Antenna Theory and Design

Antenna Theory and Design

Associate Professor:
WANG Junjun 王珺珺
School of Electronic and Information Engineering
Beihang University
wangjunjun@buaa.edu.cn
13426405497
New Main Building, F1025
Chapter 2
Fundamental Antenna Parameters
Chapter 2 Fundamental antenna parameters
• Many definitions are from the IEEE Standard Definitions of Terms for
Antennas (IEEE Std 145-1983).
▫ Radiation patterns
▫ Radiation power density
▫ Radiation intensity
▫ Beam efficiency
▫ Beam width
▫ Antenna efficiency
▫ Directivity and gain
▫ Polarization
▫ Bandwidth
▫ Input impedance
▫ Radiation efficiency
1. Radiation patterns

• An antenna radiation pattern or antenna pattern is defined as “a mathematical

function or a graphical representation of the radiation properties of the
antenna as a function of space coordinates. In most cases, the radiation
pattern is determined in the far field region and is represented as a function
of the directional coordinates. Radiation properties include power flux
density, radiation intensity, field strength, directivity, phase or polarization.”

• The radiation property of most concern is the two or three dimensional

spatial distribution of radiated energy as a function of the observer’s position
along a path or surface of constant radius.
1. Radiation patterns

2D radiation pattern
1. Radiation patterns
 For most practical applications, a
few plots of the pattern as a
function of θ for some particular
values of φ, plus a few plots as a
function of φ for some particular
values of θ, give most of the useful
and needed information.

3-D coordinate system for antenna analysis

• For an antenna, the
a. field pattern(in linear scale) typically represents a plot of the
magnitude of the electric or magnetic field as a function of the
angular space.
b. power pattern(in linear scale) typically represents a plot of the
square of the magnitude of the electric or magnetic field as a
function of the angular space.
• c. power pattern(in dB) represents the magnitude of the electric or
magnetic field, in decibels, as a function of the angular space. This
scale is usually desirable because a logarithmic scale can
accentuate in more details those parts of the pattern that have very
low values, which later we will refer to as minor lobes.
• Dividing a field/power component by its maximum value, we obtain
a normalized or relative filed/power pattern which is a dimensionless
number with maximum value of unity.
 All three patterns yield the same angular separation between the two half-power
points, on their respective patterns, referred to as HPBW
a. field pattern at 0.707
b. power pattern (in a linear scale) at c. power pattern (in dB) at
value of its maximum
its 0.5 value of its maximum −3 dB value of its maximum

2-D normalized field pattern( linear scale), power pattern(linear scale), and power pattern
( in dB) of a 10-element linear array with a spacing of d = 0.25λ
The plus (+) and minus (−) signs in the lobes indicate the relative polarization of the amplitude between the various lobes,
which changes (alternates) as the nulls are crossed.
All three patterns yield the same angular separation between the two half-power points, 38.64.
1.1 Radiation pattern lobes
• Various parts of a radiation pattern are referred to as lobes, which may be
subclassified into major or main, minor, side, and back lobes.
• A radiation lobe is a “portion of the radiation pattern bounded by regions of
relatively weak radiation intensity.”
In this and subsequent patterns, the plus (+) and minus (−) signs in the lobes indicate the
relative polarization of the amplitude between the various lobes, which changes
(alternates) as the nulls are crossed.

(a) Radiation lobes and beamwidths of an antenna 3-D polar pattern.

