Study of array plasma antenna parameters

Cite as: AIP Advances 8, 045306 (2018); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5018660

Submitted: 08 December 2017 . Accepted: 28 March 2018 . Published Online: 06 April 2018

Rajneesh Kumar, and Prince Kumar

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AIP Advances 8, 045306 (2018); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5018660 8, 045306

© 2018 Author(s).
 AIP ADVANCES 8, 045306 (2018)

Study of array plasma antenna parameters

Rajneesh Kumar1,a and Prince Kumar2
1 Department of Physics, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University,
Varanasi 221005, U.P., India
2 Department of Physics, Dr. H. S. Gour Central University, Sagar 470003, M.P., India

(Received 8 December 2017; accepted 28 March 2018; published online 6 April 2018)

This paper is aimed to investigate the array plasma antenna parameters to help the
optimization of an array plasma antenna. Single plasma antenna is transformed into
array plasma antenna by changing the operating parameters. The re-configurability
arises in the form of striations, due to transverse bifurcation of plasma column by
changing the operating parameters. Each striation can be treated as an antenna ele-
ment and system performs like an array plasma antenna. In order to achieve the
goal of this paper, three different configurations of array plasma antenna (namely
Array 1, Array 2 and Array 3) are simulated. The observations are made on vari-
ation in antenna parameters like resonance frequency, radiation pattern, directivity
and gain with variation in length and number of antenna elements for each array
plasma antenna. Moreover experiments are also performed and results are compared
with simulation. Further array plasma antenna parameters are also compared with
monopole plasma antenna parameters. The study of present paper invoke the array
plasma antenna can be applied for steering and controlling the strength of Wi-Fi
signals as per requirement. © 2018 Author(s). All article content, except where oth-
erwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5018660

I. INTRODUCTION
In recent past, number of new plasma based devises have been established however many of them
are in the stage of development. Plasma antenna is one of the developing plasma based microwave
devices. At present plasma antenna has become a well-known and scientifically accepted antenna
device.1–7 The attraction of the plasma antenna in the field of research remains still because of their
potential advantages over the conventional antennas. Attempts to discover diverse features of plasma
antenna are still under investigation.
Number of methods have been using to construct the plasma antenna since a decade back. The
plasma column was initially developed by two electrodes discharge process and antenna properties of
plasma was characterized. Later on surface wave produced plasma column was found more suitable
for antenna properties. In this production mechanism, plasma is excited from single end. Both the
processes have their own advantages and disadvantages but most of the researchers are now focused
on surface wave discharge monopole plasma antenna.8 Reconfigurability of plasma antenna have
been demonstrated in many folds.9–12 A single plasma antenna has relatively wide radiation patterns,
and provides low values of directivity and gain. However many of applications required an antenna
with high directivity and gain to get fulfill demand of long distance communications. Either way
to achieve this from the single plasma antenna by enlarging the dimensions of single element or
another way without increasing the size of single antenna is to use an assembly of radiating elements.
This new arrangement of multi-element antenna is known as array antenna. Thus, array of antennas
is an arrangement of several individual antennas, which are spaced and phased in such a manner
that their individual contributions come in one preferred direction and cancel in all other directions

a
Corresponding Author: Email: rajneeshipr@gmail.com

2158-3226/2018/8(4)/045306/15 8, 045306-1 © Author(s) 2018

045306-2 R. Kumar and P. Kumar AIP Advances 8, 045306 (2018)

