Integrated solar panel antennas

Introduction: Autonomous communications systems often involve the use of separate solar cells and antennas, which necessitate a compromise in the utilisation of the limited surface area available. These separate items may be combined thus saving valuable ‘real estate’, provided that the antennas and solar cells are compatible [1]. One method for achieving this is to integrate the two kinds of device on the same element. In particular, solar panels occupy a large proportion of the total surface area of communications satellites, providing large flat surfaces over which antennas can be mounted, or printed. Printed antennas, commonly used in microwave communications, are naturally suited for this combination, in particular when their radiating patches can be isolated from the feed circuits [2]. Amorphous silicon solar cell technology has been found to be suitable for realising the solar antennas [3]. Of course, the integrated combination of these devices would also be of interest for terrestrial systems.