(b) Linear 2-D plot of power pattern (one plane of (a)) and its associated lobes and beamwidths.
1.1 Radiation pattern lobes
• A major lobe (also called main beam) is defined as “the radiation lobe
containing the direction of maximum radiation.”
• A minor lobe is any lobe except a major lobe.
• A side lobe is “a radiation lobe in any direction other than the intended lobe.”
(Usually a side lobe is adjacent to the main lobe and occupies the hemisphere
in the direction of the main beam.)
1.1 Radiation pattern lobes
• A back lobe is “a radiation lobe whose axis makes an angle of approximately
180◦ with respect to the beam of an antenna.” Usually it refers to a minor lobe
that occupies the hemisphere in a direction opposite to that of the major (main)
lobe.
• Minor lobes usually represent radiation in undesired directions, and they should
be minimized.
• Side lobes are normally the largest of the minor lobes. The level of minor lobes
is usually expressed as a ratio of the power density in the lobe in question to
that of the major lobe. This ratio is often termed the side lobe ratio or side lobe
level.
1.2 Isotropic, Directional, and Omnidirectional Patterns

• An isotropic radiator is defined as “a hypothetical lossless antenna having

equal radiation in all directions.”
• A directional antenna is one “having the property of radiating or receiving
electromagnetic waves more effectively in some directions than in others.
This term is usually applied to an antenna whose maximum directivity is
significantly greater than that of a half-wave dipole.”

Principal E- and H-plane patterns for a pyramidal horn antenna Omnidirectional antenna pattern
1.2 Isotropic, Directional, and Omnidirectional Patterns

• An omnidirectional antenna is defined as one “having an essentially

nondirectional pattern in a given plane (in this case in azimuth, f (φ), θ =
π/2) and a directional pattern in any orthogonal plane (in this case in
elevation, g(θ), φ = constant).” An omnidirectional pattern is then a special
type of a directional pattern.

Principal E- and H-plane patterns for a pyramidal horn antenna Omnidirectional antenna pattern
1.3 Principal Patterns
• The E-plane is defined as “the plane containing the electric field vector and the
direction of maximum radiation,” and the H-plane as “the plane containing the
magnetic-field vector and the direction of maximum radiation.”
• Although it is very difficult to illustrate the principal patterns without considering a
specific example, it is the usual practice to orient most antennas so that at least one of the
principal plane patterns coincide with one of the geometrical principal planes.

the x-z plane (elevation plane; φ = The omnidirectional pattern has an

0) is the principal E-plane and the infinite number of principal E-planes
x-y plane (azimuthal plane; θ = π/2) (elevation planes; φ = φc) and one
is the principal H-plane. principal H-plane (azimuthal plane; θ =
90◦).
1.4 Field regions

• The space surrounding an antenna is usually subdivided into three regions: (a)
reactive near-field, (b) radiating near-field (Fresnel) and (c) far-field (Fraunhofer)
regions.
• These regions are so designated to identify the field structure in each.
• Although no abrupt changes in the field configurations are noted as the boundaries
are crossed, here are distinct differences among them. The boundaries separating
these regions are not unique, although various criteria have been established and are
commonly used to identify the regions.

Far-field radiation
1.4 Field regions

1. Reactive near-field region is defined as

“that portion of the near-field region
immediately surrounding the antenna wherein
the reactive field predominates.” For a very
short dipole, or equivalent radiator, the outer
boundary is commonly taken to exist at a
distance λ/2π from the antenna surface.

λ is the wavelength and D is the largest

dimension of the antenna.
1.4 Field regions

2. Radiating near-field (Fresnel) region is defined

as “that region of the field of an antenna between
the reactive near-field region and the far-field
region wherein radiation fields predominate and
wherein the angular field distribution is dependent
upon the distance from the antenna. If the antenna
has a maximum dimension that is not large
compared to the wavelength, this region may not
exist. For an antenna focused at infinity the
radiating near-field region is sometimes referred to
as the Fresnel region on the basis of analogy to
optical terminology. If the antenna has a maximum
overall dimension which is very small compared to
λ is the wavelength and D is the largest the wavelength, this field region may not exist.”
dimension of the antenna.
This criterion is based on a maximum phase error
of π/8.
1.4 Field regions

