A comparison among 1-, 3-, and 7-horn feeds for a 37-beam MBA

A very common multiple beam antenna (MBA) configuration consists of a collimating device illuminated by an array of feeds. The collimating device is usually a reflector or a lens. The feeds are usually horn antennas with a circular aperture. The reflector is usually offset-fed to eliminate aperture blockage; the lens is center fed. The antenna's feeds are excited to produce a finite number of beams, so as to provide contiguous coverage of the field of view. The designer is forced to minimize the angular spacing between adjacent beams in order to maximize the minimum gain over the antenna's field of view. On the other hand, the feed horn's aperture gain is maximized when the feed horn spacing and its aperture diameter are equal. This results in antenna efficiency of the order of 30% when a single feed horn is excited to produce a beam. When a cluster of 3 or 7 adjacent feed horns are excited to produce a single beam, antenna efficiency can be increased to 50%. When it is tolerable, several identical antenna apertures can be used to replace a single aperture configuration. In this case, each of M apertures produces approximately N/M beams of an MBA that produces N beams. Horns producing adjacent beams do not illuminate the same aperture. This permits the use of a much larger horn aperture for a given beam spacing. This results in reduced spillover, higher gain of each beam, and increased antenna efficiency of each aperture. This paper investigates the maximization of gain for several lens antennas. It shows that antenna gain is increased as its focal length is decreased. That is, a focal length-to-diameter ratio (F/D) less than 1 is preferred     

A rigorous analysis of a microstripline fed patch antenna

A rigorous solution to the problem of a rectangular microstrip antenna fed by a microstripline is presented. The currents on the feed line and the patch are expanded in a suitable set of modes, and a moment method solution is formulated in the spectral domain. Three special feed cases are treated: a patch fed at a radiating edge; a patch fed at a nonradiating edge; and a proximity coupled patch. Good results are obtained for the radiating edge fed case and the proximity coupled case. The nonradiating edge fed case results were not as good; reasons for this discrepancy are discussed. Calculations are compared with measurements for high and low dielectric constant substrates.     

Swept-frequency antenna gain measurements

This paper presents a method of making a swept-frequency antenna gain measurement which yields a result based upon the known gain vs. frequency of a standard antenna. This antenna consists of a 295-mm length ofX-band waveguide with a cover flange on one end. It is an inexpensive and very satisfactory gain standard. The error analysis, which gives the accuracy of the resulting gain figure, consists of evaluating the conjugate mismatch losses at the antenna feed point or junction. This method of measuring gain is shown to yield useful gain data from an antenna test range that is not free of reflections. Gain vs. frequency curves are given for the standard gain antenna and a test antenna, having estimated accuracies of at least 0.27 dB and 1.00 dB, respectively.     

Low-cost broadband millimetre-wave array antenna using waveguide/microstrip feed network and slot pair

A low-cost broadband millimetre-wave planar 30/spl times/30 array antenna is presented. The antenna is fed by a microstrip feed network in the H-plane to decrease fabrication costs, and a waveguide feed network in the E-plane to reduce the feed line loss. The waveguide and microstrip feed network are coupled through the proposed slot pair. The slots are placed one quarter of a guided-wavelength distance apart, so that the reflected waves from the slots cancel each other. A conductive bar is laid above the slots to increase the coupling, which increases the antenna gain by about 1 dBi. The maximum gain is 30.5 dBi at 41.5 GHz. The measured bandwidth is as broad as 7.1%.     

A self-steering planar array antenna for satellite broadcastreception

The active planar array antenna offers a number of advantages, including use as a portable antenna for easy reception of direct Ku-band satellite television broadcasts. This paper presents a newly developed active planar array antenna which provides electronic beam-tracking without mechanical tracking equipment. The features of the antenna are: (1) use of a series-parallel fed microstrip array, (2) electromagnetically excited array by a coplanar patch connected to the coplanar waveguide, and (3) low noise down-converters and self-phasing units incorporated into the feed circuits for electronic beam-tracking. The paper discusses the design of the coplanar waveguide fed coplanar patch and the configuration of a self-phasing active planar array antenna. The measured gain of the experimental 9-element unit array antenna without active devices is 13.4 dBi at 11.85 GHz. Experimental results for a 216-element self-steering planar array of size 147×220.5 mm are also presented     

一种新型混合馈电24GHz车载雷达阵列天线设计

针对阵列天线馈电网络比较复杂的问题,设计了一款24 GHz新型串并馈结合的微带天线阵,并进行了理论研究和仿真测试。该天线阵采用了串并联混合馈电网络,天线子阵和馈电网络的电流分布均采用了切比雪夫分布,有效抑制了旁瓣电平。同时将馈电网络与串馈天线子阵直接连接在一起,达到了小型化的目的,并减小了馈电网络的损耗。仿真结果表明:天线阵的增益可达到21.7 dBi,在中心频率24.1 GHz附近,E面和H面的副瓣电平分别为-20.3 dB 和-26.2 dB。该天线阵体积小,性能可靠,可用于24 GHz汽车防撞雷达。     

