BROADBAND BINARY PHASED ANTENNA

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a highly cost effective binary phase shift mechanism for a broadband antenna array. SOLUTION: A broadband binary phased antenna includes an array of symmetric antenna elements, each being connected to a respective symmetric switch (15). The antenna includes: the symmetric antenna elements which are each symmetrical about a mirror axis of the antenna element and include feed points on either side of the mirror axis capable of creating opposite symmetric field distributions across the symmetric antenna element wherein the opposite symmetric field distributions are binary phase-shifted with respect to one another; and the symmetric switch is connected to the feed points to selectively switch between the opposite symmetric field distributions. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI