Publication Date
2009
Document Type
Thesis
Committee Members
Garber Fred (Committee Co-chair), Marian Kazimierczuk (Committee Member), Ronald G. Riechers (Committee Co-chair), Joseph F. Thomas, Jr. (Other), Kefu Xue (Other)
Degree Name
Master of Science in Engineering (MSEgr)
Abstract
Current mode forming systems have high angular resolution and operate over large bandwidths. System size, complexity, and cost restrict the use of these systems to ground-based or large-airframe platforms. A spiral antenna in conjunction with mission- specific modularized planar microstrip mode formers would allow for angle of arrival estimations on smaller platforms such as a medium-sized UAV. This thesis investigates the mode forming characteristics of a planar four arm spiral antenna driven with a planar microstrip mode former designed to operate over a single personal communications band. The theoretical foundation for a closed-form angle of arrival estimation given by Penno and Pasala[3] in "Angle Estimation with a Multi-Arm Spiral Antenna" is analyzed and is compared with models simulated in Numerical Electromagnetics Code. The results of both the theoretical and simulated models are compared to measured data from each realized subsystem and the system as a whole. A determination is made that the simple model presented by Penno and Pasala[3] is not sufficient to determine angle of arrival information, and a more sophisticated model is needed.
Page Count
131
Department or Program
Department of Electrical Engineering
Year Degree Awarded
2009
Copyright
Copyright 2009, all rights reserved. This open access ETD is published by Wright State University and OhioLINK.
