A measurement technique for modeling the effects of feed support struts on large reflector antennas

A measurement technique is described in which frequency scaled models of struts are placed in the near-field region of an offset reflector. In this compact range environment the excitation of the strut model is by plane waves, as would be encountered in the axisymmetrical reflector situation. Far-field radiation patterns are recorded, with and without the strut model in place, and, because of the low sidelobe levels associated with offset reflector antenna systems, it is possible to isolate the far-field response of the strut model. This technique is particularly useful for determining the real effects of structures that are difficult to analyze mathematically, such as latticed struts or metallic geodetic radomes.     

Microwave technique for reflector antenna profile measurement

A method for microwave measurement of the reflector antenna surface profile is described. The technique uses a focused monostatic secondary reflector located on axis at approximately two focal lenths from the reflector under test. Measurement of the two-ways phase change provides profile error information over a set of annular sections. Practical results are provided to illustrate the spatial resolution and sensitivity of the technique.     

Microwave holographic technique for reflector antenna profile measurement

A short-range microwave holographic technique for the measurement of reflector antenna surface profile is described. The technique uses a linearly scanned transmit/receive CW probe located on-axis at approximately two focal lengths from the reflector vertex. Rotation of the reflector provides a plane-polar data set which can be reconstructed by a fast algorithm to provide a surface profile error map. No special precautions are required with regard to the reflectivity of the environment. Practical results are provided to illustrate the performance of the system.     

Analysis of one-dimensional zonal reflectors

A one-dimensional zonal reflector is a conducting surface which is uniform in one direction and has a zonal profile in the other. Similar to a cylindrical reflector, it converts a cylindrical wave from a line-source into an outgoing plane wave. The radiation performance of such reflectors with TM-wave illumination is analyzed by the method of moments (MoM). The influence of corner diffraction and zoning on the sidelobe level is investigated. Three types of configurations are considered, which include the parabolic zonal reflector and two stepwise zonal reflectors of different configurations. It is found that corner diffraction makes a significant contribution to the sidelobe level, but zoning intrinsically raises the far-out sidelobes. Numerical results show that the near-in sidelobes of the stepwise zonal reflector can be significantly decreased by adjusting the geometrical configuration     

An approximation of the radiation integral for distorted reflectorantennas using surface-error decomposition

The physical optics/aperture integration (PO/AI) formulation is often used to analyze the radiation patterns of reflector antennas. In this study, the PO/AI radiation integrals for distorted reflector antennas are addressed. The surface error of the antennas is approximated by a series of surface expansion functions. The radiation integral is decomposed into a series of radiation-type integrals, each of which corresponds to one of the surface expansion functions. Each of these radiation-type integrals is then weighted by amplitude coefficients. The advantage of performing the decomposition is that each of the radiation-type integrals can be computed and the pattern data stored. The computation of the pattern for a distorted reflector antenna with a changing error profile is performed by recalling the pattern data for each perturbation term and weighting it with the amplitude coefficient. This facilitates rapid evaluation of the radiation integral in cases where the error profile is changing (for example, time-varying errors). The superposition of integrals presented in this paper was shown to be valid for surface-error profiles up to 0.1 λ rms amplitude     

An efficient neural network algorithm for reflector surface errorcompensation

A neural network algorithm for electromagnetic compensation of reflector surface error effects is formulated. Sets of trained neural networks are used to compute the compensation excitations for array feeds. The networks were trained using data generated with the constrained least squares (CLS) compensation method. Once trained, the calculation of the excitations is accomplished in significantly less time than required by the original constrained least squares algorithm. The surface error profile for a distorted reflector antenna is expanded using bivariate surface basis functions. Each of the trained networks corresponds to one of the expansion functions. Excitations computed using the neural networks are superposed to produce composite compensation excitations for the distorted reflector. The compensation results for a distorted reflector are presented, and the neural network algorithm performance is compared to the original CLS technique     

Losses, sidelobes, and cross polarization caused by feed-supportstruts in reflector antennas: design curves

In a symmetrical reflector antenna the feed system and its support struts block the aperture and thereby deteriorate the radiation characteristics. Simple design curves are presented for the efficiency reduction, the sidelobe levels, and the cross polarization caused by strut blockage. The results are obtained from an analytical study that includes the induced field ratio (IFR) of the struts. The most significant IFR values for struts with circular cross section are calculated and plotted in a way which makes them easy to use as design curves. The use of the design curves is demonstrated by an example     

An E-field integral equation solution for the radiationfrom reflector antennas with struts

