Research On Radiant Characteristic Of Plasma Antenna Array

Plasma antenna is a new type of radio antenna, it use plasma instead of metal conductortransmit and receive electromagnetic signal. Compared with metal antenna, the inputimpedance, radiation pattern, efficiency and bandwidth of plasma antenna is reconfigureddynamically. When the plasma antenna is off, the RCS is very low. In military affairs, usingplasma antenna as shipborne or airborne antenna can realize the stealth of vessels or aircraft.In civil, plasma antenna array is expected to become a type of intelligent antenna for nextgeneration wireless communication system. Therefore, the research on plasma antenna and itsarray has the extremely vital significance.In this paper, the theories of the surface-wave driven plasma antenna are expounded. Thenumerical model of FDTD is constructed to analyses plasma antenna. The algorithms formagnetized or unmagnetized plasma are deduced. The influence of plasma frequency on theradiation characteristic is studied. The reconfigured radiation pattern is also discussed. Thepaper’s work and innovations are as follows:(1) The unmagnetized plasma antenna array is constructed. The PLRC-FDTD algorithmis utilized to analysis electric field intensity in near field, far-field radiation patternand efficiency of the unmagnetized plasma antenna. Simulation results show that theelectromagnetic wave spread along the surface of plasma column, this mode is callsurface wave; while the plasma increase, the efficiency of plasma antenna is higher.(2) The model of unmagnetized plasma antenna array is simulated. Research on theradiation perform of antenna array with different configuration of elements’ plasmaantenna is implemented. With a rational schedule, the radiation pattern of the plasmaarray can scan in horizontal plane.(3) The magnetized plasma is simulated with PLRC-FDTD algorithm. The magnetizedplasma antenna array is constructed, and the affection of the magnetic field density onradiation characteristic is evaluated. According to simulation result, the radiationpattern of magnetized plasma array is reconfigured.