Cavity induced polarisation switching in a slot-loop active antenna

The new features of a cavity backed active slot-loop antenna are discussed in this paper. By using a high Q cavity, 35 dBc phase noise level reduction at 200 kHz from the carrier has been achieved. Once in resonance, the established TE/sub 110/ cavity fields rotate the principle E-plane of the slot-loop antenna through 90/spl deg/. This results in an exchange of E- and H-plane locations in the radiation pattern together with reduced cross-polarisation levels. Thus the presence of the cavity tuned into and out of resonance allows the antenna to have its polarisation properties orthogonally switched.