Theory of a multiply fed and loaded insulated linear antenna in air

Analytic expressions are derived for the input admittance and the current distribution along the multiply fed and loaded insulated antenna in air which is excited across feed gaps of nonzero widths. The Wiener-Hopf type analysis for a center fed insulated antenna is combined with the axial field discontinuity (AFD) method to develop the current and admittance expression. This AFD method considers the metallic surface of the linear antenna as a series combination of longitudinal, electric-field surface functions that exist due to feeding and/or loading. The analysis, which does not employ superposition of even and odd distributions of sources and loads, yields final expressions in terms of the excitation location, its aperture electric field within the feed gaps, impedance locations, and their values. The current distribution for cases of unity dielectric constant shows an excellent agreement with data based on the moment method. The input admittances and current distributions are reported for different multiple excitations and loads and dielectric constants of the insulator     

一种应用于三频GPS的宽频带单馈电天线设计

为了实现全球定位系统（global positioning system,GPS）天线小型化并提高其性能,提出了一种新型的三频段GPS宽频带单馈电背腔天线,可在1176.45 MHz（L5）、1227.60 MHz（L2）和1575.42 MHz（L1）三个GPS频段下工作。通过在一端馈送交叉型行波天线并在另一端添加负载,来实现提出天线的右旋圆极化（right-hand circular polarization,RHCP）,且配有弯折线散热器。天线尺寸仅为120×120×29 mm3。仿真和实际测量结果显示,提出的单馈电天线无需使用复杂的馈电网络或双馈结构便可提供宽阻抗带宽（VSWR<2）、低轴比（AR）（<2 dB）和高RHCP增益（>4 dBic）。     

Fan beam generated by a linear-array fed parabolic reflector

The theoretical background and the results of computer simulations and experimental studies for a parabolic reflector fed by a linear array are detailed. The concept of using a parabolic reflector antenna fed by a small linear array to generate fan-beam patterns is validated. Large angle scan along the broad-beam direction of the fan beam can be achieved by offsetting the linear array laterally. It is both empirically and numerically demonstrated that the array feed must be displaced in the reflector's axial direction to an optimum location from the focal plane in order to achieve the best antenna gain performance. As a result, the linear-array fed parabolic reflector can be used in place of a long planar array in a multifunctional reflector antenna system     

Study of the capacitively fed microstrip antenna element

The moment method is used to solve the integral equations describing the capacitively fed rectangular microstrip antenna element. This element consists of a ground plane, a radiating patch, and a small patch located between ground plane and radiating patch. The small patch is fed by a coaxial probe. It excites the radiating patch through capacitive coupling. After checking the accuracy by comparing calculated and measured results, the effect of the capacitor patch is analyzed theoretically. A procedure is given to determine capacitor patches which yield elements matched to the coaxial feed. It is shown how a matched configuration can be found for a given capacitor patch height     

Multifrequency operation of microstrip-fed slot-ring antennas on thin low-dielectric permittivity substrates

Operating frequencies and radiation patterns of microstrip-fed ring slot antennas are investigated. The microstrip feed is shown to strongly affect the operating frequencies of the slot antenna. As the length of the microstrip stub is increased to exceed half the guided wavelength of the first operating frequency, then multiple operating frequencies with broadside radiation patterns become available. By extending the single microstrip feed to couple to two slot locations, the antenna's operating frequency ratios and polarizations can be tuned. A number of multifrequency microstrip-fed slot ring antennas are demonstrated. Numerical analysis based on the moment method is compared with the experimental results. A dual-frequency antenna array is also reported.     

Pattern synthesis using reactive loads and transmission linesections for a singly fed array

A feed network design is presented for an array antenna fed by a single source. A specified radiation pattern from the array, with a set of known terminal voltages, can be synthesized by choosing the appropriate characteristic impedance and length of feed transmission-line sections and reactive loads at the terminals of each element. Two configurations, a series feed and a parallel feed, are described. As an example, this method is applied to the feed network design of a singly fed linear dipole array, but the method is general enough to be applied to any type of array which can be characterized by a multiport terminal admittance matrix. Some results are shown for the bandwidth of the radiation pattern and input impedance     

Peak gain of a Cassegrain antenna with secondary position adjustment

For an enclosed Cassegrain antenna, the loss of peak gain and beam deviation due to structural deformations of the primary reflector and rigid body displacements of the secondary reflector and of the feed are computed from the combined changes in the radio frequency (RF) path length. As the antenna moves in elevation, the position of the secondary reflector may be adjusted mechanically to minimize the loss of peak gain; a general method for the computation of the magnitude of such adjustments and of their effects on the gain and pointing of the system is presented. Numerical results are obtained for a particular case of a 45-ft diameter antenna designed for operation at 95.5 GHz RF for which the computed peak gain of the antenna varies significantly with the elevation angle. The results indicate that the loss of peak gain as the antenna moves in elevation can be substantially reduced by mechanical adjustment of the position of the secondary reflector.     