The E-field integral equation is applied to rotationally symmetric reflector antennas with struts. Current is allowed to flow on all the reflector surfaces and continuity is enforced at the conductor junctions. Radiation patterns are presented for a small paraboloid antenna, and the effects of the struts are clearly defined. These include the strut cone radiation, pattern asymmetries introduced by the struts, and gain loss and sidelobe level changes     

Panel gap cover for millimetre-wave antenna

The reflector of the 10 m diameter, millimetre-wave, South Pole Telescope has been equipped with reflecting covers over the gaps between panels. The covers are thin metal strips that lie on the surface of the panels, with spring clip retainers that engage steps in the panel edges. Covering the gaps reduces thermal noise from the reflector by 2 K at the expense of increasing the surface profile error by 11 m rms.     

Field correlation diffraction theory of the symmetrical cassegrainian antenna

The received field as focused by the parabolic main reflector of a Cassegrainian antenna at the surface of an arbitrary profile subreflector is calculated by a spherical wave expansion. This facilitates the application of the field correlation principle and leads to an expression for aperture efficiency taking into account diffraction effects. A comparison is made with numerical results previously published or obtained by other methods. The potential advantage of the technique is the speed of computation and the capability for synthesis as well as analysis of reflector shapes.     

衍射光学元件车削误差控制技术

衍射光学元件在光学系统中的应用越来越广泛,对衍射结构的加工质量提出了更高的要求。单点金刚石车削可直接加工出高精度衍射微结构表面,但衍射结构的位置误差和表面质量对其光学性能有较大影响。为了提高衍射光学元件的性能,需要精确控制其车削误差。基于此,分析了影响衍射元件加工质量的因素,建立了揭示位置误差、衍射面形状和刀具半径之间的关系的数学模型,揭示了衍射带位置精度影响规律。通过补偿加工提升基底表面质量来提高衍射曲面面形精度。结合仿真模型与粗糙度影响参数,指导车削刀具半径的选取。最后,基于仿真结果,选择半径为0.02 mm的半圆弧刀具加工,最终加工的衍射元件面形误差为292 nm,衍射环带位置误差最大为55 nm,高度误差最大为16 nm,粗糙度为5.6 nm。实验结果表明,该预测模型可以指导衍射光学元件高精度表面形貌的获取,有利于提高光学系统的成像质量,为高精度衍射光学元件的批量生产提供了技术支持,具有广泛的工程应用价值。     

G/T maximization of a paraboloidal reflector fed by a dipole-diskantenna with ring by using the multiple-reflection approach and themoment method

A 1.8-m paraboloidal reflector fed by a dipole-disk antenna with a beamforming ring is optimized for high G/T at L-band by using the moment method (MM) and the multiple reflection (MR) approach. The MR approach is based on using MM to calculate the radiation and scattering patterns of the feed, using physical optics plus uniform geometrical theory of diffraction (UTD) to include the reflector, and in addition to include the mutual interaction (multiple reflections) between the reflector and the feed by using the expression for the sum of an infinite geometric series. The MR approach is shown to be equally accurate as a MM solution of the complete antenna with reflector, provided the reflector is in the far field of the feed, and the MR approach is much faster. As a result of the calculations using the MR approach, design curves are presented showing how the G/T varies as a function of antenna geometry, size, and elevation angle, all for a given noise profile of the surrounding sky and ground. The computed radiation patterns and G/Ts are compared with measurements for several elevation angles and surrounding terrain     

Spherical wave blockage in reflector antennas

The effects of the spherical wave blockage in reflector antennas is investigated. This problem is likely to occur in axially symmetrical feed antennas of single- and dual-reflector type in both single- and dual-reflector configurations, owing to the presence of primary feeds and their supports including struts that are normally placed between the primary source and the main reflector. The main reflector blockage due to large obstacles is estimated by the well-known null-field technique that employs flat polygonal plate models of the masking structures to define the obscured area. Although this same approach may be used to predict the spherical wave blockage due to the struts, a more rigorous but yet efficient technique is also employed, which consists of superimposing to the primary field the high-frequency scattered field from the struts. This field is calculated by using scattering coefficients that are derived by locally approximating the actual structure, by an infinite circular cylinder. This latter formulation is compared with the null-field technique and validated by an experimental campaign. The measurement setup is particularly useful for isolating spherical wave-blockage effects. It consists of a single-reflector offset antenna where a single strut is mounted with its axis parallel to that of the focusing parabola, thus, practically enforcing the plane wave blockage to vanish. Comparisons with the measurements have shown that the null-field approach is adequate for predicting the secondary pattern for large polygonal obstacle, but it is unsatisfactory to treat the strut blockage. It is found that this latter can be successfully described with the more rigorous high-frequency approach     

