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The antenna parameters describe the antenna performance with respect to space
distribution of the radiated energy, power efficiency, matching to the feed
circuitry, etc. Many of these parameters are interrelated. There are several
parameters not described here, such as antenna temperature and noise
characteristics. They are discussed later in conjunction with radio-wave
propagation and system performance.
1. Radiation pattern
The radiation pattern (RP) (or antenna pattern) is the representation of the
radiation properties of the antenna as a function of the angular coordinates.
elevation plane
90
azimuth plane
90
Plotting the pattern: the trace of the pattern is obtained by setting the length of
the radius-vector | r ( , ) | corresponding to the ( , ) point of the RP
proportional to the strength of the field | E( , ) | (in the case of an amplitude
field pattern) or proportional to the power density | E( , ) |2 (in the case of a
power pattern).
| r |1
3
4
01 00
30 30 30 30
0.75 -15
60 0.5 60 60 -30 60
0.25 -45
90 90 90 90
1 0
-10
0.8
-20
0.6 -30
-40
0.4
-50
0.2
-60
0 -70
-80 -60 -40 -20 0 20 40 60 80 -80 -60 -40 -20 0 20 40 60 80
5
e) Pattern lobe is a portion of the RP whose local radiation intensity
maximum is relatively weak.
Lobes are classified as: major, minor, side lobes, back lobes.
6
2. Pattern beamwidth
Half-power beamwidth (HPBW) is the angle between two vectors,
originating at the pattern’s origin and passing through these points of the major
lobe where the radiation intensity is half its maximum.
First-null beamwidth (FNBW) is the angle between two vectors,
originating at the pattern’s origin and tangent to the main beam at its base.
Often, it is true that FNBW2HPBW.
The HPBW is the best parameter to describe the antenna resolution properties.
In radar technology as well as in radio-astronomy, the antenna resolution
capability is of primary importance.
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3. Radiation intensity
Radiation intensity in a given direction is the power per unit solid angle
radiated in this direction by the antenna.
a) Solid angle
One steradian (st) is the solid angle with its vertex at the center of a sphere
of radius r, which is subtended by a spherical surface area equal to that of a
square with each side of length r. In a closed sphere, there are 4 steradians.
S
2 , sr (4.1)
r
Note: The above definition is analogous to the definition of a 2-D angle in
radians, l / , where l is the length of the arch segment supported by the
angle in a circle of radius .
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b) Radiation intensity U
rad d rad
U lim , W/sr. (4.5)
0 d
A useful expression, equivalent to (4.5), is given below:
Ud , W.
rad (4.6)
4
From now on, we will denote the radiated power simply by . There is a direct
relation between the radiation intensity U and the radiation power density P
(that is the Poynting vector magnitude of the far field). Since
d d 1
P 2 2 U , W/m2 (4.7)
ds r d r
then
U r2 P (4.8)
It was already shown that the power density of the far field depends on the
distance from the source as 1/r2, since the far field magnitude depends on r as
1/r. Thus, the radiation intensity U depends only on the direction ( , ) but not
on the distance r.
In the far-field zone, the radial field components vanish, and the remaining
transverse components of the electric and the magnetic far field vectors are in
phase and have magnitudes related by
| E | | H | . (4.9)
That is why the far-field Poynting vector has only a radial component and it is a
real number showing the radiation power flow density:
1 1 | E |2
Prad P | H | 2 . (4.10)
2 2
Then, for the radiation intensity, we obtain in terms of the electric field
r2
U , | E |2 . (4.11)
2
Equation (4.11) leads to a useful relation between the power pattern and the
amplitude field pattern:
9
r2 1
U ( , ) | E2 (r , , ) E2 (r , , ) | | E2p ( , ) E2p ( , ) | . (4.12)
2 2
Here, E p ( , ) and E p ( , ) denote the far-zone field patterns.
Examples:
1) Radiation intensity and pattern of an isotropic radiator:
P r , ,
4 r 2
U , r 2 P const.
4
U , 1 .
The normalized pattern of an isotropic radiator is simply a sphere of a
unit radius.
2 32 2
U , sin 2 .
