CAREER: Design, Modeling, and Development of Active Aperture Antennas

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9701793 Washington The primary goal of this work is the development of a novel class of aperture antennas capable of variable directivity (beam steering) and power density (variable focusing or beam shaping). The actuation for these antennas is employed using a distinct mechanism. The mechanism employs Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) film bonded to a lightweight metalized mylar structure. Since the film is piezoelectric, any electrical voltage drop across the film will cause the film to lengthen in its stretch direction. The resulting lateral deflection from a length change causes the production of a moment which causes the antenna surface deflection. In addition, the educational aspects of this proposal can be summarized in three distinct task: The first involves the development of hands-on demonstrations that highlight major principles of mechanical, electrical, and electromechanical systems. The second involves the use of an interactive web site with hypertexted class notes to enable one to teach at level more in-depth than general classroom knowledge. The final component is the development of an interactive slide presentation that highlights the contribution of African Americans, Hispanics, and Women to engineering and science. ***