resulting in greater directive gain or directivity. In a similar fashion, the performance of plasma
antenna can be increased either by increasing the length of antenna or using the array of antennas.
For construction of very long plasma antenna, huge power, and very long glass tubes are required.
Hence, maintenance of long plasma column becomes a difficult task. To overcome such types of
problems, a prototype of smart plasma antenna based on windowing technique has been developed.
In this technique, omnidirectional monopole antenna is surrounded by plasma blanket using array of
plasma tubes in which plasma density can be varied. By changing the plasma density or opening and
closing a sequence of plasma tubes, named as plasma window, electrically steer or direct the antenna
beam into any direction.13 In another approach, array plasma antenna may also be the technique to
increase the performance of plasma antenna. Construction of array plasma antenna by conventional
method is also a difficult task due to geometry of antennas and maintains the phase relation between
the antenna elements. It is important to mention here that after a long research history of plasma
antenna, successful demonstration of array plasma antenna is still under investigation in sense of
practical applications. Few years’ back an experimental attempts have been made to make an array
plasma antenna in a surface wave produced plasma column. Antenna elements were formed in terms
of stable striations by changing the operating parameters e.g. working pressure, driven frequency,
input power, radius of glass tube, length of plasma column and argon gas of the system. Initial results
indicated that array plasma antenna can work like an array antenna. It is realized that more study
on array plasma antenna is highly required to optimize the antenna parameters. It is well known
that plasma is such a medium, which can be composed as spatially periodic density or conductivity
variations. Using this concept, directivity as well as re-configurability of a plasma antenna can be
increased.
Hence, in the present paper an experimental and simulation attempts are made to form the dif-
ferent plasma structures in a single system to study the different kind of plasma antennas by tuning
the operating parameters. We now devote our attention to study the antenna properties of differ-
ent plasma structures. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to investigate antenna parameters
of array plasma antennas, which is constructed from the antenna elements or striations, which are
well arranged in the series. The procedure of investigation involves the study of the s-parameter,
resonance frequency, elevation and azimuthal power patterns, directivity, gain etc. Finally com-
parison between antenna parameters of single plasma antenna and array plasma antenna is also
given.
Present paper is organized as in following. Section II describes the formations of antenna elements
the help of bifurcation theory for better understanding of plasma properties. Then the molding and
design of array plasma antenna is given in section III. Section IV presents results of observation of
different plasma antennas. In section V, attentions is devoted to discuss about the results and the
conclusions of the paper is given in section VI.

II. FORMATION OF ANTENNA ELEMENTS

Before we discuss about the antenna parameters of array plasma antenna it’s worthwhile to
discuss about the formation of re-configurability in single plasma column. It is mentioned above
a single plasma antenna can be transformed into an array plasma antenna by changing operating
parameters. It is noticed that cause of this re-configurability should be discussed in detail for better
understanding of plasma properties.
The antenna elements or striations developed in a single plasma column due to change in operating
parameters. It is well-known that the striations are the black and white regions appear in the positive
column of a glow discharge.14 In fact, striations are the periodic variation in electron density and
are not cause rearrangement of fixed number of electrons, however by alternate region of major
production and removal of electrons, which can survive in a limited range of current value, pressure,
tube radius, and species of gas. It has been established that the striations are due to ionization
instability or manifestation of ionization oscillations and waves, which may be caused by stepwise
ionization, maximization of the electron distribution function, and by any agent causing enhancement
in in-homogeneities in plasma.15–18 On the basis of visual observations, striations can be classified
into two types; theses are moving striations and stationary striations. Moving striations are having a
045306-3 R. Kumar and P. Kumar AIP Advances 8, 045306 (2018)

certain velocity and stationary striations having a static appearance.19,20 Striations have been found
in different plasmas with different discharge processes such as DC-discharge plasma, RF-discharge
plasma, Laser plasma, ionospheric plasma etc.21–28 Stationary striations are used for the array antenna
so we are mainly concern about the stationary striations.
The stationary striations are described by Goldstein using the theory of bifurcation in which the
system bifurcates after the onset of a weak instability.29 The theory treated plasma system governed
by a set of nonlinear equations that has a stationary state which becomes unstable when a parameter,
called bifurcation parameter which is function of operating parameters, exceed a critical value and
small perturbation in the system grow nonlinearity. The system or plasma settles down to a final
state in which the density of electrons varies sinusoidally along the axis of the glass tube. The
number of modes to which a system settled indicates the number of stationary striations in plasma
column.
According to bifurcation theory, one needs to develop a set of nonlinear equations that
have stationary state and become unstable when a certain bifurcation parameter exceeds its crit-
ical value. It is impotent to mention here that cylindrical plasma column can be bifurcated
transversally and longitudinally to the axis of plasma column at different operating parame-
ter regimes.30,31 In our studied of array plasma antenna, antenna elements (or striations) are
developed transversally to the plasma column so we are only discussing about the transversally
bifurcation.
Initially diffusion equations for electrons and metastable atoms will be solved as metastable
atoms providing two-step ionization, which is responsible to excite weak instability in the plasma
column. Hence, for transverse bifurcation, two diffusion equations for electrons and metastable atoms
along the axial direction (z-direction) can be written as,
∂Ne ∂ 2 Ne
− Dz 2 = Q(Ne , Nn ) (1)
∂t ∂z
and
∂Ne ∂ 2 Ne
− αDz 2 = S(Ne , Nn ) (2)
∂t ∂z
In the above Eqs. (1) and (2), N e is the electron density, N n is the neutral or atom density, Q and S are
the rate of creation of electrons and atoms, respectively, D is the diffusion coefficient for the electrons
and ions, and α is the ratio of the atom to that of the ions. The quantity α has a value of 3 to 5 because
neutral atoms diffuse faster than ions due to polarization effect. The diffusion derivative is being
taken only along the axis of tube (z-axis) to simplify the stability analysis that follows. The important
effect to the radial dependence of the densities is to produce radial diffusion to the side walls of the
glass tube and the loss of particles will be included in Q(N e , N n ) and S(N e , N n ). The blobs that we
are seeking to explain are primarily a variation in density along the tube axis. Including the radial
dependence of Q and S may lead to inessential complications. According to discharge mechanism Q
and S can be expresses as
Q(Ne , Nn ) = Nn Q2 (Ne ) + ηS 2 + χNe 2 + Q3 (Ne ) − γNe − ζNe (3)
and
S(Ne , Nn ) = Q1 (Ne ) − ΓNn Q2 (Ne ) − Ne − 2ηNn 2 (4)
The term N n Q2 (N e ) in Eq. (3) represents the destruction of atoms by electrons. Some of atoms are
destroyed by becoming ions and this is reflected in the term N n Q2 (N e ) in Eq. (4). The factor Γ is
greater than one because not all the destroyed atoms become ion. Q1 (N e ) and Q2 (N e ) depend on N e
because the number of collisions is propositional to N e and also on applied RF-field. Q1 (N e ) is the
rate per unit volume for the creation of atoms by electron collision by background ions. The term γN e
and Ne represent the losses of electrons and atoms to the side walls of the boundary of the cylinder by
radial diffusion, respectively whereas γ and are the parameters that on the geometry and the radial
diffusion coefficient. The term ηNn 2 represents the collision between two atoms one which becomes
ionized and other is de-exited. The term χNe 2 represents recombination collision between ions and
electrons. The term Q3 (N e ) show direct ionization of ground state atom by electron collisions.
045306-4 R. Kumar and P. Kumar AIP Advances 8, 045306 (2018)

