Panel setting from microwave holography by the method of successiveprojections

Microwave holography is an established technique for measuring the surface accuracy of large reflector antennas. It suffers from the disadvantage that the resulting surface error map is spatially bandlimited. Most large reflectors are constructed with panels, and misaligned panels give discontinuities in the surface error which cannot be resolved. This can lead to incorrect assessment of panel positions. Significant improvement can be obtained by recognizing at the outset that the reflector surface is approximated by a collection of individual rigid panels. The method of successive projections is used to incorporate information about the panel boundaries into the data reduction process. It has been applied successfully to measured data for a 26-m diameter radiotelescope, and an investigation of a large number of simulated experiments indicates that good results maybe achieved while minimizing measurement time     

A scanning spherical tri-reflector antenna with a moving flatmirror

Spherical reflector systems can achieve pattern scanning without rotation of the main reflector through the use of multiple subreflectors that can move. Also, two subreflectors can be shaped to correct for spherical aberration and to control the aperture distribution on the spherical main reflector. In a previous paper (see ibid., vol.41, p.778, no.6, 1993) we introduced a method that offers both aperture phase and intensity control and scans the main beam without an accompanying movement of the illuminated area over main reflector. The method can overcome the poor aperture utilization problem common in spherical reflector antenna systems; however, it requires motion of the entire subreflector system, including the feed, during scan. In this paper we discuss a method that does not require motion of the subreflector system during scan. This method employs a flat mirror that creates a virtual image of the subreflector system. The motion of the subreflector system in the previous design is replaced by the motion of the virtual image that is controlled by the motion of the flat mirror. The new design offers simplified mechanical motion, while maintaining beam efficiency performance comparable to that of traditional spherical tri-reflector scanning antennas, but with some sacrifice in aperture efficiency and cross-polarization performance     

Synthesis of the fields of a transverse feed for a spherical reflector

The problem of designing a transverse feed for a spherical reflector is considered and a method is presented for synthesizing the fields on a surface of a sphere enclosing a feed that will produce a specified reflected field at the surface of a spherical reflector. The method identifies the reflector and a spherical surface enclosing the feed as a boundary value problem and uses a finite set of spherical waves to approximate the boundary conditions. A feed designed to excite this field will in turn produce the desired reflected field at the surface of the reflector, under the condition that that portion of the reflected field which is scattered by the feed may be neglected. It is shown that the feed need produce only a small part of the synthesized field to obtain an antenna efficiency of more than 70 percent. Some typical field distributions will be shown so as to indicate a method for designing a feed and to point out the correlation between the polarization of the synthesized field and the polarization of the reflected field at the surface of the reflector.     

Microwave holography of large reflector antennas--Simulation algorithms

The performance of large reflector antennas can be improved by identifying the location and amount of their surface distortions and then by correcting them. Microwave holography techniques are finding considerable applications as viable tools for performing this task. In these techniques, the complex (amplitude and phase) far-field pattern of the antenna is measured, using a reference antenna. Then, the Fourier transform relationship, which exists between the far field and a function related to the induced current, is invoked to result in the identification of the surface distortions. To critically examine the accuracy of the constructed surface profiles, simulation studies are required to incorporate both the effects of systematic and random distortions, particularly the effects of the displaced surface panels. In this paper, different simulation models are investigated with emphasis given to a model based on the vector diffraction analysis of a curved reflector with displaced panels. The simulated far-field patterns are then used to reconstruct the location and amount of displacement of the surface panels by employing a fast Fourier transform (FFT)/iterative procedure. The sensitivity of the microwave holography technique based on the number of far-field sampled points, level of distortions, polarizations, illumination tapers, etc., is also examined. In addition, the relationships between Az-El andu-vspaces are addressed in the Appendix. Most of the data are tailored to the dimensions of the NASA/JPL Deep Space Network (DSN) 64-m reflector antennas for which the result of a recent measurement is also presented.     

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     

The effect of surface loading on the radiation pattern of aspherical reflector

A complete analysis of the radiation pattern of a center-fed axially symmetric loaded spherical reflector antenna is brought to as successful conclusion. The surface of the above-mentioned antenna is assumed to be loaded by materials whose effect is described in terms of surface impedances. The effect of this loading on the radiation pattern of a perfectly conducting spherical reflector is investigated     

Sectoral hoghorn: a new form of line feed for spherical reflector aerials

A sectoral hoghorn may be used as a line feed to correct spherical aberration in an offset spherical reflector. The bandwidth of this type of feed is considerably greater than that of other line feeds, and the construction is simple. The results of measurements on a prototype X band hoghorn are reported, and a technique for reducing the area of spherical reflector required for a given scan angle is described.     

