1.

Basic features of parabolic reflector

Parabolic Reflector Antenna: Commonly known for satellite dish antenna is an antenna
which is composed of a feed antenna (mostly horn antenna) element and parabolic
reflecting metallic surface. The parabolic reflector could have more than one reflector to
increase its performance.

Advantages : The main advantages of a parabolic reflector are its high gain, very high
directivity and VHF long distance communication capability.

Drawbacks: The major challenges of a parabolic reflector are its cost and physical
antenna size.

Applications: Basically reflector antenna is applied for Radio astronomy, Microwave

communication, Satellite tracking and Military Radars.

2. Design Description

A large reflector can be modeled easily with the 2D axisymmetric formulation. The
parabolic reflector designed here is 1.7m curved parabolic reflector with a circular guided
horn feeding antenna. We chose to have 2.8 cm long feeder antenna with in a circular
waveguide which is 1 cm sectorial radius. The radius of the reflector is greater than 20
wavelengths and the reflector is illuminated by an axial feed circular horn antenna.

All metal surfaces are modeled as perfect electric conductors (PECs) and
all domains are filled with air. The radius of the circular horn feed waveguide is 0.01 m
and the cutoff frequency of the TE11 mode is approximately 8.8 GHz.

The horn aperture radius is 0.03 m and the overall horn length is 0.06 m. A slit-
conditioned circular port is assigned on the end of the waveguide to excite the antenna
with the TE1m mode. The azimuthal mode number, m, is defined from the
Electromagnetic Waves, Frequency Domain interface. In this example, m 1.

The reflector body is removed from the model domain and, consequently, the PEC is
automatically applied to its boundary. The model domain is enclosed by perfectly
matched layers (PMLs).
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 The PMLs are thicker than that of other type of antenna models
since high gain and stronger propagation are expected from the
reflector. The simulated far-field shows a high gain sharp beam pattern.

3. Design Process
The design process comprises five major steps beginning from initial values to
results. After we reviewed model from COMSOL website we re-model and study
through the below design processes.
Step I: Parameterization
The below parameters are selected and calculated for studying.

Name Expression Value Description

r0 0.85[m] 0.85 m Reflector, radius
0.01[m] Feed horn waveguide,
r1
0.01 m radius
(1.841*c_const/
2/
8.784E91/s Feed horn waveguide, cutoff frequency
fc pi/r1)

f0 fc*1.1 9.6625E9 1/s Frequency

lda0 c_const/f0 0.031027 m Wavelength
l_horn 0.028[m] 0.028 m Horn length

Table 1: Design parameters for a parabolic reflector antenna

Step -II Geometry

First we have drawn a rectangle with Width= r1=0.01 & Height = 0.06 for Horn feeding antenna
modeling.

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 Figure 1: Rectangle I

Then we have drawn another rectangle having Width =r1*3=0.03& Height=l_horn=0.028

Figure 2. Rectangle II

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Then we have drawn a polygon with the following coordinates r = (0.01, 0.03) & z =l_horn, 0

Figure 3: polygon I

Then we have drawn a circle of radius 0.9 m with 1800 sector and 2700 rotation angles.

We also add additional layer of size 1.5*lda0. This formulated our scattering boundaries and far
field regions

Figure 4 Circle I

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 Then we prepared another circle of radius r0 with 530 sector and 2700 rotation angles.
We also added a layer of thickness 0.002 m.

Here the circle re- Positioned by making r =0 and z=r0-0.365.

Figure 5 Circle II

Step III: Definition, Boundaries, port and domains

From the Geometry we built domains 1 and 7 are set to Perfectly Matched Layers(PML)

Figure 6 Defining layers

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 Then the reflector body is removed from the model domain and, consequently, the PEC is
automatically applied to its boundary and Out-of Plane Wave Number set to unity.

Figure 7

Then Boundaries 16 and 17 set to perfect electric conductors.

Figure 8 Perfect conductor Boundaries

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Then Boundary 10 selected as a circular port and input 1W power.

Figure 9 Port excitation

Scattering Boundary Condition: Boundaries 22 and 27 are selected as scattering

boundaries.

Figure 10 Scattering boundaries

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 Far Field Domains: boundaries 23 and 26 are selected as far filed domains

Figure 11 Far field domains

Step IV Materials and Meshing

We have inserted the following material values

Property
Property Variable Value Unit
group
Relative permittivity Epsilon 1 1 Basic
Relative permeability Mur 1 1 Basic
Electrical
Sigma 0 S/m Basic
conductivity

Table 2 materials

A Free Triangular mesh is used for the antenna and air domains. Then we used
a normal element size meshed structure and make ready for computation.

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 Figure 12 Meshed structure

Step V: Results
Then after all these steps we build and compute to get the results. For plotting
the result Surface Built for Electric Field (emw) node with Expression -
20*log10(emw.normE)

In addition Electromagnetic Waves, Frequency Domain>Energy and

power>emw.Poavr,emw.Poavz -Power flow, time average has selected With
Logarithmic Arrow length and Scale factor of 0.004

Then plot and got the below figure for electric field.

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 Figure 13 Electric field plot

The norm of the electric field is plotted in decibels with arrows indicating the
direction and relative magnitude of power flow. The field from the horn antenna
is reflected by the parabola and propagates in the +z-direction, confined near
the axis of rotation. The simulation results directivity equals to 36.11dB. We
used zooming to analyze the results effectively

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Then number of angles set to 180 and Reference direction X=1. Then 2D far
field pattern Resulted as below

9.6625 Ghz

Figure 14 Far field pattern plot

Then 5, 6 & 8 domains become geometric entities of selection 1 which

represents the revolution in 2D for horn antenna.

Then „domain 3‟ inserted to geometric entity of selection 2 which represents the

Revolution 2D of the reflector antenna.

Then two surfaces created and each selections with their 2D revolution Data
set has selected.

Finally A 3D far field plotted which describes the axial feed circular horn and
parabolic reflector as well as the 3D far-field pattern with expression
“comp1.emw.normEfar/300” with coloring adjustments. The low gain radiation
from the axial feed horn results in a very high gain pattern created by the
reflector.

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 .

Figure 15 3D far field plot

4. Fundamental effects regarding changes in the studied simulation

The 530 reflector enhanced the gain and produce pencil shaped beam of 36.1 dB, we omitted it
found reduced directivity and higher beam width. Here we analyzed the usage of reflectors to
boost directivity and gain. For 200 directivity reduced to 33.83 dB

Figure 16 Adjusted reflector at 200

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 5. Major application area of the designed simulation:

The designed antenna could be used with in X band for satellite communications. Furthermore
since Satellite Television Broadcasting, VSAT and AERONET services are majorly deployed in
KU,X and C bands this antenna could serve those services after reasonable tests and calibrations
through fabrications and optimization.

6. Reference

www.comsol.com/models

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