Stray signal requirements for compact range reflectors based on RCSmeasurement errors

The authors present a performance criterion for compact range reflectors such that their edge diffracted stray signal levels meet a reasonable radar cross section (RCS) measurement error requirement. It is shown by example that one of the significant error sources is the diffracted fields emanating from the edges or junctions of the reflector. This measurement error is demonstrated by placing a diagonal square flat plate in the target zone and rotating it to appropriate angles. These angles are determined by bisecting the plane wave and stray signal directions. This results in a peak bistatic measurement of the edge diffracted stray signal. It is proposed that the diagonal flat plate be used to evaluate new reflector designs as well as existing systems. A reasonable stray signal performance level has been developed so that new reflector systems can be characterized in terms of an RCS measurement error requirement     

Performance trade-off between serrated edge and blended rolled edgecompact range reflectors

The performance trade-off between serrated edge and blended rolled edge compact range reflectors is investigated. The edge diffracted fields which contribute to stray signals in the quiet zone have to be minimized. Consequently, an iterative approach has been developed to design serrated edges such that the edge diffracted rays from the serrations can be kept as far away as possible from the desired quiet zone area. Performance of various designs based on the number and size of serrations have been studied using a physical theory of diffraction solution. In addition, an optimized blended rolled edge design with the same size as the serrated edge reflector has also been evaluated for comparison. Finally, numerical results are presented in this paper to address the performance trade-off issue among the various designs. It is clearly shown from this study that the blended rolled edge reflector performs significantly better, which should offset the increased cost needed to construct a rolled edge reflector versus a serrated one     

An improved main reflector design for compact range applications

Compact ranges offer many advantages over other types of ranges, and as a result much effort is being directed toward the improvement of their performance. The use of concave edge contours and blended rolled edge terminations to reduce the unwanted energy diffracted into the target zone from the termination of the main reflector is discussed. The proposed shaping of the edge contour minimizes the diffracted fields by virtue of reducing the spread factor; whereas, the blended rolled edge terminations reduce the diffracted fields by creating a smooth transition in the reflected field. Two design examples are treated in order to illustrate these concepts.     

Feasibility of compact ranges for near-zone measurements

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the feasibility of using compact range reflector systems to make near-zone radiation or scattering measurements. This can be achieved by designing the compact range to provide a uniform spherical wave incident upon the antenna or scatterer under test. The basic design technique is demonstrated using the Scientific Atlanta reflector system which has been modified by adding an elliptic rolled edge to improve the uniformity of the incident wave. The near-zone range design is validated (from around 50 ft range to the far zone) by probing the field in the measurement volume and by comparing measured backscattering patterns from a circular cylinder with those calculated by the geometrical theory of diffraction (GTD). All the advantages of a conventional far-zone compact range are now made available by our demonstrated variable-zone (adjustable continuously from 50 ft to infinity) compact range.     

用UTD方法评估一种紧凑场反射器的目标区特性

讨论了一种紧凑场反射器的边缘绕射情况,并用一致性几何绕射方法(UTD)对该反射器的目标区准平面波指标作了评估,给出了目标区大小与工作频率之间的关系.     

Compact range measurement systems for electrically small test zones

Traditional range requirements are evaluated for spherical and compact range measurement systems. It is shown that a compact range system is more appropriate for targets three wavelengths (λ) and larger because of the chamber size needed to meet these requirements. Commercially available compact range systems are, however, normally restricted to 10 λ or larger targets because of the excessive diffraction associated with currently available compact range reflectors. It is shown that this limitation could be overcome by using a blended rolled edge compact range reflector. For example, a 9 λ×9 λ blended rolled edge reflector can be used to measure 3 λ targets at the lowest frequency of operation. As the frequency of operation increases, the test zone of the reflector approaches one half the reflector's linear dimension, which is consistent with presently available compact range systems     

An array feed approach to compact range reflector design

A novel methodology is presented for the design of array feeds for compact range reflectors. The principal design strategy is to illuminate the rim of a standard, circular-aperture reflector with an array pattern null. This results in a reduction in the level of edge-diffracted fields present in the quiet zone. Since low-frequency performance is improved without dedicating reflector surface area to edge treatment, the potential quiet zone size is maximized. Implementation of the technique requires only a few real-valued array excitation coefficients. It is demonstrated that various quiet zone field performance trade-offs can be made by varying either the excitation coefficients or the array size. The quality of the quiet zone field is compared with that of a uniformly illuminated serrated reflector. The operational bandwidth and the effects of both random and systematic array excitation coefficient errors are evaluated     

