SIW-Based Array Antennas With Sequential Feeding for X-Band Satellite Communication

Novel phased array antennas suitable for X-band satellite communication are introduced and investigated for right-handed circular polarization (RHCP) in a multi-layered fabrication. The primary function of the proposed antennas is to transmit high quality data obtained from satellites and the ground station systems with the lowest amount of loss. For accurate data transmission, the important parameters regarding antenna specifications and electrical performance are the antenna gain and the high-purity polarization. Hence, this paper describes novel procedures for gain enhancements of the array antennas working at X-band (from 8.0 to 8.5 GHz) with an RHCP characteristic, including a single element, 2 x 2 array, and 2 x 4 array with four-way and eight-way power dividers, respectively. Taking into consideration the long-distance communication between a satellite and ground station, a substrate-integrated waveguide structure has been proposed, in particular because it is known to have low radiation loss and a low weight comparable to that of a microstrip, as well as low material loss similar to that of a metal-surrounded waveguide.