Radiating Systems

IIT Bombay - EE 609

Lecture-6 (2023)
Helical and Horn Antennas
Kushal R. Tuckley
kushal@ee.iitb.ac.in (Cell: +91 9869069155) 1
 Horn Antennas: Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages Disadvantages
1.Easy construction 1.Directivity dependent on the flare angle.
2.Easy interface with waveguide 2.Bulky: as the flare needs to be large
3. No resonant elements, high bandwidth 3.Spherical wavefront: Limited Gain
4. Impedance matching ≈ decade bandwidth. Applications
5. Highly directional higher directivity.
1. Moderate gain operations (< 20dB)
6. It offers less internal reflections 2. Mainly as a feed for reflectors and gain
7.Lower strength of sidelobes calibrated antennas

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Common Types of Horn Antennas
Exponentially tapered horns are desired to have constant
impedance over a large bandwidth (≈20:1)

H-plane and E-plane

sectoral horns Mainly
to create fan beams
and mainly used as a
feed for reflector
Corrugated horns have
high efficiency and equal
bandwidth in E and H
Pyramidal Horns can planes and has very low
have flexible aperture cross-polar component
size and useful for
customized designs Rigged Horns are used for a
wide band applications

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 Horn Antenna With Feed From Rectangular Waveguide
E
H

Linear Phase Variation

Sinusoidal Amplitude Variation

Example: X band Waveguide WR-90:

a=0.9”, b=0.4” (Recommended for 8.4 to 12.4 GHz)
Cut-off @ λ= 2a→ λcutoff= 2 x 0.9 x 2.54 = 4.572cm→6.56 GHz Reproduced from: Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar:
Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slide 15.4
4
 Design of E-Plane Sectoral Horn
Circular
Wavefront

Path Difference causing Phase error

Maximum Directivity is obtained when b1= 2λρ1 Maximum path difference @ y’=(b1/2)→𝑏12 Τ8ρ1
→flare decides the directivity Maximum phase error→2π 𝑏12 Τ8λρ1

For Maximum directivity, substituting (b1= 2λρ1 )→ Max Phase Error (PE)= π/4 (45⁰). This leads to low efficiency and higher
spill over radiation. Acceptable PE= π/4 → b1= λρ1 , Less Flare and D≈(Dmax-1.5dB) (See Slide 15.8, Antenna Concepts and Design)
Illustrations are reproduced from: Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slide 15.5, 15.6 5
 Design of H-Plane Sectoral Horn

𝑘 𝑥′2 E field varies as x’;

π −𝑗 2 ρ
2
sinusoidal in
𝐸𝑦 = 𝐸2 𝐶𝑜𝑠 𝑥′ 𝑒 amplitude and linear
𝑎1
in phase

Maximum Phase Error (PE) occurs at x’=a1/2

Maximum Directivity is obtained when 𝑎1= 3λρ2
PE at Max. path Diff.( δmax)→2π 𝑎12 Τ8λρ2
→flare decides the directivity

For Maximum directivity, substituting (𝑎1= 3λρ2 )→ Max Phase Error (PE)= 3π/4 (135⁰). This leads to low efficiency and higher
spill over radiation. Acceptable PE= π/4 → b1= λρ1 , Less Flare and D≈(Dmax-2.38dB) (See Slide 15.12, Antenna Concepts and Design)
Illustrations are reproduced from: Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slide 15.9, 15.10 6
 Pyramidal Horn Antenna
Same Phase Center for E and H Plane Electric Field

The condition is ρe=ρh

Z’

Elevation: Side View Plan: Top View

Co-Axial Feed to
Pyramidal Horn

Source: Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slide 15.13, 15.14. 15.15 7
 Pyramidal Horn: Optimum Dimensions and Radiation Pattern

Typical radiation pattern for pyramidal horn Antenna

Selecting Dimensions of a Pyramidal Horn for required Gain

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Source: Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slide 15.20, 15.21
 Conical Horn Antennas

Diameter for
Maximum Gain
𝑑𝑚 = 3λ𝑙

Maximum phase 2
2π𝑑𝑚
difference 𝑆𝑚𝑎𝑥 =
8λ𝑙
Electrical Plane
Characteristics
Substituting the dimeter
value for Maximum gain,
the maximum phase error
goes to unacceptable level
of 3/4π= 135⁰

Individual horn antennas are operated below maxim gain point

When a horn is used as a feed to reflector, the phase erroe is
corrected by shaping the reflector surface!!

Source: Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slide 15.31, 15.32. 15.33 9
Conical Horn: Optimum Dimensions and Radiation Pattern

Magnetic Plane
Characteristics

Electrical Plane
Characteristics

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Source: Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slide 15.34, 15.35
 Dual Mode Horns
Typical Design: Introduce a step suitable for other mode

Step- Less Design: Uses taper

for similar results

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Source: Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slide 15.39,15.40, 15.41
Circular Corrugated Horn Antennas ≈
Corrugated Chokes

≈
≈

High Efficiency, Low cross Polar, Lower Sidelobes

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Source: Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slide 15.42, 15.43, 15.46
 Dual Ridged Horn Antenna

Launcher design and Aperture

matching are the key factor in the
design of dual ridged horn

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Source: Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slide 15.47, 15.48, 15.49
Why Do We Need Reflector While Constructing Antennas?
Reflectors (metal) are most economical solution for high gain antennas