共面波导馈电蝶形开口振子缝隙天线

讨论了共面波导(CPW)馈电蝶形开口振子缝隙天线。在缝隙振子天线两端加入蝶形开口结构,形成振子蝶形组合结构天线。使用有限元仿真软件(Ansoft HFSS)分析了设计的天线,结果表明组合结构天线具有振子天线与蝶形天线的优点:蝶形天线的宽带特性与振子天线的高增益特性,整个天线的性能得到提高。使用了两种馈电方式:感性耦合和容性耦合,感性耦合时组合天线的带宽特性较好,从振子天线5.9%提高到10.32%;容性耦合时增益特性较好,从振子天线的3.19dB提高至6.27dB。分析了衬底厚度对天线的影响,衬底厚度的增加使谐振频率降低,但对天线带宽的影响不大。     

一种应用于卫星通信地面站的新型单臂螺旋天线及其阵列的研究

研究了一种应用于卫星通信地面站的新型单臂平面螺旋天线,该天线采用圆柱螺旋激励同轴线馈电,可以形成倾斜的波束,通过改变圆柱螺旋的参数可以调整其输入阻抗以达到阻抗匹配的目的.用矩量法求解了天线的电流分布和三维辐射方向图以及增益轴比等参数,计算结果与参考文献很吻合.为了增强天线的方向性系数和增益,以四元天线阵为例,研究了这种天线组成的天线阵的辐射特性,给出了天线阵的三维辐射方向图.计算结果表明,该天线组成的天线阵同样具有倾斜的波束指向,各天线单元的输入阻抗为接近50 Ω的纯电阻,增益比单个天线单元提高6.3 dB.     

基于遗传算法/矩量法的八木天线设计

遗传算法应用于天线设计时,需要和电磁场的数值方法相结合。从Pocklington方程出发,采用矩量法分析计算了八木天线各振子的电流分布、增益及方向图特性,以八木天线增益为目标,采用遗传算法对天线振子长度及振子间距进行了优化,得到了具有最佳增益的八木天线结构尺寸。实物测试结果表明该算法的可靠性及正确性。     

一种RFID小型圆极化四臂螺旋天线

设计了一种用于UHF频段射频识别系统的小型右手圆极化四臂螺旋天线。天线由印制在微带介质板的4个长条形臂组成,通过微带功分器馈电。天线在进行4个端口的单独匹配和功分器相连时,需采用一种新的匹配方法。通过仿真优化,天线尺寸为60 mm×60 mm×6 mm,峰值增益为3.8 dB,带内轴比＜3 dB,3 dB波束宽度＞120°,前后比＞15 dB。实物测试结果与仿真结果吻合。     

Multiple beam feed networks using an even number of beam ports

An aperture illumination compatible with the use of an even number of adjacent beam ports in a multiple beam feed network is discussed. The antenna pattern characteristics of near-in sidelobe levels, half-power beamwidth, aperture efficiency, and feed network loss are evaluated. Maximization of the available antenna gain at adjacent beam crossover points is shown to be possible for either sequential or simultaneons operation of a receiving system. The results presented indicate that lossy feed networks are quite suitable for certain array antenna applications.     

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     

Design and optimization of a non-cross feed printed log periodic dipole array antenna using particle swarm optimization

This paper presents an optimized design of non-cross feed Printed Log Periodic Dipole Array (PLPDA) antenna using Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) technique. An improved feed structure of non-cross fed dipoles is chosen as reference antenna, which avoids the complexity of conventional feeding with long coaxial line and CPW feed. A simple fitness function based on S₁₁ parameter is used in PSO to achieve the goal of size reduction and bandwidth enhancement. Simulation results on CST software are verified by a manufactured prototype of proposed PSO optimized non-cross feed PLPDA antenna using FR 4 substrate with a thickness of 1.6 mm. The measured bandwidth of proposed antenna is 4.2–11.6 GHz with a fractional bandwidth of 93.6%, whereas the reference antenna covers the frequency range from 4.2 to 9.2 GHz with a fractional bandwidth of 74.6%. The effective area of the proposed design is 30% lesser than reference antenna. Proposed antenna is offering peak gain of 7.6 dBi with an average gain of 5.5 dBi in desired band. The electrical size of optimized structure is 0.53λ at center frequency. Thus, proposed antenna is offering higher bandwidth and significantly smaller size with less complexity and lower cost, while maintaining the log periodic nature and gain.