It is necessary to discuss to incorporate the radial dependence of N e and N n into Q and S, it is

necessary to find z-independent steady state N e0, and N n0 for Eqs. (1) and (2). It can be written as
Q(Ne0 , Nn0 ) = 0 (5)
and
S(Ne0 , Nn0 ) = 0 (6)
Boundary condition at the plasma edges of the boundary layer will be taken for z = 0 and L where L
is the length of plasma column. Our boundary conditions can be assumed as
Ne (z = 0, t) = Ne (z = L, t) = Ne0 (7)
Nn (z = 0, t) = Nn (z = L, t) = Nn0 (8)
Perturbation away from N e0 and N n0 will lead to
Ne = Ne0 − Ne0(z, t) (9)
and
Nn = Nn0 − Nn0 (z, t) (10)
Ne0(z, t) and Nn0 (z, t) are the perturbation term in electron and atom densities, respectively. Our bound-
ary condition becomes homogeneous. Dirichlet boundary conditions for the perturbations Ne0(z, t)
and Nn0 (z, t).
Ne0 (z = 0, t) = Ne0 (z = L, t) = 0 (11)
Nn0 (z = 0, t) = Nn0 (z = L, t) = 0 (12)
The linear stability analysis is carried out by substituting above Eqs. (9) and (10) in Eqs. (1) and (2),
and linearization to obtain
∂Ne ∂Q 0 ∂Q 0 ∂ 2 Ne
= Ne + Nn + Dz 2 (13)
∂t ∂Ne ∂Nn ∂z
and
∂Ne ∂S 0 ∂S 0 ∂ 2 Ne
= Ne + Nn + αDz 2 (14)
∂t ∂Ne ∂Nn ∂z
Where all the derivatives of Q and S are evaluated at the steady state N e0 and N n0 , and the 0 subscript
will be dropped. Eqs. (13) and (14) can be solved in the terms of modes as,
nπz
Ne0 (z, t) = Ne0n eλn τ sin (15)
L
nπz
Nn0 (z, t) = Nn0n eλn τ sin (16)
L
For further study Eqs. (15) and (16) satisfy Eqs. (11) and (12) and can be written as,
n2 π 2
 λ n + Qne − D L 2
  "
Qnn  Ne0n
#
=0 (17)
λ n + Snn − αD n π2  Nnn
 2 2  0
Sne
L 

Obviously, we had not approximated the real steady state by a uniform one because the outcome of
Eqs. (15)–(17) would have been much more complicated. To have a nontrivial solution for Eq. (17)
we need the determinant of the matrix to be zero, then
n2 π 2 n2 π 2 n2 π 2
" # ! !
λ 2n = λ n Qne + Sne − (1 + α) D 2 + Qne − D 2 Snn − αD 2 − Qnn Sne = 0 (18)
L L L
Eq. (18) can be expressed in terms of the trace H n and the determinant I n of the matrix in with
λ n = 0,
λ 2n − λ n Hn + In = 0 (19)
Eq. (19) determine the roots of λ n
1
"  1 #
Hn ± Hn2 − 4In 2

