Optically Transparent Subarray Antenna Based on Solar Panel for CubeSat Application

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Abstract
This manuscript focuses on the design of a transparent circularly polarized (CP) antenna subarray integrating with CubeSat’s solar panels. The sub-array antenna employs two techniques including the Fabry_Perot cavity (FPC) and sequential rotation-feeding network. These techniques are used to generate CP along with a high level of directivity over a broad bandwidth. The main aim here is to propose a multi-functional antenna with the high radiation properties as well as the capability of power harvesting, simultaneously. To harvest power using a solar panel the transparency requirement should be satisfied. Hence, the proposed design is sputtered with the thin layer of indium-tin-oxide (ITO) with a thickness of 200nm. However, it seems to be sacrificed a large amount of conductivity at the frequency band of interest (x-band). Correspondingly, the performance of conductivity and transparency both the materials of ITO and copper as coated on the proposed design is determined. Alternatively, as an optically transparent conductor (OTC), a combination of both coating layers, including ITO and copper with thicknesses of 200nm and 5nm, respectively, are applied. In the scattering point of view, the proposed design is also capable of suppressing the radar cross section (RCS) for the space missions with the aim of space-based observations.

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