SBIR-STTR Award

An accurate and versatile computer-based testbed for designing printed-circuit antennas and arrays is being developed. Recognizing that the usefulness of a simulation program, however powerful, can be hindered by a poor user interface, the testbed is equipped with a graphical tool for performing pre- and post-processing tasks such as specifying new geometries, varying geometrical parameters for a given design, and displaying simulated results. The testbed also utilizes appropriate database structures in such a way that sensitivity analysis can be executed. The goal is to demonstrate the viability of the testbed. To do so, the effort focuses on the development of a graphical user interface. By linking the interface to an existing numerical engine for a single-layer microstrip, researchers illustrate the usefulness of this testbed, particularly for sensitivity analysis.The potential commercial application as described by the awardee: The work provides antenna designers with a necessary and powerful tool for exploring new antenna ideas as well as enhancing existing designs to take full advantage of the printed-circuit technology. Potential commercial applications of low-cost transmitting and receiving antenna systems include direct-broadcasting systems (DBS), mobile/cellular communications, wireless computer networks, and direction-finding devices.

Patch antennas; printed-circuit antennas; simulation; numerical modeling; testbed; microstrips we propose to develop an accurate and versatile computer-based testbed for designing printed-circuit antennas and arrays. Recognizing that the usefulness of a simulation program, however powerful, can be hindered by a poor user interface, this testbed will be equipped with a graphical tool for performing pre- and post-processing taskssuch as specifying new geometries, varying geometrical parameters for a given design, and displaying simulated results. This testbed will also utilize appropriate databases structure in such a way that sensitivity analysis can be executed. The goal of phase I will be to demonstrate the viability of the testbed. To do so, the phase I effort will focus on the development of a graphical user interface. By linking the interface to an existing numerical engine for a single-layer microstrip, we will illustrate the usefulness of this testbed, particularly for sensitivity analysis. In phase II, the testbed will be developed fully to include a new simulation engine with efficient algorithms for more complex structures, well-defined databases, and a capabilityof cutting masks using standard plotters.