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4. Directivity
It can be also defined as the ratio of the radiation intensity (RI) of the antenna
in a given direction and the RI of an isotropic radiator fed by the same amount
of power:
U ( , ) U ( , )
D( , ) 4 , (4.13)
U av
and
U
Dmax D0 4 max .
The directivity is a dimensionless quantity. The maximum directivity is always
1.
Examples:
11
2) Directivity of an infinitesimal dipole:
2 I l
2
U ( , ) sin 2
32 2
U ( , ) sin 2 ; U ( , ) M U ( , )
As shown in (4.6),
2
8
Ud M
4 sin 2 sin d d M 3
0 0
U ( , ) 3 2
D( , ) 4 sin
2
D0 1.5 .
The total directivity is the sum of the partial directivities for any two orthogonal
polarizations:
D D D , (4.14)
where:
U
D 4 ,
U
D 4 .
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4.2. Directivity in terms of relative radiation intensity U ,
U ( , ) M U ( , ) (4.15)
2
Ud M U ( , )sin d d
(4.16)
4 0 0
U ( , )
D( , ) 4 2 (4.17)
U ( , )sin d d
0 0
1
D0 4 2 (4.18)
U ( , )sin d d
0 0
The beam solid angle A of an antenna is the solid angle through which all
the power of the antenna would flow if its radiation intensity were constant
and equal to the maximum radiation intensity U 0 for all angles within A .
2
A U ( , )sin d d (4.19)
0 0
The relation between the maximum directivity and the beam solid angle is
obvious from (4.18) and (4.19):
D0 4 / A . (4.20)
In order to understand how (4.19) is obtained, follow the derivations below
(they reflect the mathematical meaning of the definition above):
Ud U 0 d U 0 A
4 A
Ud
2
A 4
U0 Ud U ( , )sin d d .
4 0 0
13
4.4. Approximate expressions for directivity
The complexity of the calculation of the antenna directivity D0 depends on
the power pattern U ( , ) , which has to be integrated over a spherical surface.
In most practical cases, this function is not available in closed analytical form
(e.g., it might be a data set). Even if it is available in closed analytical form, the
integral in (4.18) may not have a closed analytical solution. In practice, simpler
although not exact expressions are often used for approximate and fast
calculations. These formulas are based on the two orthogonal-plane half-power
beamwidths (HPBW) of the pattern. The approximations for the directivity are
usually valid for highly directive (pencil-beam) antennas such as large
reflectors and horns.
a) Kraus’ formula
For antennas with narrow major lobe and with negligible minor lobes, the
beam solid angle A is approximately equal to the product of the HPBWs in
two orthogonal planes:
A 1 2 , (4.21)
where the HPBW angles are in radians. Another variation of (4.21) is
41000
D0 , (4.22)
12
where 1 and 1 are in degrees.
14
5. Antenna gain
15
6. Antenna efficiency
The total efficiency of the antenna et is used to estimate the total loss of
energy at the input terminals of the antenna and within the antenna structure. It
includes all mismatch losses and the dielectric/conduction losses (described by
the radiation efficiency e as defined by the IEEE Standards):
et e p er e
c ed e p er e . (4.27)
e
Here: er is the reflection (impedance mismatch) efficiency,
ep is the polarization mismatch efficiency,
ec is the conduction efficiency,
ed is the dielectric efficiency.
The reflection efficiency can be calculated through the reflection coefficient
at the antenna input:
er 1 | |2 . (4.28)
can be either measured or calculated, provided the antenna impedance is
known:
Z Zc
in . (4.29)
Z in Z c
Z in is the antenna input impedance and Z c is the characteristic impedance of
the feed line. If there are no polarization losses, then the total efficiency is
related to the radiation efficiency as
et e 1 | |2 . (4.30)
7. Beam efficiency
The beam efficiency is the ratio of the power radiated in a cone of angle 21
and the total radiated power. The angle 21 can be generally any angle, but
usually this is the first-null beam width.
2 1
U ( , )sin d d
BE 0 0
2
(4.31)
U ( , )sin d d
0 0
16
If the antenna has its major lobe directed along the z-axis ( 0 ), formula
(4.31) defines the BE. If 1 is the angle where the first null (or minimum)
occurs in two orthogonal planes, then the BE will show what part of the total
radiated power is channeled through the main beam.
