Date of Award:
5-2009
Document Type:
Thesis
Degree Name:
Master of Science (MS)
Department:
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Committee Chair(s)
Reyhan Baktur
Committee
Reyhan Baktur
Committee
Jacob Gunther
Committee
Edmund Spencer
Abstract
This thesis work presents the feasibility of integrating meshed patch antennas directly onto the solar cell assembly to save valuable surface real estate of a small satellite. The solar cell cover glass is used as the substrate for the patch antenna. The antenna topology is chosen to be a meshed patch so that it is transparent to light to ensure the proper operation of solar cells. We found that although there is a compromise between the antenna efficiency and see-through percentage, one is able to optimize the antenna by carefully designing the mesh. To verify the design and integration, a meshed antenna operating at around 2.3 GHz is printed with conductive ink on a plastic substrate and placed on-top of solar cells attached to an aluminum ground plane. The printed solar cell antenna is measured with Nearfield Systems Inc. spherical near-field range and the measurements agree well with the design.
Checksum
0a6ffcebc001c5941967e5562fc3fc7f
Recommended Citation
Turpin, Timothy W., "Meshed Patch Antennas Integrated on Solar Cell - A Feasibility Study and Optimization" (2009). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023. 251.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/251
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