Antenna developments for EMBRACE, the European demonstrator program for SKA

Within the framework of the Square Kilometer Array, the Thousand Element Array has demonstrated the aperture array concept for radio astronomy. To confirm the feasibility of aperture array antenna technology for radio astronomy an array with an aperture equivalent to a 25 m reflector antenna will be constructed (EMBRACE). The antenna design of this array must be cost-effective and at the same time deliver high performance results. This necessitates the use of mass manufacturing technologies and low-cost RF substrates. The accurate characterization and design of such an antenna will require both commercial and specially developed antenna modeling tools. Alternative element designs should minimize production costs and avoid high loss transmission lines. The design will be performed using a combination of infinite and finite array formulations. Tight integration of the electromagnetic and mechanical design disciplines should lead to a mass producible design, maintaining the high performance required for radio astronomy.