A Two-Element Biomimetic Antenna Array With Enhanced Angular Resolution and Optimized Power Extraction

A new architecture for a two element biomimetic antenna array (BMAA) is presented. This two-element BMAA is in the form of a coupled antenna array with an external coupling network that is designed to efficiently extract power from both linearly-independent modes of excitation of the array. These include the common mode and the differential modes of excitation. This new array offers an enhanced phase response compared to the regular antenna array that occupies the same aperture. However, unlike previous BMAA designs, the output power of the array does not need to be sacrificed to achieve this phase enhancement factor. Compared to a regular array, this two-element coupled array extracts the same amount of power from an incoming electromagnetic wave but provides a considerably larger phase sensitivity. The paper describes the theory of operation and the design process of this antenna. Using the design procedure presented in this paper, a prototype of such a two-element BMAA is designed and experimentally characterized in the lab. Measurement results confirm the advantages of this new design compared to the previous BMAAs reported in the literature.