λ ±n = (20)
2
045306-5 R. Kumar and P. Kumar AIP Advances 8, 045306 (2018)

where
Dπ 2
!
Hn = Snn + Qne − (1 + α) n2 (21)
L2
and
∝ n4 Dπ 2
n2 Dπ 2
In = 4
− ∝ Qne + Snn + Qne Snn − Qnn Sne (22)
L (z) L2
Now It is clear from Eq. (20) that stable and unstable modes are characterized by n, modes are stable
if Reλ n < 0 and unstable if Reλ n < 0. The instability sets in with H n < 0 and I n passes from positive
to negative. Above Eqs. (21) and (22) can be written as
!
2 1
Hn = Snn + Qne − (1 + α) n (23)
µ
and
∝ n4
n2
In = − ∝ Qne + Snn + Qne Snn − Qnn Sne (24)
µ2 µ
where
L2
µ= (25)
Dπ 2
where µ is bifurcation parameter which can be explained in the terms of length of plasma column
taking D constant for particular cases. The length of surface wave produced plasma column be defined
with the help of 21
!
2 P
L =
2
(26)
πBζa vm (p)
Where B is constant (∼33 s cm-3 ), ζ is power lost per electron, a is diameter of glass tube, P is input
power or power absorbed and vm (p) is a collision frequency which is a function of the working gas
pressure. Eq. (26) can be written as
P
L2 = A (27)
vm (p)
Where
2
A= (28)
πBζa
Now Eq. (25) can be written as by putting value of Eq. (27)
P
µ=C (29)
vm (p)
where
A
C= (30)
Dπ
Hence it is clear from Eq. (29) that bifurcation parameter is the function of input power and gas
working pressure (collision frequency). According to the bifurcation theory and observations,30 at
certain combinations of input power and working pressure µ becomes µc (critical value for bifurcation)
and plasma column bifurcates in transverse axis, hence
Ps
µc = C (31)
vm (ps )
To compare bifurcation parameters, we take the ratio of Eqs. (29) and (31)
µ
!
P vm (p)
= (32)
µc Ps vm (ps )
It is clear from Eq. (32) that µ > µc for all values of P ≥ Ps and vm (ps ) > vm (p) hence as soon as the
value of bifurcation parameter µ exceeds from its critical value µc stable modes become unstable,
which means plasma column bifurcates in stationary blobs. Presented attempts help to understand
045306-6 R. Kumar and P. Kumar AIP Advances 8, 045306 (2018)

the transformation of single plasma antenna to array plasma antenna by changing the operating
parameters. The electron density profile (Eqs. (15) and (16)) will help us to estimate the antenna
properties.

III. MODELING AND DESIGN OF ARRAY PLASMA ANTENNA

To design a plasma antenna on electromagnetic software (HFSS), it requires some plasma param-
eters like plasma conductivity, plasma density, and plasma permittivity. These parameters of plasma
are calculated theoretically after performing an experiment on it. The experimental setup of a plasma
antenna is shown in Fig. 1. This setup consist a 30 cm long glass tube with a radius of 1.5 cm.
The tube is evacuated by a combined rotary and diffusion pumps and then filled with argon gas to
various working pressures. A plate of aluminum with a diameter of 12 cm and thickness of 2 cm
is mounted at one end of the glass tube as ground plate. A capacitive coupler mounted above the
ground plate, used to couple signals into the plasma because direct contact with plasma is not pos-
sible. The initial breakdown takes place inside the tube in the gap between coupler and ground
plate by CW RF generator of power up to 100 Watts. A 30 cm long plasma column is formed by
surface wave in the glass tube. This plasma column is transformed into finite number of small
cylindrical stationary striations by changing the operating parameters such as working pressure
0.03 mbar to 0.30 mbar, input power 40 Watts to 60 Watts and background gas (argon, air, helium
and oxygen). The certain combination of these parameters can transformed plasma column in dif-
ferent number and size of antenna elements. Along the axis of glass tube theses antenna elements
are arranged in series and each antenna element is a short plasma column. The initial results of
experimental study indicates that entire structure of antenna elements can be treated as array plasma
antenna.
Now for the weakly ionized plasma in which the collision frequency is higher than
the wave frequency (ϑm  ω) the conductivity can be calculated by the formula is written
blow.8

FIG. 1. Experimental setup of Reconfigurable Plasma Antenna.

