Selective reduction in back radiation from paraboloidal reflector antennas

By structurally changing the rim of reflector antennas, reduction of radiation is achieved in the shadow region. An experimental approach is used based on the concepts of edge diffraction theory.     

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     

Reactance-loaded short-backfire arrays: new results

The letter presents experimental data for modified reactance-loaded short-backfire arrays. It is shown that the use of a rectangular subreflector, in conjunction with a half-wave-length rim around the edge of the main reflector, results in a smaller and simpler structure having larger power gain, smaller beamwidth, and lower sidelobe levels.     

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     

Some important geometrical features of conic-section-generated offset refelector antennas

Geometrical characteristics of conic-section-generated offset reflectors are studied in a unified fashion. Some unique geometrical features of the reflector rim constructed from the intersection of the reflector surface and a cone or cylinder are explored in detail. It is found that the intersection curve (rim) of the rotationally generated conic-section reflector surface and a circular cone with its tip at the focal point is always a planar curve and has a circular projection on the focal plane only for the offset parabolic reflector. Furthermore, in this case, the line going through the center of the circle, parallel to the focal axis, and the central axis of the cone do not intersect the reflector surface at the same point. Numerical results are presented to demonstrate some unique features of offset parabolic reflectors.     

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     

High efficiency and low sidelobe design for a large aperture offset reflector antenna

A design method giving high efficiency and low sidelobes is discussed for large aperture offset reflector antennas. A new reflector shaping technique using the subreflector and the beam waveguide reflector with the parabolic main reflector is proposed to simplify the main reflector manufacturing process. The effectiveness of the technique is confirmed by the model experiments. One problem with this reflector shaping technique is that the subreflector edge level cannot be controlled independently of the main reflector edge level. By investigating the relation between the gain reduction and the subreflector edge level, which affects the wide-angle sidelobe levels, the realizable characteristics of antennas are studied. In order to decrease the subreflector edge level without reducing the aperture efficiency, a technique using an extended reflector is also proposed. Its effectiveness is shown by theoretical and experimental investigations.     

Backfire antennas constructed with coaxial circular loops

The radiation characteristics of backfire antennas constructed entirely of circular loops are studied. A comparison between this type of backfire antenna and the conventional one, made of a solid reflector, reveals that the optimum dimensions of the reflector and the peripheral rim are approximately the same for both kinds of antennas. In addition, it is found that as few as six loops are sufficient to construct the optimum reflector, and almost the same number of loops are required to form the optimum peripheral rim. The new structure reduces the weight, windage, and obstruction of view which accompany solid reflectors. In addition, the new antenna lends itself to exact analytical investigation.     

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     

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     

Compact antenna range at 35 GHz

The feasibility of operating a compact antenna test range at 35 GHz has been demonstrated. A compact range of simple construction has been shown to have a performance only slightly inferior to the performance at X-band. Diffracted rays from the edges of the source reflector can degrate the purity of the electric field. This has been investigated and sucessfully controlled by serrating the rim of the reflector.     

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     

Aperture integration and GTD techniques used in the NEC reflector antenna code

The numerical electromagnetics code (NEC) reflector antenna code has been sent to over 50 companies, government agencies, and universities. It is known to be in extensive use by several of these organizations. The theory and computational techniques used in the code, which has the capability for both near field and far field computations for reflector antennas with paraboloidal surfaces are described. A key feature of the code is its capability to calculate complete360degpatterns for a general reflector rim shape.     

Inflection point caustic problems and solutions for high-gaindual-shaped reflectors

The singular nature of the UTD (uniform geometrical theory of diffraction) subreflector scattered field at the vicinity of the main reflector edge (for a high-grain antenna design) is investigated. It is shown that the singularity in the UTD edge-diffracted and slope-diffracted fields is due to the reflection distance parameter approaching infinity in the transition functions. While the GO (geometrical optics) and UTD edge-diffracted fields exhibit singularities of the same order, the edge slope-diffracted field singularity is more significant and is substantial for greater subreflector edge tapers. The diffraction analysis of such a subreflector in the vicinity of the main reflector edge has been carried out efficiently and accurately by a stationary phase evaluation of the φ-integral, whereas the &thetas;-integral is carried out numerically. Computational results from UTD and PO (physical optics) analysis of a 34-m ground station dual-shaped reflector confirm the analytical formulations for both circularly symmetric and offset asymmetric subreflectors. It is concluded that the proposed PO_&thetas;GO_φ technique can be used to study the spillover or noise temperature characteristics of a high-grain reflector antenna efficiently and accurately     

Reflector antenna radiation pattern analysis by equivalent edge currents

Equivalent edge currents, derived from the edge diffraction theory for a half-plane, are used to obtain the radiation patterns of a parabeloidal reflector antenna when illuminated by a source at the focus. Cylindrical wave diffraction coefficients are used. The method avoids infinities at caustics and shadow boundaries thus giving solutions which are finite everywhere. A slope-wave equivalent current correction term is applied when the illumination is tapered towards the edge of the reflector. Comparisons are given with the physical optics approach and experimental results.     

赋形反射面天线形变效应的研究

本文利用物理光学法（PO）分析了赋形双弯曲反射面天线在冲击波形变效应的影响下远区辐射场的变化，并由测试结果建立了反射面形变的数学模型，推导出了辐射场的计算方法。结果表明，由于反射面的局部形变，直接导致辐射方向图的恶化，并且随着形变部分面积的增大，水平面的副瓣抬高很大，不同部位的形变对方向图的影响也是不同的。中间部位形变对反射面方向图的影响要大于边缘形变对反射面方向图的影响。     

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。     

Dipole-excited short backfire antenna with corrugated RIM

This letter reports results of an experimental study at X-band of a dipole-excited short backfire antenna having corrugations on the main reflector rim. The results obtained show that the presence of the corrugations can lead to improved antenna gain and sidelobe levels.     

A novel illuminator design in a rapid thermal processor

The instantaneous insertion of an opaque shutter between the lamp arrays and the wafer in a rapid thermal processor can significantly increase the ramp-down rate from 90 to 400°C/s during the cooling period. This shutter can prevent the residual heating of lamp filament as well as the self-heating from the reflector due to the mirror image of the wafer. To compensate for the weak irradiation intensity close to the edge of the linear lamps, a multiplane reflector design is used to increase the uniformity of irradiation intensity in the direction along the linear lamps. The distance between the reflector plane and the linear lamp is designed to be smaller at the edge, as compared to the center, of the linear lamp. Together with two oblique reflectors at the ends of the linear lamps, a typical three-plane reflector design can increase the uniformity by 60% in a typical lamp configuration     

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