Considering the Boundary conditions for metal surface, we have

𝑛ො ⋅ (𝐷1⏊ -𝐷2⏊ ) = ρ and 𝑛ො ⋅ (𝐵1⏊ -𝐵2⏊ ) = 0 for Normal Component
𝑛ො × (𝐸1‫ װ‬-𝐸2‫ = ) װ‬ρ and 𝑛ො × (𝐻1‫ װ‬-𝐻2‫𝐽 = ) װ‬Ԧ𝑠 for Tangential Component

For metals ρ=0 and εr≈1 μr≈1 and →θi= θr

However, Js This results in transmission some power (leakage of
electric field) into the metal. This of some power in the has a finite Js/e Js

value and contributes to loss. δ

At higher frequencies, The skin depth(δ) is minimal (see table)

EM waves @ microwave frequencies

experiences near-optical reflection
on metallic surface

Source:http://www.bndhep.net/Lab/Derivations/Skin_Effect.html#:~:text=The%20skin%
20depth%20is%20%CE%B4,for%20Various%20Conductors%20and%20Frequencies 14
 Understanding Reflector Geometries
Prime Focus
Corner Reflector
Reflector (Paraboloid)
Plane
Reflector

Hyperboloidal Ellipsoidal
Sub-reflector Sub-reflector

Cassegrain type sub-reflector Focal offset Gregorian sub-reflector Gregorian, Split- reflector
(Laurent Cassegrain, French Teacher/ Priest) (James Gregory, Scottish mathematician, astronomer)
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 Main Types of Sub-Reflector Assemblies

Typical Cassegrain assembly: Small Blockage is Inevitable Gregorian assembly: Blockage removal with Offset
Cassegrain assembly: Small Blockage is Inevitable
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Offset Sub-reflector Antennas

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 Corner Reflector (CR) Antennas
z z
l l l l
s g
θ
r
h h
y y
x φ

α α

Da
Da
Corner Reflector Antennas CR Antenna Reflects back in Wire Grid realization (g<λ/20)
Isometric View
Basic Geometry the Incident Ray Direction
• Due to its simple
• The property of the reflection towards construction, the
the same direction as incident Corner Reflectors are
radiation is seen when the angle used as Antennas
between the planes is 90⁰ • Typically with Dipole
• Therefore, the shape of the corner feed and different
reflectors are made either Trihedral valueas of angle
or Dual-Pyramidal angles

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 Corner Reflector as Antenna Array
Corner reflector produces images (in a similar manner as Kaleidoscope)

Note: 𝐸 field of the images alternates in direction.

Total number of Images are ‘(360/α)-1’ Assuming ‘Near-omni’
(One real source + odd number of images)→ Antenna elemental pattern in
the region of interest,
’Array Factor (AF)’
determines the
𝐸 𝑟, θ, Φ =𝐸1 𝑟1 , θ, Φ + 𝐸2 𝑟2 , θ, Φ + 𝐸2 𝑟1 , θ, Φ + 𝐸1 𝑟1 , θ, Φ
antenna pattern

Illustrations are reproduced from : Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slide 17.12, 17.13, 17.14
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 Radiation Pattern of Corner Reflector-Antenna
𝐸
Radiation Pattern for α=90⁰ = 𝐴𝐹 θ, Φ =2 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑘𝑠 𝑠𝑖𝑛θ𝑐𝑜𝑠Φ − 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝑘𝑠 𝑠𝑖𝑛θ𝑠𝑖𝑛Φ
𝐸0

The pattern in Azimuth Plane can be obtained by setting θ= π/2

Radiation Pattern for Other

Values of α

Source: Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slide 17.15, 17.17
720
Radiation Pattern of Corner Reflector-Azimuth Plane

Observations
The Beam Splits when S> 0.7 λ
Broadside null occurs at S= λ
Limits for Single lobe Pattern
S=0.7λ for α= 90⁰
S=0.95λ for α= 60⁰
S=01.2 λ for α= 45⁰
S=2.5λ for α= 30⁰

Source: Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slide 17.16, 17.18
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 Parabolic Reflector Antennas
The path lengths are matched
(at the plane indicated by Y axis)
→ OP+PQ= 2f (Constant)
→ OP=r’ and PQ= r’ cos θ’
→ R’ (1+ cosθ’)=2f

Reproduced from : Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slide 17.19 22
 Parabolic Reflector Antennas
Mathematical Expressions for basic design Factors contributing to the aperture efficiency

Reproduced from : Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slide 17.20, 17.21 23
 Qualitative Factors Affecting Efficiencies

For a typical parabolic reflector, total aperture efficiency peaks

Low Reflector Aperture Angle→ Low spillover Efficiency in the mid-range,
→ High Taper Efficiency At lower values of θ, the spillover and blockage efficiencies
High Reflector Aperture Angle→ High spillover Efficiency dominate. On the other hand, taper, phase, polarization and
→ Low Taper Efficiency random error factors dominate at higher values of θ

Reproduced from : Girish Kumar, Rinkee Gupta, Hemant Kumar: Antennas Concept and Design- e-Book. Slide 17.23, 17.24 24
Questions?

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