3. Far-field (Fraunhofer) region is defined as

“that region of the field of an antenna where
the angular field distribution is essentially
independent of the distance from the antenna. ”
In physical media, if the antenna has a
maximum overall dimension, D, which is
large compared to , the far-field region
can be taken to begin approximately at a
distance equal to from the
antenna, being the propagation constant in
λ is the wavelength and D is the largest
the medium.
dimension of the antenna.
•It is apparent that in the reactive
nearfield region the pattern is more
spread out and nearly uniform, with
slight variations.
•As the observation is moved to the
radiating near-field region(Fresnel),
the pattern begins to smooth and
form lobes.
•In the far-field region (Fraunhofer),
the pattern is well formed, usually
consisting of few minor lobes and
one, or more, major lobes.
Calculated radiation patterns of a paraboloid antenna It is observed that the patterns are almost
identical, except for some differences in
for different distances from the antenna.

the pattern structure around the first null

and at a level below 25 dB. Because
infinite distances are not realizable in
practice, the most commonly used
criterion for minimum distance of far-
field observations is 2D2/λ.
2 Radiation power density

• The quantity used to describe the power associated with an electromagnetic wave is
the instantaneous Poynting vector defined as:

▫ is the instantaneous Poynting vector (W/m2)

▫ is the instantaneous electric-field intensity (V/m)
▫ is the instantaneous magnetic-field intensity (A/m)
• The Poynting vector is a power density.
• The power density associated with the electromagnetic fields of an antenna in its far-
field region is predominately real and will be referred to as radiation density (average
power density).

• Special case, for an isotropic source Wav will be independent of the angles θ and φ,
( )
3 Radiation intensity
• Radiation intensity in a given direction is defined as “the power radiated from an antenna per
unit solid angle.”
• The radiation intensity is a far-field parameter, and it can be obtained by simply multiplying the
radiation density by the square of the distance. In mathematical form it is expressed as
=

▫ where U is the radiation intensity, (W/unit solid angle )

▫ Wrad is the radiation density, (W/m2)

• Special case: For anisotropic source U will be independent of the angles θ and φ,
=
4
4 Beamwidth

• The beamwidth of a pattern is defined as the angular separation between two

identical points on opposite side of the pattern maximum.
• In an antenna pattern, there are a number of beamwidths.
• One of the most widely used beamwidths is the Half-Power Beamwidth
(HPBW), which is defined by IEEE as: “In a plane containing the direction of
the maximum of a beam, the angle between the two directions in which the
radiation intensity is one-half value of the beam.”
• The angular separation between the first nulls of the pattern is referred to as the
First-Null Beamwidth (FNBW).
4 Beamwidth
• However, in practice, the term beamwidth, with no other identification, usually
refers to HPBW.
• The beamwidth of an antenna is a very important figure of merit and often is
used as a trade-off between it and the side lobe level; that is, as the beamwidth
decreases, the side lobe increases and vice versa.
• In addition, the beamwidth of the antenna is also used to describe the resolution
capabilities of the antenna to distinguish between two adjacent radiating sources
or radar targets.
4 Beamwidth

• The most common resolution criterion states that the resolution capability of
an antenna to distinguish between two sources is equal to half the first-null
beamwidth (FNBW/2), which is usually used to approximate the half power
beamwidth (HPBW).
• That is, two sources separated by angular distances equal or greater than
FNBW/2 ≈ HPBW of an antenna with a uniform distribution can be resolved.
If the separation is smaller, then the antenna will tend to smooth the angular
separation distance.
5 Directivity
• Directivity of an antenna is defined as “the ratio of the radiation intensity in a given
direction from the antenna to the radiation intensity averaged over all directions. The
average radiation intensity is equal to the total power radiated by the antenna divided
by 4π. If the direction is not specified, the direction of maximum radiation intensity
is implied.”
• Stated more simply, the directivity of a nonisotropic source is equal to the ratio of its
radiation intensity in a given direction over that of an isotropic source.

