Structurally Embedded Vascular Antenna Arrays (SEVA2) in both Multi-Layer and Complex Curved Composites
Abstract
Recent advances in structurally embedded vascular antennas (SEVAs) have demonstrated the ability to integrate microfluidic-enabled electromagnetically-tunable reconfigurable antennas into planar epoxy-filled quartz fiber composite panels. Reconfiguration of these antennas has been enabled by the pressure-driven flow of a liquid metal alloy within the patterned microchannels. These are embedded into the composite using novel sacrificial materials, additive manufacturing, and post-processing fabrication techniques. The wide tunability, radiation pattern stability, and repeatability of these structures have been demonstrated, and now the deployment of these fabrication techniques to develop aerodynamically efficient composite shapes makes SEVA attractive for agile aircraft antenna. This paper will highlight the composite fabrication of a multi-element SEVA, or Structurally Embedded Antenna Array (SEVA2), within a complex curved article that resembles an aircraft leading-edge. It includes a summary of the design and operation of the structure as a phased array of physically-reconfigurable antennas. These frequency-agile antennas can also be interconnected to form larger contiguous reconfigurable antenna structures that extend the range of electromagnetic tunability and/or provide other operational modalities.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 12, 2018
- Accession Number
- AD1052813
Entities
People
- Amrita Bal
- Daniel Rapking
- Darren Hartl
- David F. Phillips
- Geoffrey J. Frank
- Gregory H Huff
- Jeffery W Baur
- Thao Gibson
Organizations
- Texas A&M University