• Composites Research
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.25-30
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• 2007

This paper describes the basic design and fabrication of smart skin antenna for phased array applications. The smart skin phased array antenna, of which radiation pattern can be electrically steerable without mechanical rotation, has to meet the both mechanical and electrical performance. The smart skin antenna is a honeycomb sandwich structure to enhance the mechanical performance such as strength, weight and so on. The example of smart skin antenna integrated with radome is designed with the resonant frequency of 5 GHz, circular polarization, 2 by 2 subarray, and a coaxial probe-fed excitation. In addition, the performance of raw microstrip patch antenna uncovered radome is investigate. The fabricated smart skin antenna shows a reasonable performance with gain of 12.2 dBi and frequency bandwidth of 6.4 %.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.42 no.7
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• pp.567-575
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• 2014

This paper suggests an installation procedure of a smart skin prototype into an aircraft, flight demonstration test procedures and test results. Four communication and navigation antennas are embedded into one Conformal Load-bearing Antenna Structure(CLAS). Log periodic patch type antenna was designed as a multi-band antenna to cover four antenna frequency bands. The requirements of CLAS were verified by ground tests before aircraft installation. A CLAS speed-brake was installed into KT-1 aircraft and performances of dual antennas were verified as multi-antenna tests on the ground. Electromagnetic compatibility tests were conducted to check compatibility between the CLAS and all existing equipments. Flight demonstration tests were conducted by one sortie of flight test for one antenna. The activeness and continuity of communication and navigation signal during the flight, null area of antenna signal along the circling flight were monitored. The embedded antennas worked better than expected during four sorties of flight tests.

• Composites Research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.43-49
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• 2001

The characteristics of smart skin for wireless LAN system under compression load are investigated. The smart skin structure is composed of 3 layers of face material and 2 layers of core material. Theoretical formula for determining buckling load is derived by Rayleigh-Ritz method and compared with experimental result. The maximum length of specimen that buckling does not occur is determined by assuming that the compression load is sustained by only face material. In the experiment, if buckling occurs obviously then it follows the theoretical result well. In the process of buckling, the load supporting capability and the antenna property such as radiation pattern and reflection coefficient were examined.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.41 no.10
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• pp.820-826
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• 2013

In this paper, a compact and wideband CLAS(Conformal Load bearing Antenna Structure) was studied using smart skin technique. In order to satisfy the electrical performance of the CLAS antenna, the proposed CLAS antenna is composed of conductive mesh, face-sheet, radiator, honeycomb, housing. Especially, radiator is composed of composite magneto-dielectric material and radiating element etched on the PCB (Printed Circuit Board). The radiating element is inserted into the composite magneto-dielectric material and has sloted Folded LP(Log Periodic) structure. By fabricated composite magneto-dielectric, the resonance frequency is decreased and the impedance matching characteristics is improved. We verified that the antenna has wideband characteristics and compact size using the antenna test results.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society For Composite Materials Conference
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• 2005.04a
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• pp.46-50
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• 2005

Smart skin, a multi-layer structure of composed of a round shape antenna, was designed and fabricated. Tests and analyses was conducted to study its behavior under compressive loads. It was confirmed that the designed smart skin failed due to premature buckling before compression failure. Numerical prediction of structural behavior of smart skin by MSC.NASTRAN agreed well with experimental data.

• The Journal of the Institute of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.35-40
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• 2011

We have studied the impact and bending characteristics of a dual band antenna (1.575, 2.645 GHz) with composite sandwich construction. Mechanical performance of the antenna can be improved by reinforcing the antenna by sandwiching the planar antenna with layers of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic(CFRP) and glass fiber-reinforced plastic(GFRP) using an adhesive film. According to the ASTM D7137, ASTM C393 and MIL-STD401B, impact and bending test were performed and the S-parameters and gains of the antenna were measured in order to verify electrical and mechanical performance. The maximum contact load and the bending load of the antenna are 4 kN and 400 N and gains of the antenna are 6 dBi and 4.6 dBi in the GPS and DMB bands, respectively. The proposed antenna structure can be applied to surfaces of vehicles.