Modeling of plasma antennas and their applications

This thesis investigates the operational principles and comparative performance of dipole plasma antennas and conventional dipole metal antennas operating within the Very High Frequency (VHF) band. Unlike conventional metal conductors, plasma antennas operate using noble gases. The research includes comprehensive simulations and experiments to evaluate key parameters such as return loss, gain, and impedance. The dipole plasma antenna was designed with two specially configured plasma sources positioned as the arms of a standard metal dipole. Initially, simulations were conducted to determine the plasma parameters and calculate the dielectric permittivity. The gas-filled plasma tube was energized by directly connecting it to electrodes using an AC power supply (10 kV, 30 mA). Both experimental and simulation results demonstrated that the dipole plasma antenna possesses superior impedance, Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR), and gain characteristics compared to its metal counterpart. Additionally, the rapid on/off functionality of plasma antennas, which is not achievable with metal antennas, makes them a significant advantage for stealth applications such as radar systems. The findings highlight the potential of plasma antennas to enhance the performance and versatility of communication systems in the VHF band.