A high gain microwave and millimeter-wave-based balanced antipodal Vivaldi antenna with a parasitic patch and a half-spherical shaped dielectric lens.

This paper presented the design and performance analysis of a high-gain balanced antipodal Vivaldi antenna (BAVA) integrated with a parasitic patch and a half-spherical shaped dielectric lens, specifically designed for microwave and millimeter-wave applications. Constructed with a Teflon substrate (  = 2.1, tan = 0.0002) and energized by a 50-Ω microstrip feedline, the innovative design incorporated a parasitic patch and three different types of dielectric lenses: half-circular, conical, and half-spherical shaped. The half-spherical dielectric lens significantly enhanced performance, achieving a gain of 20.54 dB, side lobe level (SLL) of -18.15 dB, and a maximum beam squint of 1.59°. Additionally, it exhibited a 98% radiation efficiency, a front-to-back ratio of 31.75 dB, and a half-power beamwidth (HPBW) of 6.7°. The incorporation of a parasitic patch and a half-spherical shaped dielectric lens enhanced the antenna's performance. Comparative analysis with existing antennas underscored the superiority of the proposed design, positioning it as a promising solution for microwave and millimeter-wave communication systems, radar, and sensing applications.