21.12.

2009

Workflow Example
Horn Antenna
Purpose : Optimize the
aperture of the horn
antenna such that the gain
is maximized at 10 GHz.

CST MWS - Standard Workflow

Choose a project template.
Create your model.
parameters + geometry + materials

Define ports.
Set the frequency range.
Specify boundary and symmetry conditions.
Define monitors.
Check the mesh.
Run the simulation.
2

21.12.2009

Cylindrical Horn Antenna 8 12 GHz

1
0.5
0.5
dia=2, rad=1

zlength=2
units: inch
waveguide: 1.0 in x 0.5 in x 0.5 in
aperture radius: 1.0 in, length: 0.25 in
shell thickness: 0.01 in (outside)
monitors: E-field, H-field & far field at 10 GHz

0.25

Project Template
At the beginning choose

File -> New

For an existing project you may choose

to create a new project.

File -> Select Template.

The project templates customize the default settings

for particular types of applications.
4

21.12.2009

Project Template
background material

Antennas should be modeled with

vacuum as background material.

PEC is very practical for closed structures.

(e.g. waveguides, connectors, filters)

The project templates customize the default

settings for particular types of applications.
5

Change the Units

Define units.

21.12.2009

Horn Antenna Construction (I)

Define a brick (1.0 x 0.5 x 0.5 in)

made of PEC.

Define a cylinder (outer radius: 1.0 in,

height: 0.25 in) made of PEC.
7

Pick face.
Align the WCS with the
face.

Move the WCS by 2.0

inches.

Horn Antenna Construction (II)

Pick two opposite faces.

Perform a loft.

21.12.2009

Horn Antenna Construction (III)

Perform a
Boolean add.
Select multiple objects
(ctrl or shift + left mouse button).

shell solid: 0.01 in

(outside)

Pick two faces.

Port Definition
Pick point
inside corner.

Define a waveguide port.

Pick edge.

Define the port on the internal profile.

10

21.12.2009

Set the Frequency Range

Set the frequency range.

11

Boundary Conditions and Symmetry Planes

12

21.12.2009

3D Monitors

Add field monitors for E-field, H-field, and far field at 10 GHz.

13

Mesh View (I)

mesh properties

14

21.12.2009

Mesh View (II)

TST at work!

15

Transient Solver: Start Simulation

The accuracy defines the steadystate monitor.
The simulation is finished when
the electromagnetic energy in the
computational domain falls below
this level.

16

21.12.2009

Analyze 1D Results
port signals

S-parameter

energy

17

Analyze 2D/3D Results

port information:
cut-off frequency
line impedance
propagation constant
18

21.12.2009

Electric Field at 10 GHz

19

Far Field at 10 GHz

20

10

21.12.2009

Polar Plot for Far Field at 10 GHz

phi=90

phi=0

Create a new folder Comparison to compare different 1D results.

21

Parameterization
Optimization

22

11

21.12.2009

Parameterization (I)

r1
outer radius r1 = variable
goal: maximize gain

23

Parameterization (II)

outer
radius
r1

24

12

21.12.2009

Result Processing Templates (Shift+P)

1D results
Define gain(theta) at phi=0.

Postprocessing templates provide a convenient way to calculate

derived quantities from simulation results.
Each template is evaluated for each solver run.
25

Result Processing Templates (Shift+P)

0D results

Define max of gain(theta).

Read the online help to learn more

about the postprocessing in CST MWS.
26

13

21.12.2009

Result Processing Templates (Shift+P)

Alternative solution:
The maximum gain can be computed using
the Farfield template in 0D Results.

Define max of gain(theta).

27

Parameter Sweep - Settings

1

3
28

14

21.12.2009

Parameter Sweep - Settings

Add a S-parameter watch.

The results will be automatically listed

in the Tables folder.
29

Parameter Sweep Table Results

Right click on plot
window and select
Table Properties.

Choose the result curve for each

parameter value with the slider.

30

15

21.12.2009

Parameter Sweep Table Results

parameter values

parameter values

31

Automatic Optimization

32

16

21.12.2009

Automatic Optimization
Define the parameter space.

Define the goal function.

Template based postprocessing 0D results can be

used to define very complex goal functions.
33

Automatic Optimization
Choose the Classic Powell optimizer.

Follow the optimization.

34

17

21.12.2009

Automatic Optimization - Results

parameter values

1D results

goal:
maximize gain

35

Optimization - Summary

Define a variable.

Parameterize the structure.

Define the goal function.
Set the parameter space.
Run the optimizer.

36

18

21.12.2009

Far Field Postprocessing

terminology
broadband far field
analysis
co-/cross-polarization
phase center
tips and tricks

37

Broadband Far Field Analysis

How to plot the antenna gain for the complete
frequency range?

38

19

21.12.2009

Broadband Far Field Monitors

Create a broadband far field monitor

from the available monitors.

After monitor definition, start T-solver again!

39

Result Processing Templates (Shift+P)

1D Results

Define maximum value of gain.

40

20

21.12.2009

Broadband Far Field Monitors

far field 3D pattern

41

Broadband Far Field Monitors

42

21

21.12.2009

Tables -> 1D Results -> Broadband gain 3d

43

Co- / Cross-Polarization

The co-polarized far field component has the same polarization

as the excitation (y-oriented in our case).
The cross-polarized far field component is orthogonal to the
co-polarized component and main lobe direction.
In order to use different polarizations for transmitting/receiving,
an antenna design goal might be to maximize the co-polarized
and minimize the cross-polarized component.
44

22

21.12.2009

Co- / Cross-Polarization
1. Select the tab Axes.
2. Click Main lobe/polarization
alignment.
3. Choose the Ludwig 3 coordinate
system.

polarization vector direction

(arbitrary user input possible).

45

If Main lobe ... is not selected, the user

can enter arbitrary directions for:
-polarization plane normal (z) (= theta axis)
-cross-polarized component (x) (= phi axis).

Co- / Cross-Polarization

co-polarized = Ludwig 3 vertical

cross-polarized = Ludwig 3 horizontal

46

23

21.12.2009

Co & Cross Polarization

Result Templates for Parameter Sweep and Optimization
co-polarized= Ludwig 3 vertical

cross-pol. = Ludwig 3 horizontal

47

Phase Center Calculation

Finding the best location to place the horn
inside a parabolic antenna. The best position
is to match the focal point of the dish
with the phase center of the horn.

= yz plane
= xz plane

48

24

21.12.2009

Check Phase Center

Check the phase center by plotting the Ludwig 3 vertical phase.

Plotting the phase of Ludwig 3 vertical (=dominant component of co-polarized

fields) does not result in a 180 jump of the phase (=color jump) at theta=0.
49

Check Phase Center

Check the phase center by moving the origin to the phase center.

50

See also article (Phase Center comparison with measurements)

on www.cst.com. -> application article ID=256

25