Offset dual-shaped reflectors for dual chamber compact ranges

The application of the theory of the synthesis of offset dual-shaped reflectors to the design of compact ranges is examined. The object of the compact range is to provide a uniform plane wave with minimum amplitude and phase ripple over as large a volume as possible for a given size reflector. Ripple can be lowered by reducing the edge diffraction from the reflector producing the plane wave. This has been done either by serrating or rolling the edge. An alternative approach is to use dual offset-shaped reflector synthesis techniques to produce a reflector aperture distribution that is uniform over most of the aperture, but with a Gaussian taper near the edge. This approach can be used together with rolling and/or serration if desirable. The amount of phase and amplitude ripple obtained with two different dual-shaped reflector designs is studied as a function of position in the plane wave zone and reflector size in wavelengths. The amount of both transverse and longitudinal (z-component) cross polarization is studied     

Diffraction of high-frequency electromagnetic waves by curvedstrips

The authors describe the construction of a high-frequency solution in the geometrical theory of diffraction (GTD) format for the generation of edge-diffracted space rays and edge-excited surface waves by an electromagnetic wave normally incident on the edge of a curved impedance strip. The transformation coefficients necessary for the analysis of the diffraction on curved surfaces with equal vanishing face impedances are tabulated in a form appropriate for numerical applications. The procedure for evaluating the diffracted field excited by the edge of a cylindrically curved strip, which can be associated with a reflector antenna or an aperture on a curved surface, is presented for both perfectly and nonperfectly conducting cases     

A method to design blended rolled edges for compact rangereflectors

A method to design blended rolled edges for compact range reflectors with arbitrary rim shape is presented. The reflectors may be center-fed or offset-fed. The method leads to rolled edges with minimal surface discontinuities. It is shown that the reflectors designed using the prescribed method can be defined analytically using simple expressions. A procedure to obtain optimum rolled parameters is also presented. The procedure leads to blended rolled edges that minimize the diffracted field emanating from the junction between the paraboloid and the rolled edge surface while satisfying certain constraints regarding the reflector size and the minimum operating frequency of the system     

Compact range reflector analysis using the plane wave spectrumapproach with an adjustable sampling rate

An improved method for determining the test zone field of compact range reflectors is presented. The plane wave spectrum (PWS) approach is used to obtain the test zone field from knowledge of the reflector aperture field distribution. The method is particularly well suited to the analysis of reflectors with a linearly serrated rim for reduced edge diffraction. Computation of the PWS of the reflector aperture field is facilitated by a closed-form expression for the Fourier transform of a polygonal window function. Inverse transformation in the test zone region is accomplished using a fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm with a properly adjusted sampling rate (which is a function of both the reflector size and the distance from the reflector). The method is validated by comparison with results obtained using surface current and aperture field integration techniques. The performance of several serrated reflectors is evaluated in order to observe the effects of edge diffraction on the test zone fields     

Pattern measurements of reflector antennas in the compact range andvalidation with computer code simulation

The measurements were performed at the University's compact range facility. They demonstrated: (1) the excellent dynamic range that can be achieved with antenna pattern measurements in a compact range facility; and (2) the excellent validation achieved for the calculated patterns of two 8-ft diameter reflector antennas. The compact range has a rolled edge modification to its reflector and uses a pulsed radar system to eliminate the clutter interference such that a dynamic range of more than 80 dB can be obtained. The measured far field patterns of two 8-ft reflector antennas, a prime focus fed antenna and a Cassegrain antenna, at 11 GHz were compared with those calculated by Ohio State University's Reflector Antenna Code. The computer code simulation's approach is also briefly described     

Novel Gaussian beam method for the rapid analysis of largereflector antennas

A relatively fast and simple method utilizing Gaussian beams (GBs) is developed which requires only a few seconds on a workstation to compute the near/far fields of electrically large reflector antennas when they are illuminated by a feed with a known radiation pattern. This GB technique is fast, because it completely avoids any numerical integration on the large reflector surface which is required in the conventional physical optics (PO) analysis of such antennas and which could take several hours on a workstation. Specifically, the known feed radiation field is represented by a set of relatively few, rotationally symmetric GBs that are launched radially out from the feed plane and with almost identical interbeam angular spacing. These GBs strike the reflector surface from where they are reflected, and also diffracted by the reflector edge; the expressions for the fields reflected and diffracted by the reflector illuminated with a general astigmatic incident GB from an arbitrary direction (but not close to grazing on the reflector) have been developed in Chou and Pathak (1997) and utilized in this work. Numerical results are presented to illustrate the versatility, accuracy, and efficiency of this GB method when it is used for analyzing general offset parabolic reflectors with a single feed or an array feed, as well as for analyzing nonparabolic reflectors such as those described by ellipsoidal and even general shaped surfaces     

Ka 波段紧缩场天线的设计

设计了一个Ka 波段紧缩场天线。馈源设计结合角锥喇叭在反射面边缘照射电平下降快与波纹喇叭波瓣宽度宽的特点,通过给角锥喇叭加扼流套的改进设计来实现对反射面的照射。反射面采用锯齿型边缘来降低边缘的绕射作用,并进一步在无法加工锯齿部位贴附三角形吸波材料来减小绕射对静区特性的影响。暗室内采用平面测量结果表明,Ka 波段紧缩场天线静区特性满足设计指标要求。     

