Performance Analysis of Stepped-Slot Antenna for Wireless Aeronautical Communication Services

Abstract

This paper extensively studies the design, construction and operation of a broadband printed slot antenna. In this research work, the coplanar waveguide (CPW)-fed conventional rectangular slot antenna is designed and then the rectangular shape is modified by a stepped configuration to achieve higher bandwidth for both transmission and reception. The paper explains that the signal transmitted or received by the antenna is in the ultra wide radio frequency band. The mathematical analyses of the magnetic vector potential from the short slot were used to evaluate the total current distribution on the entire stepped-slot. The simulated results using Integrated Electronics with three-dimensional graphical output display (IE3D) software are verified by measurement and the results show that the printed stepped-slot antenna can be used for ultra wide band (UWB) communication in the frequency range of 3.1GHz – 5.7GHz. The performance and effectiveness of the printed-slot antenna finds its applications in radar antennas used with modern aircraft.

Keywords: Stepped-slot antenna, broadband, coplanar waveguide, bandwidth, Ultra wide-band communication, aircraft