volume | PIER Journals

Abstract

Fabrication of a non-planar helical antenna while maintaining mechanical stability and durability is always challenging. Moreover, impedance matching is an issue for helix-type antennas. To ease the fabrication challenge, the advantage of additive manufacturing is utilized. For achieving the self-matching, radiating spiral conductors in the forms of a strip and thick wire are used as two independent techniques. Consequently, a 3-turn hemispherical helical antenna (HHA) is chosen and analyzed by varying the width of the strip and the diameter of the wire. The better-performing HHA is again investigated including the effect of Poly-lactic acid (PLA) material-based supportive structure. The impacts of this extra support on antenna performance parameters are also investigated. At the initial step of fabrication, a 3-D printer is used to have the complete support structure. For ensuring the metallic part, copper strips and conductive paints are used as two different approaches. The measured data validates that both strip and wire-based HHA are self-matched. Circular polarization is obtained over wide frequency bands with axial ratio bandwidth (AR BW) of 35%. The maximum gain and beamwidths under 3-dB AR BW are 9.35 dBi and 118° respectively. The mechanically stable, low profile, and wideband circular polarization favored theuse of HHA in satellite communication.

1. Al-Dulaimi, Z., T. A. Elwi, and D. C. Atilla, "Design of a meander line monopole antenna array based hilbert-shaped reject band structure for MIMO applications," IETE Journal of Research, Vol. 68, No. 1, 1-10, 2020.

2. Haleem, M. and T. A. Elwi, "Circularly polarized metamaterial patch antenna circuitry for modern applications," Far East Journal of Electronics and Communications, Vol. 26, 17-32, 2022.
doi:10.17654/0973700622003

3. Elwi, T. A., H. M. Al-Rizzo, Y. Al-Naiemy, and H. R. Khaleel, "Miniaturized microstrip antenna array with ultra mutual coupling reduction for wearable MIMO systems," IEEE International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation (APSURSI), 2198-2201, Spokane, WA, 2011.

4. Elwi, T. A., "A miniaturized folded antenna array for MIMO applications," Wireless Pers. Commun., Vol. 98, 1871-1883, 2018.
doi:10.1007/s11277-017-4950-4

5. Al-Dulaimi, Z., T. A. Elwi, D. C. Atilla, and C. Aydin, "Design of fractal based monopole antenna array with ultra-mutual coupling reduction for MIMO applications," 18th Mediterranean Microwave Symposium (MMS), 39-42, Istanbul, 2018.

6. Ghadeer, S. H., S. K. Abd.Rahim, M. Alibakhshikenar, B. S. Virdee, T. A. Elwi, A. Iqbal, and M. A. Hasan, "An innovative fractal monopole MIMO antenna for modern 5G applications," AEU --- International Journal of Electronics and Communications, Vol. 159, 154480, 2023.
doi:10.1016/j.aeue.2022.154480

7. Cardoso, J. C. and A. Safaai-Jazi, "Spherical helical antenna with circular polarization over wide beam," Electron Lett., Vol. 29, 325-326, 1993.
doi:10.1049/el:19930220

8. Brister, J. A. and R. M. Edwards, "Design of a balanced ball antenna using a spherical helix wound over a full sphere," Antennas & Propagation Conference, 1-4, Loughborough, 2011.

9. Hui, H. T., K. Y. Chan, and E. K. N. Yung, "The low-profile hemispherical helical antenna with circular polarization radiation over a wide angular range," IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, Vol. 51, No. 6, 1415-1418, 2003.
doi:10.1109/TAP.2003.812187

10. Latef, T. A. and S. K. Khamas, "Measurements and analysis of a helical antenna printed on a layered dielectric hemisphere," IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, Vol. 59, 4831-4835, 2011.
doi:10.1109/TAP.2011.2165491

11. Chen, C. H., B. J. Hu, Z. H. Wu, and E. K. N. Yung, "A self-matching hemispherical helical antenna," IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society International Symposium, 4709-4712, 2006.
doi:10.1109/APS.2006.1711691

12. Yan, Y., Q. Nan, C. Liu, Y. Zhang, and J. Li, "3D-printed hemispherical helix GPS antenna with stable phase center," International Applied Computational Electromagnetics Society Symposium, 1-2, China, 2019.

13. Alsawaha, H. W. and A. Safaai-Jazzi, "Ultrawideband hemispherical helical antennas," IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, Vol. 58, No. 10, 3175-3185, 2010.
doi:10.1109/TAP.2010.2055806

14. Yang, H.-M., Y.-G. Zhou, H.-Z. Wang, H.-Z. Jiang, and Y.-C. Chen, "An ultra-wideband circularly polarized hemispherical helical antenna," IEEE 4th International Conference on Electronic Information and Communication Technology (ICEICT), 222-226, 2021.

15. Zhang, Y. and H. T. Hui, "A printed hemispherical helical antenna for GPS receivers," IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters, Vol. 15, 10-12, 2005.
doi:10.1109/LMWC.2004.840953

16. Kim, O. S., "Rapid prototyping of electrically small spherical wire antennas," IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, Vol. 62, 3839-3842, 2014.
doi:10.1109/TAP.2014.2317489

17. Ghosh, P. and F. Harackiewicz, "3D printed low prole strip-based helical antenna," Progress In Electromagnetics Research C, Vol. 127, 195-205, 2022.
doi:10.2528/PIERC22101506

18. Ghosh, P. and F. J. Harackiewicz, "Three-dimensional-printed strip and paint-based semiellipsoidal helical antenna," Microwave and Optical Technology Letters, Vol. 65, No. 8, 2262-2266, 2023.
doi:10.1002/mop.33672

19. Mei, J. N., D. W. Ding, and G. Wang, "Design of compact wideband circularly polarized conical helix," International Conference on Computer Information Systems and Industrial Applications, 139-141, 2015.

20. Ernest, A. J., Y. Tawk, J. Constantine, and C. G. Christodoulou, "A bottom fed deployable conical log spiral antenna design for CubeSat," IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, Vol. 63, No. 1, 41-47, 2015.
doi:10.1109/TAP.2014.2367539

21. Tang, X., Y. He, and B. Feng, "Design of a wideband circularly polarized strip helical antenna with parasitic patch," IEEE Access, Vol. 4, 7728-7735, 2016.
doi:10.1109/ACCESS.2016.2628044

22. Tang, X., B. Feng, and Y. Long, "The analysis of a wideband strip helical antenna with 1.1 turns," International Journal of Antennas and Propagation, Vol. 2016, No. Article ID 5950472, 2016.

23. Helena, D., A. Ramos, T. Varum, and J. N. Matos, "Antenna design using modern additive manufacturing technology: A review," IEEE Access, Vol. 8, 177064-177083, 2020.
doi:10.1109/ACCESS.2020.3027383

Mr. Purno Ghosh

Dr. Frances Harackiewicz