Superconducting antennas for telecommunication applications based on dual mode cross slotted patches

Dual mode devices based on high temperature superconducting films represent an interesting class for telecommunication applications since they combine a miniaturized size with a good power handling. Here we report on a novel compact antenna obtained by crossing a square patch with two or more slots. The proposed design has an antenna size reduction of about 40% as compared to the conventional square patch microstrip antennas. Single patch antenna both with linear (LP) and circular (CP) polarization operating in the X-band have been designed and tested at prototype level. They are realized by using double sided (YBa2Cu3O7-x) YBCO and TI2Ba2Ca1Cu2O8 (TI-2212) superconducting films grown on MgO substrates and tested with a portable cryocooler. They showed at T = 77 K a return loss <25 dB and a power handling of 23 dBm. Exemplary 16 elements arrays LP antennas operating in the X band have been also realized by using YBCO film grown on 2" diameter MgO substrate. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.