart-skin antenna: Overview of the AFRL smart
skin structures technology demonstration (S3TD), Proc. SPIE, Vol. 3674, 410424, 1999.
2. Lockyer, A. J., J. N. Kudva, D. Kane, B. P. Hill, and C. A. Martin, Qualitative assessment
of smart skins and avionics/structures integration, Proc. SPIE, Vol. 2189, 172183, 1994.
3. Lockyer, A. J., K. H. Alt, J. N. Kudva, R. W. Kinslow, and A. C. Goetz, Conformal load-
bearing antenna structures (CLAS): Initiative for multiple military and commercial applica-
tions, Proc. SPIE, Vol. 3046, 182196, 1997.
4. You, C. S., W. Hwang, H. C. Park, R. M. Lee, and W. S. Park, Microstrip antenna for SAR
application with composite sandwich construction: Surface-antenna-structure demonstration,
Journal of Compos. Materials, Vol. 37, No. 4, 351364, 2003.
5. Jeon, J. H., W. Hwang, H. C. Park, and W. S. Park, Buckling characteristics of smart skin
structures, Composite Structures, Vol. 63, No. 34, 427437, 2004.
6. Kim, D. H., W. Hwang, H. C. Park, and W. S. Park, Fatigue characteristics of a surface
antenna structure designed for satellite communication, Journal of Reinforced Plastics and
Composites, Vol. 24, No. 1, 3551, 2005.
7. You, C. S., W. Hwang, and S. Y. Eom, Design and fabrication of composite smart struc-
tures for communication, using structural resonance of radiated eld, Smart Materials and
Structures, Vol. 14, 441448, 2005.
8. You, C. S. and W. Hwang, Design of load-bearing antenna structures by embedding technol-
ogy of microstrip antenna in composite sandwich structure, Composite Structures, Vol. 71,
378382, 2005.
9. You, C. S. and W. Hwang, Design and fabrication of composite smart structures with high
electric and mechanical performances for future mobile communication, Mechanics of Com-
posite Materials, Vol. 40, No. 3, 237246, 2004.
10. Kramer, B. A., S. Koulouridis, C.-C. Chen, and J. L. Volakis, A novel reective surface for an
UHF spiral antenna, IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters, Vol. 5, 3233, 2006.
11. Hertel, T. W. and G. S. Smith Analysis and design of two-arm conical spiral antennas, IEEE
Transactions on Electromagnetic Compatibility, Vol. 44, No. 1, 2537, 2002.