045306-7 R. Kumar and P. Kumar AIP Advances 8, 045306 (2018)

e2 Ne
σ= (33)
me ϑ m
Here e is the electronic charge, N e is the electron density, me is the mass of an electron and ϑm is the
electron neutral collision frequency.
Plasma angular frequency
s
Ne e2
ωpe = (34)
me ε 0

These parameters are as follows, plasma electron density is chosen to be ne ∼ 1016 m-3 and the
collision frequency vm ∼ 4×108 Hz. Hence from Eq. (34) the plasma frequency is ωp = 30×106 Hz.9
Axial profile of σ can be obtained through the values of N e . So the equation for electrical conductivity
with antenna length (l) at constant ϑm is formulated as

σ (l) = 22.5e−0.75l cos[k(l)l] (35)

Based on above experimental study, we now able to design array plasma antennas on software. So
here we simulate three different configurations of array plasma antennas. It is important to notice that
plasma parameters are same for all the configurations. The difference between them is in number
of antenna elements, size of elements and separation between two successive antenna elements. All
three antennas are reconfigurable form of single plasma antenna as suggested by the experimental
study. In the process, firstly we design a glass tube of 30 cm long and 3 cm in diameter, the tube
has been filled with plasma medium having antenna elements. In the first array plasma antenna
(named as Array 1) shown in Fig. 2(a) consist 6 antenna elements while the length of each antenna
element is 3 cm and diameter is 3 cm. The gap between the two successive antenna elements is
2 cm. Moreover second array plasma antenna (named as Array 2) shown in Fig. 2(b) which also
consist 6 antenna elements having the length of each antenna element is 4 cm while its diameter
is 3 cm. The gap between the two successive antenna elements is 1 cm. In the third configuration,
array plasma antenna (named as Array 3) as shown in Fig. 2(c), 5 antenna elements of decreasing
length order of antenna elements are used. As per the experimental data we choose to keep first
antenna element that is near the ground plate is of the length 5 cm, second of 4 cm in length,
third of 3 cm in length, fourth of 2 cm in length and last is of 1 cm in length but all the elements
are of the same diameter i.e. 3 cm and the gap between two successive antenna elements is 2 cm.
Furthermore an aluminum ground plate of 1.2 cm in diameter and a thickness of 2.0 cm are designed
at the one end of the glass tube and a port as a source is assigned in between the plasma column
and ground plate. An air volume object is designed as a radiation boundary infinitely far from the
antenna.

FIG. 2. a, b, c Different simulated models of array plasma antenna.

045306-8 R. Kumar and P. Kumar AIP Advances 8, 045306 (2018)

IV. RESULTS
After the simulations of different configurations of array plasma antennas as mentioned in ear-
lier section we find the different antenna parameters for each plasma antenna separately. Theses
parameters are S-parameter, radiation patterns, directivity and gain are given below.

A. S-parameter
S-parameter describes the input-output relationship between ports (or terminals) in an electrical
system. The S11 parameter represents how much power is reflected from antenna on a certain fre-
quency. Any frequency at which S11 has minimum value is called resonance frequency of the antenna
and at that frequency antenna will transmit maximum power.32 In this paper, we find S-parameter
for all the configurations of array plasma antennas over the frequency range from 0.001 GHz to
3 GHz. Fig. 3(a) shows the S-parameter for Array 1. Results suggest that the resonance frequencies
for this configuration are 0.66 GHz, 1.05 GHz, 1.40 GHz and 1.60 GHz, 2.45 GHz and the return
losses corresponding to these resonance frequencies are shown in Table I.
Moreover Fig. 3(b) shows the S-parameter for array plasma antenna of Array 2. The resonance fre-
quencies for this configuration of the antenna are 0.30 GHz, 0.70 GHz, 1.10 GHz, 1.50 GHz, 1.80 GHz,
2.30 GHz and 2.45 GHz. The return losses corresponding to these resonance frequencies are
Table II.
S-parameters of the third configuration Array 3 is shown in Fig. 3(c), which shows that the
resonance frequencies for this configuration of the antenna are 0.82 GHz, 1.25 GHz and 1.85 GHz.
The return losses corresponding to these resonance frequencies are shown in Table III.

FIG. 3. a, b, c S-Parameter for Array 1, Array 2, Array 3.

TABLE I. Resonance frequencies with corresponding return loss for Array 1.

No. Resonance Frequency (GHz) Return Loss (dB)

1 0.66 -21.03
2 1.05 -24.50
3 1.40 -10.12
4 1.60 -09.34
5 2.45 -19.94

TABLE II. Resonance frequencies with corresponding return loss for Array 2.