The effect of slowly varying surface errors in large millimeter wave antennas: A practical verification in the Itapetinga 45-ft reflector

The aperture efficiency of the 45-ft Itapetinga reflector was found to be about 50 percent atlambda = 7mm. The reflector surface panels were mechanically measured in 2664 points displaying the presence of slowly varying errors that negligibly effect the aperture efficiency. We confirm that the reflector's aperture efficiency seems to be predictable from mechanical measurements of the surface when the distribution of errors is non-Gaussian, when the surface is only slightly rough in terms of a wavelength, and when the slowly varying errors across the surface are known [1], [2].     

Zooming and Scanning Gregorian Confocal Dual Reflector Antennas

The zooming and scanning capabilities of a Gregorian confocal dual reflector antenna are described. The basic antenna configuration consists of two oppositely facing paraboloidal reflectors sharing a common focal point. A planar feed array is used to illuminate the subreflector allowing the antenna to scan its beam. The resulting quadratic aberrations can be compensated by active mechanical deformation of the subreflector surface, which is based on translation, rotation and focal length adjustment. In order to reduce the complexity of the mechanical deformation, least squares fit paraboloids are defined to approximate the optimal correction surface. These best fit paraboloids considerably reduce scanning losses and pattern degradation. This work also introduces two different zooming techniques for the Gregorian confocal dual reflector antenna: the first consists of introducing a controlled quadratic path error to the main reflector aperture; and the second is based on reducing the size of the radiating aperture of the feeding array.      

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.     

Preparatory Study for Constructing FAST, the World's Largest Single Dish

A 500-m aperture spherical telescope (FAST) was funded by the National Development and Reform Commission of China (NDRC) in July 2007 and will be located in the unique Karst region, a sinkhole-like landform, in Guizhou province. FAST can be seen as a modified ldquoArecibordquo type radio telescope using many innovative techniques, with as much as twice the collecting area and a wider sky coverage. FAST has, first, an active reflector, conforming to a paraboloid of revolution from a sphere in real time through actuated control, which enables the realization of wide bandwidth and full polarization capability by using standard feed design. Secondly, it has a light focus cabin suspension system, integrating optical, mechanical, and electronic technologies, reducing effectively the cost of the support structure and control system. With such a huge collecting area of more than 30 football fields, FAST will become the largest single dish ever built. Here we will summarize the FAST concept and the milestones achieved in experiments on its key technologies, i.e., site exploration, active reflector prototyping, focus cabin driving mechanism, measurement and control techniques, and the receiver layout. The Miyun FAST demonstrator also will be presented.     

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.     

大型射电望远镜结构总体方案研究

针对我国待建的110 m全可动射电望远镜(QTT)的工作特点, 以提高主反射面精度为目标, 以最佳吻合抛物面为拟合标准, 分析了传统结构方案致使精度较低的本质原因为反射体变形不均匀, 主要源于如下三方面: 主反射面存在集中荷载作用、背架结构支承方案不合理、背架结构体系空间受力性能不佳。基于此, 改变副反射面撑腿坐落位置, 对背架结构采用三角锥、四角锥相结合的网架式结构方案, 并对其引入一种高度极对称的伞撑式支承方案。最终提出的全可动望远镜结构总体方案显著提高了主反射面精度, 其RMS最大值可降至0.306 mm;相较目前世界最大的全可动射电望远镜GBT而言, 其反射面积增大了10%, 精度提高了12.6%, 自重降低了40%, 其研究成果达到国际先进水平。     

Preliminary design of large reflectors with flat facets

A concept for approximating curved antenna surfaces using flat facets is discussed. A preliminary design technique for determining the size of the reflector surface facets necessary to meet antenna surface accuracy requirements is presented. A proposed large microwave radiometer satellite (MRS) is selected as an application, and the far-field electromagnetic response of a faceted reflector surface is compared with that from a spherical reflector surface.     

