A Light-weight, Rugged, Low-volume, Ku/Ka SATCOM Antenna for Mobile Applications Navy SBIR FY2006.2 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2006.2 Topic No.: N06-106 Topic Title: A Light-weight, Rugged, Low-volume, Ku/Ka SATCOM Antenna for Mobile Applications Proposal No.: N062-106-0612 Firm: NanoSonic, Inc. P.O. Box 618 Christiansburg, Virginia 24068 Contact: Bradley Davis Phone: (540) 953-1785 Web Site: http://www.nanosonic.com Abstract: This Phase I SBIR program will result in the design, simulation and construction of portions of a prototype Ku/Ka-band array. To accomplish this task, NanoSonic is staffed or has teamed with a unique combination of engineers, chemists and materials scientists capable of producing and simulating this array. The NanoSonic PI is antenna engineer with many years experience in both hardware implementation and simulation software construction. In Phase I NanoSonic would consult with the antenna group of a major defense contractor in order to design a suitable antenna meeting the constraints for gain, polarization, bandwidth, scanning and RCS. This defense contractor would work directly on the Phase II program. NanoSonic would construct a unique EBG waveguide and suitable coupled radiators using the unique processes that are used to create Metal RubberT. These materials can be applied to severe, doubly curved surfaces without de-bonding or cracking. In verification of the design, NanoSonic would team with a well-known computational electromagnetics group to perform detailed simulations of the antenna. This code ranks among the top integral equation based codes in the country and incorporates the MLFMA, advanced preconditioning and high-order basis functions for fast, accurate solutions. Benefits: The materials developed and applied in this program may be used to form a variety of high performance microwave materials and devices integrated directly into lightweight polymer structural components. Such low-cost processing will allow the manufacturing of cost-competitive aerospace, electronic, optoelectronic, sensor and actuator materials, devices and integrated function structures. Conformal or free-standing, flexible RF antennas constructed from Metal RubberT are of importance for both military and commercial applications. Additionally, these antennas would address DoD and law enforcement needs for communication and surveillance with reduced probability of detection. In commercial use, such antennas could be integrated into vehicle or building structures; NanoSonic also intends to apply these antennas as inexpensive as RFID tags. Return