No. Resonance Frequency (GHz) Return Loss (dB)

1 0.30 -16.43
2 0.70 -18.53
3 1.10 -13.88
4 1.50 -11.77
5 1.80 -08.90
6 2.30 -24.22
7 2.45 -08.37
045306-9 R. Kumar and P. Kumar AIP Advances 8, 045306 (2018)

TABLE III. Resonance frequencies with corresponding return loss for Array 3.

No. Resonance Frequency (GHz) Return Loss (dB)

1 0.82 -18.35
2 1.25 -15.678
3 1.85 -40.15

B. Radiation patterns
The radiation pattern is an important property of antennas. The power received at a point by a
receiving antenna is a function of the position of the receiving antenna with respect to the transmitting
antenna. At a constant radius from transmitting antenna, graph of the received power is called the
power pattern which is a spatial pattern. The special pattern of the electro-magnetic field is called
field pattern. A cross section of this field pattern in any particular plane is called “radiation pattern”
in that plane.33,34 Radiation patterns corresponding to the all configurations of plasma antennas at all
the observed resonance frequencies are studied. The radiation patterns are estimated in both plane,
azimuthal and elevation. It has been observed that radiation patterns in azimuthal plane for all the
configurations are symmetric around the axis however elevation patterns are different. Therefore
elevation patterns are shown in results and discussed as follows. Radiation patterns for Array 1,
Array 2 and Array 3 plasma antennas are shown in Figs. 4–6, respectively. Fig. 4 shows the radiation
patterns for Array 1. Figs. 4(a)–4(e) show radiation patterns at resonance frequency of 0.66 GHz,
1.05 GHz, 1.40 GHz and 1.60 GHz, 2.45 GHz, respectively. Similarly, Fig. 5 shows the radia-
tion patterns for Array 2 in which Figs. 5(a)–5(g) are radiation patterns at resonance frequency of
0.30 GHz, 0.70 GHz, 1.10 GHz, 1.50 GHz, 1.80 GHz, 2.30 GHz and 2.45 GHz, respectively. And Fig. 6
shows the radiation patterns for Array 3 in which Figs. 6(a)–6(c) are radiation patterns at resonance
frequency 0.82 GHz, 1.25 GHz and 1.85 GHz, respectively. In our experiments, radiation patterns
in different planes (elevation and azimuthal) in spherical geometry are also measured by isotropic

FIG. 4. Radiation Pattern for Array 1.

045306-10 R. Kumar and P. Kumar AIP Advances 8, 045306 (2018)

FIG. 5. Radiation Pattern for Array 2.

FIG. 6. Radiation Pattern for Array 3.

receiving antenna in the far field region of the plasma antenna. In this experiment, it is assumed
that elevation radiation pattern should be symmetric in upper and lower vertical planes of plasma
antenna. Observations are shown in Fig. 7. Consequently, in the second experiment, the azimuthal
power patterns are measured keeping constant elevation angle and radial position of receiving antenna.

FIG. 7. Measured elevation radiation pattern of array plasma antenna.

045306-11 R. Kumar and P. Kumar AIP Advances 8, 045306 (2018)

TABLE IV. Directivity and Gain corresponding to Resonance frequencies for Array 1.

No. Resonance Frequency (GHz) Directivity Gain (dB)

1 0.66 2.43 2.47

2 1.05 4.06 4.28
3 1.40 5.75 5.65
4 1.60 9.78 7.78
5 2.45 16.99 16.71

C. Gain and directivity

Directivity and Gain of an antenna are parameters to measure the maximum radiation and the
signal strength in a particular direction. The gain of the antenna is closely related to directivity
the only difference between gain and directivity is that directivity is based entirely on the shape
of the radiated power pattern but gain taken into account antenna efficiency as well as its direc-
tional capabilities. Higher gain in one direction means lower gain in other directions. High gain
antennas allow longer range in one direction, but need to be pointed accurately. Low gain anten-
nas have lower range but they can transmit or receive signals in wider span of directions.33,34
We also find directivity and gain for each configuration of plasma antenna at obtained resonance
frequencies.
Directivity and gain for array plasma antennas consist 6 antenna elements of 3 cm in length, 3 cm
in diameter and 2 cm separation are shown in the Table IV.
This array plasma antenna has directivity 2.43, 4.06, 5.75, 9.78, 16.99 and gain 2.47 dB, 4.28 dB,
5.65 dB, 7.78 dB, 16.71 dB corresponding to resonance frequencies 0.66 GHz, 1.05 GHz, 1.40 GHz
and 1.60 GHz, 2.45 GHz, respectively. Moreover in other configuration, directivity and gain for array
plasma antennas consist 6 antenna elements of 4 cm in length, 3 cm in diameter and 1 cm separation
are shown in the Table V. Directivity of this array plasma antenna is estimated as 1.38, 2.44, 3.35, 4.04,
4.39, 8.80, 7.38 and gain is estimated as 1.37 dB, 2.50 dB, 3.51 dB, 4.20 dB, 4.16 dB, 9.47 dB, 7.90 dB
corresponding to resonance frequencies 0.30 GHz, 0.70 GHz, 1.10 GHz, 1.50 GHz, 1.80 GHz,
2.30 GHz and 2.45 GHz, respectively. Further directivity and gain for array plasma antennas, which
consist 5 antenna elements of 5 cm, 4 cm, 3 cm, 2 cm, 1 cm in length, 3 cm in diameter and 2 cm
separations between the elements are shown in the Table VI. It is found that this array plasma antenna
has directivity of 2.42, 4.28, 10.23 and gain of 2.53 dB, 4.69 dB, 10.46 dB corresponding to resonance
frequencies 0.82 GHz, 1.25 GHz and 1.85 GHz, respectively.

