Re: A multilayered array of patch antennas

HAMMAD OSAMA A wrote:
>
> Hello all,
>
> I would appreciate if someone can inform me whether it is possible to
> design millimeter-wave antennas (a multilayered array of patch antennas)
> at frequencies in the range of 27-30 GHz using NEC or any derivative of NEC.
> If not, could you think of a software I can use. Thanks.
>
> Osama,
> Dept. of Electrical Eng.
> U. of Toronto

NEC can be used to model thin-wire structures (using an electric field
integral equation), large structures with smooth surfaces (using a
magnetic field integral equation), or both (using a hybrid approach).
However, it cannot be used to model patch antennas.

I am not aware of any freely available software that can be used to
design multilayered arrays of patch antennas. Perhaps some other
subscriber to NEC-List does.

You might want to check out a commercial package from Boulder
Microwave Technologies called `Ensemble'. Here's an extract from some
of their marketing literature:

    "Ensemble v4.0 provides capabilities for... design and analysis
     of aperture-coupled and multilayer printed antennas and arrays
     with microstrip or stripline feed networks. Capabilities include:

     * analysis of antennas and arrays in a multilayer configuration,

     * analysis of structures with irregular shapes including patches
       with arbitrary slots and subarray feed networks,

     * rapid design features which permit one to obtain fast initial
       designs, including the size and impedance location of
       rectangular antenna elements and the dimensions of matching and
       feed network elements,

     * detailed analysis and fine-tuning of the antenna geometry using
       the full moment method, and,

     * sensitivity analysis."

BMT is also sponsoring a three-day short course on the Design of
Aperture-Coupled and Multilayer Printed Antennas and Arrays with
lecturers D.M. Pozar, J. Huang, and J.R. Mosig in July. It will
coincide with the 1996 IEEE AP-S Int'l. Symp. and URSI Radio Science
Meeting in Baltimore.

For more information, contact:

     Boulder Microwave Technologies, Inc.
     2336 Canyon Blvd
     Boulder, Colorado 80302
     USA

     Tel: 303-541-9525
     Fax: 303-541-9609
     Net: bmtinfo_at_bmt.com

-- 
Dave Michelson                             University of British Columbia 
davem_at_ee.ubc.ca                              Radar Remote Sensing Group