• If the direction is not specified, it implies the direction of maximum radiation

intensity (maximum directivity) expressed as
4
= = =

D = directivity D0 = maximum directivity

U = radiation intensity Umax = maximum radiation intensity
U0 = radiation intensity of isotropic source Prad = total radiated power
• Or on the textbook, directivity is the ration of the maximum power density to
its average value over a sphere as observed in the far field of an antenna.
• For antennas with orthogonal polarization components, we define the partial
directivity of an antenna for a given polarization in a given direction as “that
part of the radiation intensity corresponding to a given polarization divided
by the total radiation intensity averaged over all directions.” With this
definition for the partial directivity, then in a given direction “the total
directivity is the sum of the partial directivities for any two orthogonal
polarizations.”
• For a spherical coordinate system, the total maximum directivity D0 for the
orthogonal θ and φ components of an antenna can be written as

• while the partial directivities Dθ and Dφ are expressed as

• The directivity of an isotropic source is unity since its power is radiated equally well
in all directions. For all other sources, the maximum directivity will always be greater
than unity, and it is a relative “figure of merit” which gives an indication of the
directional properties of the antenna as compared with those of an isotropic source.
• The directivity can be smaller than unity, in fact it can be equal to zero. The values of
directivity will be equal to or greater than zero and equal to or less than the
maximum directivity (0 ≤ D ≤ D0).
6 Antenna efficiency

• Associated with an antenna are a number of efficiencies.

• The total antenna efficiency e0 is used to take into account losses at the input
terminals and within the structure of the antenna.
Losses due to:
1.reflections because of the mismatch between the transmission line
and the antenna
2. I2R losses (conduction and dielectric)

Usually ec and ed are very difficult to compute, but they can be determined
experimentally. Even by measurements they cannot be separated, and it is usually
more convenient to write as

where ecd = eced = antenna radiation efficiency, which is used to relate the gain and
directivity.
7 Gain

• Although the gain of the antenna is closely related to the directivity, it is a

measure that takes into account the efficiency of the antenna as well as its
directional capabilities. Remember that directivity is a measure that describes
only the directional properties of the antenna, and it is therefore controlled
only by the pattern.
7 Gain

• Gain of an antenna (in a given direction) is defined as “the ratio of the

intensity, in a given direction, to the radiation intensity that would be obtained
if the power accepted by the antenna were radiated isotropically. The radiation
intensity corresponding to the isotropically radiated power is equal to the
power accepted (input) by the antenna divided by 4π.”
7 Gain

• In most cases we deal with relative gain, which is defined as “the ratio of the
power gain in a given direction to the power gain of a reference antenna in its
referenced direction.” The power input must be the same for both antennas.
7 Gain

• When the direction is not stated, the power gain is usually taken in the direction
of maximum radiation.
• The total input power by total radiated power (Prad) is related to the total input
power (Pin ) by

• The relationship between gain and directivity:

• we can introduce an absolute gain Gabs that takes into account the
reflection/mismatch losses (due to the connection of the antenna element to the
transmission line)

= = )
where eo is the overall efficiency
7 Gain

• How to obtain higher gain?

8 Beam efficiency

• For an antenna with its major lobe directed along the z-axis (θ = 0), as shown in the following
Figure , the beam efficiency (BE) is defined by

• If θ1 is chosen as the angle where the first null or minimum occurs, then the beam efficiency
will indicate the amount of power in the major lobe compared to the total power.
• The total beam area Ω (or beam solid angle) consists of the main beam area (or solid angle) Ω
plus the minor-lobe area (or solid angle) Ω .
• The (main) beam efficiency
Ω
= =
Ω
• The ratio of the minor lobe area to the (total) beam area
is called the stray factor.
Ω
= =
Ω
9 Bandwidth