TABLE V. Directivity and Gain corresponding to Resonance frequencies for Array 2.

No. Resonance Frequency (GHz) Directivity Gain (dB)

1 0.30 1.38 1.37

2 0.70 2.44 2.50
3 1.10 3.35 3.51
4 1.50 4.04 4.20
5 1.80 4.39 4.16
6 2.30 8.80 9.47
7 2.45 7.38 7.90

TABLE VI. Directivity and Gain corresponding to Resonance frequencies for Array 3.

No. Resonance Frequency (GHz) Directivity Gain (dB)

1 0.82 2.42 2.53

2 1.25 4.28 4.69
3 1.85 10.23 10.46
045306-12 R. Kumar and P. Kumar AIP Advances 8, 045306 (2018)

V. DISCUSSIONS
In this section we discuss about the results, obtained in section IV. S-parameter is important key
to determine the retunability of an antenna as they provide resonance frequencies for it. Antenna can
be tuned on the observed resonance frequencies and re-tuned to other resonance frequencies. In this
study, Array 1 has five, Array 2 has seven and Array 3 has three resonance frequencies. Hence Array
1, Array 2 and Array 3 can be re-tuned to five, seven and three resonance frequencies respectively.
In addition, all three configurations of array plasma antenna on each resonance frequency return loss
is different hence particular resonance frequency on the basis of return loss of it can be chosen. This
study can be applied for frequency selective communications.
Furthermore, it has also been observed that radiation patterns of an antenna are changed with
their resonance frequencies. For Array1, radiation pattern on first resonance frequency of 0.66 GHz
is double dumbbell shape which is non symmetric about the axis that means this array antenna
radiates maximum radiation towards large dumbbells and minimum towards small dumbbells. At
second resonance frequency of 1.05 GHz radiation pattern get distorted form the shape of dou-
ble dumbbell and similar for all other higher frequencies of 1.40 GHz, 1.60 GHz and 2.45 GHz.
For Array 2 radiation patterns on first resonance frequency of 0.30 GHz is omni-directional that
means directivity at this frequency is low. At second resonance frequency of 0.70 GHz, radiation
pattern is now asymmetric double dumbbell that shows antenna become directive at this resonance
frequency. Again on the other higher resonance frequencies antenna further gets directive and radi-
ation patterns get distorted from the earlier shapes. For Array 3 radiation patterns on first resonance
frequency of 0.82 GHz is nearly symmetric double dumbbell that means this array antenna radi-
ates same radiation in the directions of dumbbells and minimum in other directions. At second
and third resonance frequencies, radiation patterns for this antenna are also becomes directive. The
Figs. 8–10 show directivity and gain of all the three array plasma antennas which also increase
along with the higher resonance frequencies. From the experimental study it can be concluded that
the maximum power is radiated at perpendicular to the axis of antenna and radiated power is min-
imum parallel to axis of antenna. This result suggests that antenna elements are arranged in such a
way so that entire structure can be treated as broadside array plasma antenna. Moreover Results of
azimuthal radiation pattern indicates that power patterns are symmetric around the axis of the plasma
antenna.
From the above discussions it can be noticed that a reconfigurable plasma antenna can be tuned
to different resonance frequencies and it can also be directed in different directions by changing the
resonance frequency. It provides us to make a choice that either antenna radiates maximum signal in
all direction or in a particular direction. Therefore array plasma antenna can be applied for steering
and controlling the strength of Wi-Fi signals as per requirement.

FIG. 8. Variation of directivity and gain with resonance frequency for Array 1.
045306-13 R. Kumar and P. Kumar AIP Advances 8, 045306 (2018)

FIG. 9. Variation of directivity and gain with resonance frequency for Array 2.