Compact antenna test range without reflector edge treatment and RF anechoic chamber

There are several types of CATRs (compact antenna test ranges) used in antenna-pattern measurements. An offset reflector is generally used to generate the quiet zone of a CATR. Serrated edges, rolled edges, or R-cards are generally chosen along the reflector's edge to reduce the edge-diffraction field inside the quiet zone of the CATR. In order to reduce stray signals from the environment, a high-quality RF anechoic chamber is required for a CATR. In this paper, a new type of CATR, without either a reflector edge treatment or an RF anechoic chamber, is developed. A commercially available DBS (direct-broadcast satellite) reflector antenna, without edge treatment, is used as the reflector antenna of the CATR to generate the quiet zone of the antenna test range. In order to improve the quiet zone's performance, the fields due to feed spillover, edge diffractions, and other stray signals are gated out by the ITDAMS (impulse time-domain antenna measurement system). The RF interference in the environment can also be reduced by time synchronization and pulse integration of the impulse time-domain antenna measurement system. In order to verify the capabilities of the proposed CATR, three kinds of antennas (a low-directivity horn antenna, a high-directivity 60 cm direct-broadcast satellite reflector antenna, and a 25 cm Ka-band Cassegrain LMDS - local microwave distribution system - antenna) were measured by the proposed CATR. The antenna-pattern results agreed quite well with those of a near-field range and a far-field range.     

A uniform geometrical theory of diffraction for an edge in a perfectly conducting surface

A compact dyadic diffraction coefficient for electromagnetic waves obliquely incident on a curved edse formed by perfectly conducting curved ot plane surfaces is obtained. This diffraction coefficient remains valid in the transition regions adjacent to shadow and reflection boundaries, where the diffraction coefficients of Keller's original theory fail. Our method is based on Keller's method of the canonical problem, which in this case is the perfectly conducting wedge illuminated by plane, cylindrical, conical, and spherical waves. When the proper ray-fixed coordinate system is introduced, the dyadic diffraction coefficient for the wedge is found to be the sum of only two dyads, and it is shown that this is also true for the dyadic diffraction coefficients of higher order edges. One dyad contains the acoustic soft diffraction coefficient; the other dyad contains the acoustic hard diffraction coefficient. The expressions for the acoustic wedge diffraction coefficients contain Fresenel integrals, which ensure that the total field is continuous at shadow and reflection boundaries. The diffraction coefficients have the same form for the different types of edge illumination; only the arguments of the Fresnel integrals are different. Since diffraction is a local phenomenon, and locally the curved edge structure is wedge shaped, this result is readily extended to the curved wedge. It is interesting that even though the polarizations and the wavefront curvatures of the incident, reflected, and diffracted waves are markedly different, the total field calculated from this high-frequency solution for the curved wedge is continuous at shadow and reflection boundaries.     

Compact range reflector edge treatment impact on antenna andscattering measurements

Compact range measurements with a serrated edge and a blended, rolled edge reflector are compared. This is done by using simulated antenna pattern and backscattered field measurements. The measurement errors caused by stray signals emanating from the edge termination of reflector are discussed. It has been found that different stray signal sources impact on the measurement accuracy from different aspect angles. In addition, the measurement accuracy achievable with different reflector systems is dependent on the characteristics of the antenna or scatterer under test. From these findings, one will be better able to understand how well these two types of reflectors will perform in terms of accurately providing the proposed measurements. Consequently, one will be able to choose the best reflector design for his/her application     

A dual chamber Gregorian subreflector system for compact rangeapplications

A dual-chamber compact range configuration is proposed wherein the main reflector and target zone are located in the main chamber and an oversized Gregorian subreflector and associated feed assemblies in the other. The chambers are isolated by an absorber fence except for a small coupling aperture which is used to transmit signals between them. The absorber fence prevents diffraction by the subreflector and spillover by the feed from illuminating the main reflector and target zone. System performance is analyzed with and without the absorber fence to show how the coupling aperture should be shaped to minimize diffractions     

Enhanced compact range reflector concept using an R-card fence:two-dimensional case

Compact range reflector edge diffraction can be reduced by using an R-card fence. Well-designed R-cards (resistive sheets) placed in front of reflector edges reduce the field variations in the test zone. The keys to successful R-card design are proper choices of both the geometry and resistance profile. In this paper, a two-dimensional (2-D) version of the problem is attacked to show the basic concepts and essential considerations in designing R-cards. The complexity of a design is simplified by separating the different mechanisms associated with R-cards. Undesired mechanisms can be visualized by ray tracing and then eliminated by choosing the correct R-card geometry. The useful impact of this treatment is illustrated as it controls the transmitted energy level through the R-card; thus, the resistance of the R-card is defined based on an optimum aperture taper. Excellent performance in both the cross-range and down-range directions is presented, and the validity of the design is verified over a wide band of frequencies. The simplicity, flexibility, and low cost of this R-card fence concept provides a viable alternative to other edge treatments