antennas are radio frequency antennas that employ plasma as the guiding medium
for electromagnetic radiation.The
concept is to use plasma discharge tubes as the antenna elements. When the tubes
are energized, they become conductors, and can transmit and receive radio signals.
When they are de-energised, they revert to non-conducting elements and do not
reflect probing radio signals. Plasma antenna can be "Steered" electronically.
Another feature of the plasma antenna is that it can be turned off rapidly, reducing
ringing on pulse transmission.On earth we live upon an island of "ordinary"
matter. The different states of matter generally found on earth are solid, liquid,
and gas. Sir William Crookes, an English physicist identified a fourth state of
matter, now called plasma, in 1879. Plasma is by far the most common form of matter.
Plasma in the stars and in the tenuous space between them makes up over 99% of
the visible universe and perhaps most of that which is not visible. Important
to ASI's technology, plasmas are conductive assemblies of charged and neutral
particles and fields that exhibit collective effects. Plasmas carry electrical
currents and generate magnetic fields.When
the Plasma Antenna Research Laboratory at ANU investigated the feasibility of
plasma antennas as low radar cross-section radiating elements, Redcentre established
a network between DSTO ANU researchers, CEA Technologies, Cantec Australasia and
Neolite Neon for further development and future commercialization of this technology.
The plasma antenna R & D project has proceeded over the last year at the Australian
National University in response to a DSTO (Defence Science and Technology Organisation)
contract to develop a new antenna solution that minimizes antenna detectability