考虑馈源位置误差的面天线机电耦合优化设计

 针对面天线结构设计中存在的机电分离以及忽视馈源位置误差的问题,从机械电磁两场耦合的角度,将反射面天线主面误差和馈源位置误差统一到天线方向图的远场计算公式中,从而可以研究包含馈源支撑结构在内的天线结构参数对主要电性能（包括增益、副瓣、波瓣宽度、指向精度等）的影响。利用该公式建立了包含馈源支撑结构参数的天线整体机电耦合优化模型,通过某8米天线的仿真对比表明了该耦合优化模型的优点,最后将该优化模型应用于某40米大型反射面天线,取得了满意的效果。     

Minimization of the plane-wave scattering contribution ofinverted-Y strut tripods to the noise temperature of reflector antennas

The article is concerned with determining the metallic strut cross section of inverted-Y tripods used to minimize the plane-wave scattering contribution to the noise temperature of ground-station reflector antennas and radio telescopes. This is accomplished by numerically optimizing the cross section for minimum ground-noise pickup over the antenna elevation-angle operation range. Advantage is taken of the fact that although the struts' cross-section perimeter can be comparable to the operation wavelength, their electrical lengths are usually long. This allows the struts' scattering characteristics to be determined by solving standard two-dimensional field integral equations. The article concentrates on the top strut of an inverted-Y configuration since it is responsible for the dominant ground noise pickup associated with the plane-wave scattering. Numerical simulations are presented to substantiate this fact and a simple and convenient broadband closed-form representation for the minimum-noise top-strut cross section is derived and tested     

Beam diffraction by planar and parabolic reflectors

In the complex source point technique, an omnidirectional source diffraction solution becomes that for a directive beam when the coordinates of the source position are given appropriate complex values. This is applied to include feed directivity in reflector edge diffraction. Solutions and numerical examples for planar strip and parabolic cylinder reflectors are given, including an offset parabolic reflector. The main beams of parabolic reflectors are calculated by aperture integration and the edge diffracted fields by uniform diffraction theory. In both cases, a complex source point feed in the near or far field of the reflector may be used in the pattern calculation, with improvements in accuracy in the lateral and spillover pattern lobes     

Field probe for measuring both amplitude and phase of antenna radiation patterns

Small probe antennas are often used for measuring the amplitude and phase of antenna radiation patterns. Phase measurements are complicated by the need for an accurate r.f. phase reference to be conveyed to or from the mobile probe. The letter describes a scheme for simplifying such measurements by the use of a probe unit which backscatters incident energy after subjecting it to a single sideband frequency translation. The scheme has application to both compact ranges and to the measurement of profile errors in reflector antennas by phase measurements within the aperture plane.     

Diffraction-optimised shaped-beam reflector antennas

An iterative method is presented to find the reflector profile which minimises the mean-square error between a scattered and a desired field, thereby achieving pattern synthesis. This technique is applied to 3-dimensional circulary symmetric systems for either field- or power-pattern synthesis. Theoretical and experimental results are given for the problem of synthesising a uniform-amplitude sector beam between 20° and 66°.     

Diffraction analysis of line feeds for spherical reflectors

The diffraction limitations of the line feeds for spherical reflector antennas are analyzed by means of an asymptotic transition region theory (TRT). It is shown that diffraction from the ends of the line feed causes a broad 6-dB-deep central dip in the aperture field of the reflector. The corresponding reduction in aperture efficiency and increase in spillover are also calculated by means of the TRT. The accuracy of the theory is checked by numerical evaluations of the array sum expression for the radiation field and of the secondary aperture-field and spillover integrals. The results are applicable to the line feeds of the spherical reflector antenna of the Arecibo Observatory     

UTD analysis of a shaped subreflector in a dual offset-reflectorantenna system

The geometrical theory of diffraction (GTD) is known as an efficient high-frequency method for the analysis of electrically large objects such as a reflector antenna. However it is difficult to obtain geometrical parameters in order to apply GTD to an arbitrary shaped reflector, especially a subreflector. The geometrical parameters of an arbitrary shaped subreflector for the uniform theory of diffraction (UTD) analysis are derived based on differential geometry. The radiation patterns of various subreflector types, including hyperboloidal and a shaped subreflector, are evaluated by UTD. The computed result for the hyperboloidal reflector agrees well with that obtained by uniform asymptotic theory (UAT)