Very high beam-efficiency antennas are needed in radars, radiometry and
astronomy.
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9. Input impedance
Z A RA jX A (4.34)
Here, RA is the antenna resistance and X A is the antenna reactance. Generally,
the antenna resistance has two terms:
RA Rr Rl , (4.35)
where Rr is the radiation resistance and Rl is the loss resistance.
The antenna impedance is related to the radiated power Pr , the
dissipated power Pl , and the stored reactive energy, in the following way:
P Pd 2 j (Wm We )
ZA r . (4.36)
0.5I 0 I 0*
Here, I 0 is the current at the antenna terminals; Wm is the average magnetic
energy, and We is the average electric energy stored in the near-field region.
When the stored magnetic and electric energy values are equal, a condition of
resonance occurs and the reactive part of Z A vanishes. For a thin dipole
antenna, this occurs when the antenna length is close to a multiple of a half
wavelength.
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9.2. Equivalent circuits of the transmitting antenna
Xg Rl
Rg Rr
Vg XA
Ig Gg Bg BA Gl Gr
In the above model, it is assumed that the generator is connected to the antenna
directly. If there is a transmission line between the generator and the antenna,
which is usually the case, then Z g Rg jX g represents the equivalent
impedance of the generator transferred to the input terminals of the antenna.
Transmission lines themselves often have significant losses.
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Reminder: The impedance transformation by a long transmission line is given
by
Z Z 0 tanh( L)
Z in Z in Z 0 L . (4.40)
Z 0 Z L tanh( L)
Here, Z 0 is the characteristic impedance of the line, is its propagation
constant, Z L is the load impedance, and Z in is the input impedance. In the case
of a loss-free line,
Z jZ 0 tan( L)
Z in Z 0 L , (4.41)
Z 0 jZ L tan( L)
where j .
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9.3. Equivalent circuits of the receiving antenna
antenna
load Z L
a
Rl
XL IA Rr
RL VA
XA
b
(a) Thevenin equivalent
GL BL BA Gl Gr IA
21
For the case of conjugate matching, the following power expressions hold:
a) power delivered to the load
| VA |2 | VA |2
PL (4.48)
8 RL 8 RA
b) power dissipated as heat in the antenna
| V |2 Rl
Pl A (4.49)
8 RA2
c) scattered (re-radiated) power
| VA |2 Rr
Pr (4.50)
8 RA2
d) total captured power
| VA |2 | V |2
Pc A (4.51)
4 Rr Rl 4 RA
When conjugate matching is achieved, half of the captured power Pc is
delivered to the load (the receiver) and half is antenna loss. The antenna losses
are heat dissipation Pl and reradiated (scattered) power Pr . When the antenna is
non-dissipative half of the power is delivered to the load and the other half is
scattered back into space. Thus a receiving antenna is also a scatterer.
The antenna input impedance is frequency dependent. Thus, it is
! matched to its load in a certain frequency band. It can be influenced
by the proximity of objects, too.
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1 l 1 l l
Rhf Rs . (4.59)
Ahf p p
p
Here the area Ahf p is not the actual area of the
conducting rod but is the effective area through
which the high-frequency current flows.
Ahf p
c
f 108 Hz 3 m l 1.5 m
f 2
p 2 b 18 104 , m
If the current along the dipole were uniform, the high-frequency loss power
would be uniformly distributed along the dipole. However, the current has a
cosine distribution along the half-wavelength dipole:
2
I ( z ) I 0 cos z , z
4 4
Equation (4.59) can be now used to express the high-frequency loss resistance
per wire differential element of infinitesimal length dz :
dz f 0
dRhf
p
The high-frequency loss power per wire element of infinitesimal length dz is
then obtained as
1 dz f 0
dPhf ( z ) I 2 ( z )
2 p
The total loss power is obtained by integrating along the whole dipole:
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2
2 1 f 0
l /2
1
Phf I 0 cos z dz
l /2
2 p
I 02 1 f 0 2
l /2
Phf cos 2 z dz , 2 l
2 p l /2
I 02 l f 0
l /2
z z
Phf cos 2 d
2 p l /2 l l
Rhf
1/2
I 02 z
Phf Rhf cos 2 d ,
2
l
1/2
1/2
Since the loss resistance Rl is defined through the loss power as
I 02
Phf Rl ,
2
we obtain that
l f 0
Rl 0.5 Rhf 0.5 0.349 .
p
The antenna efficiency is:
Rr 73
e 0.9952
Rr Rl 73 0.349
e[dB] 10log10 0.9952 0.02 .
