APERTURE-COUPLED MICROSTRIP SUBARRAYS

Microstrip antenna subarrays, consisting of a central aperture coupled microstrip antenna element feeding additional elements via coplanar m icrostrip lines, are described along with their relative advantages an d a basic design procedure. A five-element microstrip subarray is used to demonstrate the concept, and measured data are compared with desig n predictions. This type of subarray geometry offers several advantage s over the single aperture coupled patch case, including reduced feed network complexity and reduced backlobe radiation.