A Novel GNSS Antenna and Array Design with 3D-Printed Stepped Backed Cavity

Abstract

In recent years, the use of 3D printing technology for manufacturing RF components and antennas has grown significantly due to its advantages of cost-effectiveness, lightweight, and ease of fabrication. This paper presents a high-gain spiral antenna designed with FR4 and PLA materials, optimized for GNSS band applications. The antenna employs Archimedean spirals and a reflector with a 66 mm air gap, approximately lambda/4 at the lower frequency of the GNSS band, to ensure good circular polarization and axial ratio. The design features a novel conic shape to balance electrical length differences across the frequency band, improving performance. Our results show that the antenna achieves a gain 3 dB higher than similar designs in the literature. Additionally, the use of PLA material reduces coupling effects, allowing the antenna elements to be placed 35 mm closer together in an array configuration. The designed antenna gain is minimum 5.9 dBic and maximum 6.2 dBic, and the axial ratio is minimum 1.8 dB and maximum 2.2 dB in the frequency range. These findings underscore the potential of 3D printing in developing high-performance, compact antennas for advanced communication systems. Furthermore, an antenna array was constructed using the individual antenna elements. The array exhibited the targeted performance, achieving a half-power beamwidth of 36 degrees and a realized gain of 11 dBic.