In summary, we have demonstrated for the first time a gainclamped RFA using a pair of circulators for loss and dispersion compensation. The amplifier configuration utilizes a counter-propagating pump scheme at 1465 nm. The lasing-wavelength direction is designed to propagate in the opposite direction to that of the signal propagation. The gain-clamping level is controlled by adjusting the VOA attenuation. The proposed gain-clamped discrete-RFA produces good gain-and noise-figure variations of less than 0.4 and 0.5 dB, respectively. The NF penalty occurs in the proposed configuration is caused by the pump-signal RIN transfer. The stronger the gain-clamping effect, the stronger the laser oscillating the cavity. Thus, the interaction between the lasing wavelength and pump lights becomes stronger, thus creating additional noise within the signal band. This impairment must be considered when designing a gain-clamped discrete RFA in a ring cavity.ABSTRACT: A compact half-cylindrical dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) made from a high-permittivity ( r ϭ 69) ceramic material is investigated. A microstrip transmission line excites the DRA. The DRA shows broad and stable radiation characteristics across a matching band of 2.32 to 2.5 GHz with peak gains of 5.5 dBi in the elevation plane and 3.6 dBi in the azimuth plane. The results lead us to propose this DRA for 2.4-GHz WLAN (2.4 to 2.484 GHz) application.