Ultra-Wideband Array Antenna Utilizing Novel Scanning System with Tapped Delay Lines for Short Range Radar

Abstract

A UWB impulse array antenna (IAA) utilizing a novel electrical scanning system with tapped delay lines is proposed and its usefulness is experimentally verified. The experimental antenna is composed of impulse generators installed in each antenna element and tapped delay lines used for creating transmitting trigger signals, which is a simple circuit configuration. It is shown that the output phase of the transmitting wave can be controlled by controlling the period of the trigger signal, and beam direction can be controlled from −30 deg to +30 deg by changing the trigger frequency from Fc −2 kHz to Fc+2 kHz. Evaluation of this antenna as a short range radar is carried out and distance resolution of 25 cm and angle resolution below 10 deg are obtained.