Recent developments and trends in microstrip antennas

The use of microstrip antennas in integrated electronic systems is described, with particular emphasis on their potential for military applications. Recent hardware developments are outlined, and the use of microstrips for a variety of antenna types is discussed: single antenna elements, linear and two-dimensional arrays, and circular polarized antennas. It is concluded that the development of higher-quality substrates and the improvement of design methods for hybrid sandwich devices will advance application of the microstrip antenna. The low efficiency of the antenna will be offset by the greater power provided by semiconductors. A combination of microstrip and conventional antenna structures is under investigation, which will meet the military bandwidth/sidelobe level requirements.