• The bandwidth of an antenna is defined as “the range of frequencies within

which the performance of the antenna, with respect to some characteristic,
conforms to a specified standard.”
• The bandwidth can be considered to be the range of frequencies, on either
side of a center frequency (usually the resonance frequency for a dipole),
where the antenna characteristics are within an acceptable value of those at
the center frequency.
9 Bandwidth

• For broadband antennas, the bandwidth is usually expressed as the ratio of

the upper-to-lower frequencies of acceptable operation. For example, a 10:1
bandwidth indicates that the upper frequency is 10 times greater than the
lower. For narrowband antennas, the bandwidth is expressed as a percentage
of the frequency difference over the center frequency of the bandwidth.
 40

9 Bandwidth Property of R Struzak

Example
Example

9 Bandwidth
10 Polarization

• Polarization of an antenna in a given direction is defined as “the polarization of

the wave transmitted (radiated) by the antenna. Note: When the direction is not
stated, the polarization is taken to be the polarization in the direction of
maximum gain.”
• In practice, polarization of the radiated energy varies with the direction from the
center of the antenna, so that different parts of the pattern may have different
polarizations.
10 Polarization

• Polarization of a radiated wave is defined as “that property of an

electromagnetic wave describing the time-varying direction and relative
magnitude of the electric-field vector; specifically, the figure traced as a function
of time by the extremity of the vector at a fixed location in space, and the sense
in which it is traced, as observed along the direction of propagation.”
• Polarization then is the curve traced by the end point of the arrow (vector)
representing the instantaneous electric field. The field must be observed along the
direction of propagation.
 43

Property of R Struzak

Polarization states
LHC
(Poincaré sphere)
UPPER HEMISPHERE:
ELLIPTIC POLARIZATION
LEFT_HANDED SENSE LATTITUDE:
REPRESENTS
AXIAL RATIO
EQUATOR:
LINEAR POLARIZATION

LOWER HEMISPHERE: 450 LINEAR

ELLIPTIC POLARIZATION
RIGHT_HANDED SENSE LONGITUDE:
REPRESENTS
TILT ANGLE
RHC
POLES REPRESENT
CIRCULAR POLARIZATIONS
Rotation of a plane electromagnetic wave and
its polarization ellipse at z = 0 as a function of time.
10 Polarization

• The polarization of a wave can

be defined in terms of a wave
radiated (transmitted) or
received by an antenna in a
given direction.

• The polarization of a wave

received by an antenna is
defined as the “polarization of
a plane wave, incident from a
given direction and having a
given power flux density,
which results in maximum
available power at the antenna
terminals.”
10.1 Linear polarization
• The instantaneous field of a plane wave, traveling in the negative z direction, can be
written as
• The instantaneous components are related to their complex counterparts by

 where Exo and Eyo are, respectively, the maximum magnitudes of the x and y components.
10.1 Linear polarization

• A time-harmonic wave is linearly polarized at a given point in space if the electric-

field (or magnetic-field) vector at that point is always oriented along the same straight
line at every instant of time.
• This is accomplished if the field vector (electric or magnetic) possesses:
▫ a. Only one component, or
▫ b. Two orthogonal linear components that are in time phase or 180◦ (or multiples of 180◦)
out-of-phase.
Δ = = , = 0,1,2,3, …
10.1 Linear polarization

• A time-harmonic wave is linearly polarized at a given point in space if the electric-

field (or magnetic-field) vector at that point is always oriented along the same straight
line at every instant of time.

• This is accomplished if the field vector (electric or magnetic) possesses:

▫ a. Only one component, or
▫ b. Two orthogonal linear components that are in time phase or 180◦ (or multiples of 180◦)
out-of-phase.
10.2 Circular polarization

• A time-harmonic wave is circularly polarized at a given point in space if the electric

(or magnetic) field vector at that point traces a circle as a function of time.
• The necessary and sufficient conditions to accomplish this are if the field vector
(electric or magnetic) possesses all of the following:
▫ a. The field must have two orthogonal linear components, and
▫ b. The two components must have the same magnitude, and
▫ c. The two components must have a time-phase difference of odd multiples of 90◦.
10.3 Elliptical polarization

• A time-harmonic wave is elliptically polarized if the tip of the field vector

(electric or magnetic) traces an elliptical locus in space. At various instants of
time the field vector changes continuously with time at such a manner as to
describe an elliptical locus.

