Design of dielectric resonator antennas using dielectric paste

Abstract

Dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) has a number of attractive features and design. There are many different possibilities while designing a DRA. In this project, we are going to investigate the possibilities of using silicone mixing with Barium Strontium Titanate (BST) nano particles for dielectric paste and use the paste to design a high gain dielectric resonator antenna for satellite TV communication. To evaluate whether silicone is a suitable material for dielectric paste, split-post dielectric resonator (SPDR) has been used for characterizing the dielectric property of silicone. The results showed that silicone is suitable for mixing with BST nano particles. Different mixing ratios have been used for different dielectric pastes and SPDR is used for characterizing the dielectric property of different pastes. To design DRA with high gain, the side walls of the DRA has been engraved for achieving higher gain and the antenna was designed as a T-shaped. To fabricate the design with the use of dielectric paste, 3D printing technique has been used for making the support structure for storing the dielectric paste. In the final stage of the project, the antenna was fabricated, and its performance was measured and compared to the simulated result.