The effective antenna aperture is the ratio of the available power at the
terminals of the antenna to the power flux density of a plane wave incident
upon the antenna, which is matched to the antenna in terms of polarization.
If no direction is specified, the direction of maximum radiation is implied.
Ae PA / Wi , (4.60)
where
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Ae is the effective aperture, m2,
PA is the power delivered from the antenna to the load, W,
Wi is the power flux density (Poynting vector magnitude) of the incident
wave, W/m2.
Example: A uniform plane wave is incident upon a very short dipole. Find the
effective area Ae assuming that the radiation resistance is R 80 l / , and
2
that the field is linearly polarized along the axis of the dipole. Compare Ae with
the physical surface of the wire if l / 50 and d / 300 , where d is the
wire’s diameter.
Since the dipole is very short, we can neglect the conduction losses. Wire
antennas do not have dielectric losses. Therefore, we assume that Rl 0 . Under
conjugate matching (which is implied unless specified otherwise),
| VA |2
Ae .
8Wi Rr
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The dipole is very short and we can assume that the E-field intensity is the
same along the whole wire. Then, the voltage created by the induced
electromotive force of the incident wave is
VA | E | l .
The Poynting vector has a magnitude of Wi | E |2 /(2 ) . Then, see (4.62),
| E |2 l 2 2 3 2
Ae 0.119 2 .
8 | E | Rr
2 8
The physical surface of the dipole is
Ap dl 103 2 2.1 104 2 .
15
The aperture efficiency of this dipole is then
A 0.119
ap e 568.2 .
Ap 2.1 104
27
P21
D2 Ae1 4 R 2
.
P2
If P1 P2 , then, according to the reciprocity principle in electromagnetics,
P1 2 P21 . Therefore,
D D
D1 Ae2 D2 Ae1 1 2 .
Ae1 Ae2
We thus proved that is the same for every antenna.
Reciprocity in antenna theory states that if antenna #1 is a transmitting antenna and antenna #2 is a receiving antenna, then
the ratio of transmitted to received power Ptra / Prec will not change if antenna #1 becomes the receiving antenna and antenna
#2 becomes the transmitting one.
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12. Other antenna equivalent areas
Before, we have defined the antenna effective area (or effective aperture) as
the area, which when multiplied by the incident wave power density, produces
the power delivered to the load (the terminals of the antenna) PA . In a similar
manner, we define the antenna scattering area As . It is the area, which when
multiplied with the incident wave power density, produces the re-radiated
(scattered) power:
Ps | I A |2 Rr
As , m2. (4.67)
Wi 2Wi
In the case of conjugate matching,
| VA |2 Rr | VA |2 Rr
As , m 2
. (4.68)
8Wi ( Rr Rl ) 2 8Wi RA2
The loss area is the area, which when multiplied by the incident wave power
density, produces the dissipated (as heat) power of the antenna.
Pl | I A |2 Rl
Al , m2. (4.69)
Wi 2Wi
In the case of conjugate matching,
| VA |2 Rl | VA |2 Rl
Al , m2
. (4.70)
8Wi ( Rr Rl ) 2 8Wi RA2
The capture area is the area, which when multiplied with the incident wave
power density, produces the total power intercepted by the antenna:
P | I |2 ( Rr Rl RL )
Ac t A . (4.71)
Wi 2Wi
In the case of conjugate matching,
| V |2 ( Rr Rl RL ) | VA |2 ( RA RL ) | VA |2 1
Ac A . (4.72)
8Wi ( Rr Rl ) 2 8Wi RA2 4Wi RA
The capture area is the sum of the effective area, the loss area and the
scattering area:
Ac Ae Al As . (4.73)
When conjugate matching is achieved,
Ae Al As 0.5 Ac . (4.74)
If conjugate matching is achieved for a loss-free antenna, then
Ae As 0.5 Ac . (4.75)
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