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EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF SLOT TYPE DUAL SPIRAL ANTENNA

FED BY A MICROSTRIP LINE
H. Nakano and K. Hirose*
College of Engineering, Hose1 University, Koganei. Tokyo. Japan 184

INTRODUCTION
A dual spiral antenna is regarded a s an array antenna of two spiral elements,
each having a single arm and being connected to the other element at the outer
arm end. So far. wire 111, slot [2], and microstrip types 131 of this antenna have
been investigated. These dual spiral antennas, except for the slot type, are
backed by a plane conducting reflector, which makes a bidirectional beam
unidirectional.

The slot type dual spiral antenna backed by a plane reflector seems to have a
more attractive advantage than the other two types in that the slot can be fed by
a microstrip line. This is very useful particularly when the slot type dual spirals
are arrayed, because the array can be fed by a single source. Therefore, this paper
describes the fundamental radiation characteristics of the slot type dual spiral,
in the presence of a plane reflector. The testing frequencies used in this paper are
in the 12 GHz range.
SINGLE SLOT TYPE DUAL SPIRAL ANTENNA
Fig. 1 shows the configuration of a slot type dual spiral antenna backed by a
plane, conducting reflector. The spiral arm ends A and B are combined by a
straight segment of the slot, which is excited by a microstrip line. The radial
distance r of a m 1 from the origin of the coordinate to the center line of the slot
width w is given a s r=a$'s - A , where a is the spiral constant and $'s is the
winding angle, and A is the so-called winding constant. It is noted that the
antenna configuration parameters for a 12 GHz band, which are shown in Fig. 1,
are obtained from those of a wire type dual spiral antenna designed at 3 GHz I l l ,
u s k g a scaling factor of0.25.

The first investigation is made into determining the proper arm length which
leads to the generation of a circularly polarized wave (CPW). The antenna arms
are successively truncated from the origins 0 1 and 0 2 . Experimental work
shows that the slot type dual spiral can radiate a CPW in the range of the starting
angle $st between 4 . 7 5 ~
rad and 5.oOrr rad, with a constant ending angle of 8.0011
rad.
Fig. 2 shows the typical radiation patterns when the spiral radiates a CFW
around the 2 axis. The field intensity is measured by a rotating antenna of
linear polarization. It should be noted that the radiation pattern in the $= 0"
plane is narrower than that in the $= 90" plane, due to the array effect (spiral
elements are arrayed in the X axis).
Impedance matching of this antenna is another important point of interest. The
power flowing on the microstrip line towards the antenna is transferred
effectively by selecting the appropriate tail length 1 of the microstrip line. Fig. 3
shows this fact in terms of the return loss at the input terminal of a 50-ohm
microstrip line. It is found that impedance matching can be obtained with the
tall length between 0.21 hi2 and 0.25 112 ( hi2 = 25 mm), over a frequency range
of 11.7GH7, to 12.1 GHz.

CH2664-2/88/W0&1486$1.0001989 IEEE

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ARRAY OF SLOT TYPE DUAL SPIRAL ANTENNAS

Based on the previous results, an array consisting of eight slot type dual spirals
is designed with the objective of forming a narrow beam. Fig. 4 shows the
configuration and co-ordinate system of the array antenna. In this model, the
slot type dual spirals are separated with a spacing of 1.1 112 in the X direction
and 0.7 112 in the Y direction. The maximum sidelobe level of this array,
therefore, is estimated to be -13 dE3 in both the $= 0" plane and the $= 90" plane,
when the mutual coupling effect is neglected. In fact, the measured radiation
pattern gives maximum sidelobe levels which are very close to the calculated
values, a s shown in Fig. 5.

When the radiation pattems in Fig. 5 are compared, it is found that the pattem
in the $= 90" plane resembles that of the $= 0" plane (this is not the case for the
single slot type dual spiral, a s seen in Fig. 2). Needless to say, the pattern
similarity in Fig. 5 can be attributed to the array effect: the excitation
intensities of the spiral elements are the same (4:4:4:4).when they are projected
on the X and Y axes, and the centers of the spiral elements are separated from
each other at approximately equal spacings.
The fact that the mutual coupling effects between the antennas are not
significant is confirmed by comparing the return loss of this array with that of
the single slot type dual spiral shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 shows the retum loss a s a
function of frequency for the slot type dual spiral array. Values of less than -14
dB WSWR = 1.5) are obtalned in the frequency range from 11.6 GHz to 12.1 GHz.
In addition to the return loss, Fig. 6 illustrates the axial ratio
characteristic. Since the radiation from the microstrip transmission line is
blocked by the slot-perforated conducting plane, the axial ratio is not
deteriorated by the presence of the transmission line.' The array can radiate a
CPW with a n axial ratio of less than 3 dB over the above-mentioned frequency
range.
CONCLUSIONS
A single slot type dual spiral antenna can be fed by a microstrip transmission
line, whose tail section is used for impedance matching of the antenna and the
transmission line. An array consisting of eight slot type dual spirals can also be
fed by a microstrip transmission line, in the presence of a plane conducting
reflector. The unidirectional radiation pattern, axial ratio, and return loss are
discussed on the basis of experimental data.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors would like to express their appreciation to Dr. J. Yamauchi and
Mr. Victor Shkawrytko for their discussions and assistance in the preparation
of this paper.
REFERENCES
111 H. Nakano et al.. "Effects of feed wire on radiation characteristics of a dual
spiral antenna," Electronics Letters. Vol. 24 No. 6. pp. 363-364. March 1988.
121 H. Nakano et al.. "Spiral slot antenna." Roc. ICAP87. pp. 86-89. 1987.
I31 K. Hirose and H. Nakano, "A dual spiral antenna printed on a grounded
dielectric substrate," 'IT-.
IEICE. Vol. J71-B. No. 11, pp. 1300-1305. 1988.

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