TECHNOLOGY
Plasma
Antennas
Devices that relies on a plasma discharge to transmit, receive, or reflect electromagnetic waves.
STEALTH
WHEN TURNED OFF
ELECTRICALLY
RECONFIGURABLE
REDUCED
INTERFERENCES
L-BAND REFLECT ARRAY
A metal dipole surrounded by 18 couples of plasma discharges. By turning on and off the discharges, the pattern can be steered and focused towards the desired direction.
UHF PLASMA DIPOLE
Two plasma discharges placed as the arms of a conventional dipole.
When the plasma is on, it behaves as a conventional dipole. When the plasma is off, the Radar Cross Section is minimized.
TECHNOLOGY
Plasma antenna uses plasma instead of metal to receive, transmit or reflect EM waves.
We design, manufacture and characterize plasma discharges specifically designed to be applied in plasma antennas.
The discharges are closed vessels made of dielectric material (e.g. glass) with one metal electrode at each end, filled with inert gas at low pressure.
When the gas it is energizes, it becomes plasma. Under certain conditions, plasma is a conductive medium and it can be used to transmit or receive EM waves through a circuit call “signal coupler”.
When the antenna is not in use, the power to the plasma can be turned off, and the antenna reverts to a neutral gas enclosed in a dielectric vessel with few metal parts. In this conditions, the Radar Cross Section of the plasma antenna is greatly reduced.
KEY FEATURES
Electrically reconfigurable in terms of gain pattern
Stealth
Frequency hopping
Reduced co-site interferences
Suitable for frequency reflective surfaces
capabilities
We carry out research and development activities
through a extensive combined numerical-experimental investigations
TIMELINE
FUNDED PROJECTS
Researches on plasma antennas started in 2012 exploiting competences matured in the development of plasma thrusters.
The research and development took place through different research internal and external programs.
2015
2015
Development of a plasma transmit array for GNSS, from 2015 to 2017.
