Bandwidth enhancement of a transmit array-type spatial power combiner with the use of stacked patches

The use of stacked patch (SP) antennas is proposed for enhancing an operational bandwidth of a spatial power combiner employing a planar amplifying transmit array (TXA). In this array, input and output ports of individual amplifiers are equipped with orthogonally oriented SP antennas, which are located on opposite sides of the ground plane. A 4 /spl times/ 4 SP TXA, along with two hard horns, is designed and constructed to form an X-band spatial power combiner. This device is experimentally tested showing an increased operational bandwidth in comparison with its counterpart that uses edge-feed microstrip patch antennas.