A simulation of the thermal behaviour of the UK-NL millimeter wave telescope

To keep the thermally induced average telescope deformations within 15 μm, a thermal design goal has been set which limits the temperature difference between all locations in the panels, backing structure and subframe to 1°C. Temperature gradients are caused by non-homogeneous exposure and by difference in response to a changing exposure for elements with different time constants. Thermal model simulations are used to identify the critical elements in the thermal design of telescope and enclosure. It is shown that an enclosure with a highly reflective paint with high infrared emissivity on the outside surface and an inside zinc coating with low infrared emissivity works as a highly effective radiation shield. A sprayed aluminium coating on the telescope makes free convection the dominant heat transfer mechanism. An enclosure with louvres works as a chimney forcing the inside air temperature to follow the ambient temperature to within a few degrees. The resulting temperature stratification in the area where the telescope reflector is located does not exceed 1.5°C. Structural analysis shows that temperature gradients in the subframe cause reflector surface deformations with a regular pattern, like gravitational deformations, which means that an error budget summation based on independent rms values is not necessarily valid. Knowing the structural analysis coefficients for differential thermal expansion one can decide which time constants in backing structure and subframe have to be matched to achieve optimal performance.     

表面纹理对反射面天线电性能的影响

反射面天线面板的加工质量包括加工精度和表面质量,两者都会影响天线的电性能。论文针对研究较少的表面加工质量,利用分形函数建立表面纹理的数学模型,并通过相位差将微观表面纹理引入天线的远场方向图计算公式,利用三角形单元的Gauss积分公式数值求解。通过仿真,分析了不同的表面纹理幅度、密度和粗糙程度对天线远场方向图的影响。研究发现:表面纹理的幅度越大,对方向图的影响越大;密度越大、越粗糙,影响越小。而且,幅度的影响最大,密度其次,粗糙程度影响最小。仿真的结果与模型定性分析的结论符合。所提出的模型和方法为研究面板表面加工质量对反射面天线电性能的影响提供了新的思路,得出的结论也可供工程实践参考。     

Multiple Diodes Quasi-Optical Oscillater

This paper presents quasi-optics techniques, millimeter techniques and a global optimization method etc techniques. It is a structure of quasi-optics power combiner, that includes a spherical reflection, that the radius of the curvature is R and another one is a hybrid reflector that is called input reflector. The space of the both reflectors is LL. The monolithic source-array is made up of 25 Gunn diodes that are mounted of parallel brass bars that have low thermal resistance. And the bars are fixed on the inner plane surface of the hybrid reflector. The hybrid reflector made up of a plane and a spherical, that the radius of the curvature are R. It is designed that higher fundamental mode power, larger fractional power of fundamental mode power and more combining efficiency of the quasi-optics power combiner. This paper describes an algorithm, which can determine the global optima of the power combiner of solid-state millimeter wave resonator. The global optimization method can determine a neighborhood of the global optima of an objective function and an estimation of the global optima. In the quasi-optical resonator, the objective functions are the fundamental mode power, the fractional power of fundamental mode and the combining efficiency respectively.     

Dual-offset antennas with a spherical main reflector for smallearth stations

The design of dual-reflector antennas with a spherical main reflector for small earth stations is considered. An analysis of the field polarization throughout the system shows that it is possible to adjust the reflectors to obtain very low cross-polarization. The use of an elliptical main reflector projection is explored in order to enhance efficiency and lower side-lobe levels     

Optimal surface adjustment of Haystack antenna

The primary reflector panels of the 37-m (120-ft) diameter Haystack antenna are prestressed to form an integrated parabolic shell of revolution. The adjustment mechanisms of the reflector surface are highly interacting, and the region of influence of each adjustment mechanism is large and intersects in a major way the influence regions of other adjustment mechanisms. The influence surface for each adjustment is computed using a detailed finite-element model of the antenna and the reflector structures. The optimal adjustments, i.e. the adjustments that minimize surface RMS, are obtained using the computed influence surfaces by solving a quadratic programming problem. The resolution of holography introduces errors in the holography map, but the resulting error in the computed adjustments are eliminated by using, in lieu of the actual influence surfaces, the transformed influence surfaces obtained by the convolution of the actual influence surfaces with the holography resolution function. The procedure, which was used to reduce surface RMS of the Haystack from 639 micron (25.1 mil) to 194 micron (7.6 mil), is applicable to other antennas