• The ratio of the major axis to the minor axis is referred to as the axial ratio
(AR), and it is equal to
10.3 Elliptical polarization

• The necessary and sufficient conditions to accomplish this are if the field
vector (electric or magnetic) possesses all of the following:
▫ a. The field must have two orthogonal linear components, and
▫ b. The two components can be of the same or different magnitude.
▫ c. (1) If the two components are not of the same magnitude, the time-phase
difference between the two components must not be 0◦ or multiples of
180◦ (because it will then be linear). (2) If the two components are of the
same magnitude, the time-phase difference between the two components
must not be odd multiples of 90◦ (because it will then be circular).
10.4 Polarization loss factor

• In general, the polarization of the receiving antenna will not be the same as the
polarization of the incoming (incident) wave. This is commonly stated as
“polarization mismatch.” The amount of power extracted by the antenna from the
incoming signal will not be maximum because of the polarization loss.
• Assuming that the electric field of the incoming wave can be written as

 where ˆρw is the unit vector of the wave

• The polarization of the electric field of the receiving antenna can be expressed as

 where ˆρa is its unit vector (polarization vector)

• The polarization loss factor (PLF) is defined, based on the polarization of the antenna
in its transmitting mode,
PLF=

 where ψp is the angle between the two unit vectors.

10.4 Polarization loss factor

• If the antenna is polarization matched, its PLF will be unity and the antenna will
extract maximum power from the incoming wave.

Polarization unit vectors of incident wave ( ) and

PLF for transmitting and receiving aperture antennas
antenna ( ), and polarization loss factor (PLF).
10.4 Polarization loss factor

The polarization loss must

always be taken into account in
the link calculations design of a
communication system because
in some cases it may be a very
critical factor.

PLF for transmitting and receiving linear wire antennas

11 Input impedance

• Input impedance is defined as “the impedance presented by an antenna at its

terminals or the ratio of the voltage to current at a pair of terminals or the
ratio of the appropriate components of the electric to magnetic fields at a
point.”
• The input impedance of an antenna is generally a function of frequency. Thus
the antenna will be matched to the interconnecting transmission line and
other associated equipment only within a bandwidth.
11 Input impedance

• In addition, the input impedance of the antenna depends on many factors

including its geometry, its method of excitation, and its proximity to
surrounding objects. Because of their complex geometries, only a limited
number of practical antennas have been investigated analytically. For many
others, the input impedance has been determined experimentally.
 The Thevenin equivalent circuit of an antenna in transmitting
mode?

• .
• Conclusions
1.The definition of antenna parameters.
2.How to describe the radiation pattern, input impedance
bandwidth, gain and efficiency of an antenna.

• Questions:
• The Thevenin equivalent circuit of an antenna in receiving
mode?

• .
• Maximum power-carrying capability occurs at a diameter ratio of 1.65
corresponding to 30-ohms impedance
• Optimum diameter ratio for voltage breakdown is 2.7 corresponding to
60-ohms impedance (the standard impedance in many Europe countires)
• Minimum attenuation impedance of 77 ohms (diameter ratio 3.6).
• The dielectric constant of polyethyle is 2.3, impedance of a 77 ohm air
line is reduced to 51ohm when filled with polyethyle.
• Almost any coax that *looks* good for mechanical reasons just happens
• orthogonal polarization

to come out at close to 50 ohms anyway. If you take a reasonable sized

center conductor and put a insulator around that and then put a shield
around that and choose all the dimensions so that they are convenient and
mechanically look good, then the impedance will come out at about 50
ohms.

• .