| This thesis investigates the feasibility of designing and fabricating small, low cost, ultra-wideband (UWB) compliant antennas. UWB uses very short and low power pulses with precise timing to transmit data at high rates within the 3.1 GHz to 10.6 GHz band. These features have created the need to evaluate antennas in both the frequency and time domain for use in UWB systems.; The need for practical design guidelines for UWB antennas is addressed. Antenna designs based on these guidelines are presented and realizations in both FR-4 and low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) technology are demonstrated. A finite difference time domain (FDTD) based electromagnetic simulator is developed, allowing the time domain response of UWB antennas to be studied under arbitrary pulse shape excitations. Its results are compared with a commercial FEM-based electromagnetic solver, and both tools are employed in the design of several candidate UWB antenna structures. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)... |