FIG. 10. Variation of directivity and gain with resonance frequency for Array 3.

It is quite interesting that the results obtained for all the simulated array plasma antennas are
compared with the results reported from the experimental study.10 It is revealed that both results
are quite matched with each other. For example at resonance frequency of 0.30 GHz for Array 2
configuration, the radiation patterns in azimuthal plane for both the antennas are symmetric around
the axis of plasma antenna while radiation patterns in elevation plane of both the antennas indicate
that maximum radiation radiates in the direction of perpendicular to the antenna axis. Therefore the
radiation patterns are quite similar for experimental and simulated array plasma antennas. Directiv-
ity of array plasma antennas is estimated from 2.9 to 4.1 in the experimental study when number
of antenna elements are varied from 4 to 10 respectively while in the simulation study directiv-
ity for these array antennas are obtained from 1.38 to 16.99 since not only number of antenna
elements are changed but also change in resonance frequencies of each array antennas. However
the difference in the radiation patterns and also in the directivities might be due to the simulation
limitations.

VI. COMPARISON BETWEEN ARRAY AND SINGLE PLASMA ANTENNA

It is important to mention that simulation and experimental study have been accomplished on
single plasma antenna.35 There is an opportunity to compare the antenna parameters of single and
array plasma antennas. Resonance frequencies are obtained for both the plasma antennas by the
045306-14 R. Kumar and P. Kumar AIP Advances 8, 045306 (2018)

s-parameters. It is noticed that obtained resonance frequencies of both antennas are different from
each other. There are three types of single plasma antennas having different lengths are used for the
study. The plasma antenna of length 30 cm and radius 1.5 (named as Monopole 1) has four resonance
frequencies as 0.33 GHz, 0.75 GHz, 1.20 GHz and 1.70 GHz. The plasma antenna of length 20 cm
and radius 1.5 cm (named as Monopole 2) has three resonance frequencies as 0.44 GHz, 1.10 GHz
and 1.80 GHz. However, the plasma antennas of length of 10 cm and radius 1.5 cm (named as
Monopole 3) has only one resonance frequency 0.80 GHz. On the other hand, Array 1 has five
resonance frequencies as 0.66 GHz, 1.05 GHz, 1.40 GHz and 1.60 GHz, and 2.45 GHz, Array 2 has
seven resonance frequencies as 0.30 GHz, 0.70 GHz, 1.10 GHz, 1.50 GHz, 1.80 GHz, 2.30 GHz and
2.45 GHz, and Array 3 has only three resonance frequencies as 0.82 GHz, 1.25 GHz and 1.85 GHz.
From the above mentioned results it is clear that all the monopoles and array plasma antennas
have different resonance frequencies moreover return losses, radiation patterns on these resonance
frequencies are also different. It is also observed that directivity of monopole antennas vary from 1.4
to 6.0 while directivity of array antennas vary from 1.4 to 16.0. Therefore this study reveals that array
plasm antenna is more applicable than single plasma antenna.

VII. CONCLUSIONS
Single plasma antenna is transformed into array plasma antenna by changing the operating
parameters. Single plasma antenna bifurcates transversally into number of small antenna elements
at certain plasma parameters, decided by bifurcation parameter. Three array plasma antennas of dif-
ferent configurations are investigated. Radiation patterns indicate that each configuration of antenna
elements acts as a vertical linear broadside phased array plasma antenna. It is also quite interesting
that directivity of Array 1 increases from 2.43 to 16.99 and gain increases from 2.47 dB to 16.71 dB
when the resonance frequency changes from 0.66 GHz to 2.45 GHz. Directivity increases from 1.38
to 7.38 and gain increases from 1.37 dB to 7.90 dB for Array 2 when the resonance frequency changes
from 0.30 GHz to 2.45 GHz. Directivity increases for Array 3 from 2.42 to 10.23 and gain increases
from 2.53 dB to 10.46 dB when the resonance frequency changes from 0.82 GHz to 1.85 GHz.
Simulation results are in line with the experimental results. It is also demonstrated that array plasma
antenna is more directive than the single plasma antenna. Thus, present study reveals that recon-
figurable plasma antenna can be formed in a single system which makes the plasma antenna more
advantageous than the metallic antenna. Directivity and physical properties can be controlled by
operating parameters.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Authors are thankful to the members of the Department of Physics, Dr. Harisingh Gour University
for their help and support at every stage of research. We are also thankful to the Institute for Plasma
Research (IPR) Gandhinagar, India for providing the valuable information and UGC for funding
support.
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