Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: This paper presents a plasma-based approach for wideband impedance matching of electrically small antennas (ESAs). By exploiting the negative permittivity of a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP), the plasma is shown to function as a wideband negative capacitor that effectively compensates for the large and frequency-dependent reactance inherent to ESAs. A VHF/UHF electrically small capped dipole antenna is used as a proof-of-concept platform to demonstrate the proposed technique. Theoretical analysis, Multiphysics simulations, and experimental measurements confirm broadband impedance matching, with -6 dB fractional bandwidth that can exceed 100\%, using only a few watts of plasma power. The matching bandwidth can be dynamically tuned by adjusting the plasma operating conditions, gas pressure, and electron density, enabling control over the trade-off between bandwidth and radiation efficiency. This plasma-enabled matching paradigm provides a physically robust and scalable solution for wideband ESAs, particularly attractive for low-frequency and high-power applications where conventional matching techniques are fundamentally limited.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Authors: Singhal, Kushagra, Semnani, Abbas
Institution: University of Toledo
Language: English
Topic: Antenna Design and Analysis
Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: Office of Naval Research
Award: G214791923
OpenAlex ID: W7222488693