RADAR Antennas

R
A
D
A
R

S
YS
YS
TS
ET
M E
M S 4  Pt G 22 
R max   nEi 
S  4  kT0 BF ( S / N )1 Lt Lr L p 
3

Lecture 17-20
DR Sanjeev Kumar Mishra
 Antenna:
R • An antenna is
A • an electromagnetic radiator,
D • a sensor,
A
• a transducer and
R
• an impedance matching device
• For Radar Application, A directive antenna which concentrates the
S energy into a narrow beam.
Y
• Most popularly used antennas are: Parabolic Reflector Antennas
S
T • Planar Phased Arrays
E • Electronically steered Phased array
M antennas
S
• A typical antenna beamwidth for the detection or tracking of aircraft
might be about 1 or 2°.
R • An antenna is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as “a usually metallic
A device (as a rod or wire) for radiating or receiving radio waves.”
D
A • The IEEE Standard Definitions [IEEE Std 145–1983]: Antenna (or
R aerial) “a means for radiating or receiving radio waves.”

S
YS
YS
TS
ET
M E
M S
S

E & H Fields surrounding an Antenna Antenna as a transition device

R
A
D
A
R

S
YS
Transmission-line Thevenin equivalent of antenna in transmitting mode
YS
TS Z A  RA  jX A
ET  ( Rr  RL )  jX A
M E
Where ZA : antenna impedance
M S
RA : Antenna resistance
S Rr : radiation resistance
RL :loss resistance (i.e. due to conduction & dielectric losses)
XA : equivalent antenna reactance
 ANTENNA PARAMETERS
R • Circuit Parameters
A • Input Impedance
D
• Radiation Resistance
A
R • Antenna Noise Temperature

• Return Loss
S • Impedance bandwidth
YS • Electromagnetic Parameters
• Physical Quantities
YS
• • Field Pattern (Beam Area,
TS Size
ET • Weight Directivity, Gain)
M E • Profile • Radiated power
M S • Efficiency
• Shape
S
• Effective Length and effective area

• Polarization (LP/CP/EP)
 TYPES OF ANTENNA

R
A
D
A
R

S
YS
YS
TS
ET
M E
M S
S
 TYPES OF ANTENNA
R • Structural classification:
A • Wire Antennas
D • Aperture Antennas
A
• Microstrip Antennas
R
• Array Antennas
S • Reflector Antennas
YS • Frequency dependency classification:
YS
• Frequency Dependent Antennas
TS
ET • Frequency Independent Antennas
M E
M S
S
 Wire Antennas
R
A
D
A
R

S
YS Dipole antenna Circular (Square) loop antenna

YS
TS
ET
M E
M S
S
Helix antenna
 Aperture Antennas
R
A
D
A
R

S
YS Horn antennas Conical Horn antennas
YS
TS
ET
M E
M S
S
Slotted Waveguide antennas
R
A
D
A
R

S
YS Pyramidal Horn antennas
YS
TS
ET
M E
M S
S

Radiation pattern of a antenna

 Microstrip Antennas
R
A
D
A
R

S
YS
YS
TS
ET
M E Rectangular patch antennas Circular patch antennas

M S
S
 Array Antennas
R
A
D
A
R

S Yagi-Uda antenna
YS
YS
TS
ET
M E
M S
S Slotted waveguide array antenna Microstrip array antenna
 Reflector Antennas
R
A
D
A
R
Parabolic reflector antenna with front feed

S
YS
YS
TS
ET Parabolic reflector antenna with cassegrain feed
M E
M S
S

Corner reflector antenna

R
A
D
A
R

S
YS
YS
TS
ET
M E
M S
S
 Frequency independent antennas
R
A
D
A
R

S Log periodic antenna Planar Log periodic slot antenna Log-spiral antenna
YS
YS
TS
ET
M E
M S Various versions of Biconical antennas – Infinite
S Discone antenna Biconical antenna, Finite Biconical antenna, a cone
with finite ground, a cone with a stem and discone
 FUNDAMENTAL PARAMETERS OF ANTENNA
R • Radiation pattern
A
D • Radiation power density
A • Radiation intensity
R • Antenna impedance
• Beamwidth
• Antenna temperature
S • Directivity
YS • Brightness Temperature
• Antenna efficiency
YS • Antenna Factor
TS • Gain
ET • Bandwidth
M E
M S • Group Delay
S • Polarization
 Radiation pattern
R A graphical or mathematical representation of the radiation properties of
A
an antenna such as amplitude, phase, polarization etc as a function of
D
A the angular space coordinates θ and Φ.
R

S
YS
YS
TS
ET
M E
M S
S

Polar pattern Linear pattern

 Radiation pattern
R
A
D
A
R

S
YS
YS
TS
ET
Directional radiation pattern Omni-directional radiation pattern
M E
M S
S
R
A
D
A
R

S
YS
YS
TS
ET
M E
M S • Same power is radiated
S • Radiation intensity is power density over sphere (watt/steradian)
• Gain is radiation intensity over that of an isotropic source
 Field regions of an antenna
R (a) Reactive near field region
A (b) Radiating near field (Fresnel) region
D (c) Far field (Fraunhofer) region
A
R

S
YS
YS
TS
ET
M E
M S
S

Field regions of an antenna

R
A
D
A [0.62 D3 /   R  2D 2  ]
R

S
YS
YS
TS
ET
M E
M S
S
 Radiation power density
R The time average Poynting vector (average power density) can be
A 
written as W x, y, z   1 Re E  H *
av 
D 2
A Where W = Radiation power density (W/ m2)
R E = radiated electric field intensity (V/ m)
H = radiated magnetic field intensity (A/ m)
S
YS
YS
TS
ET
M E
M S
S
 Directivity (D)/ Directive Gain
R It can be defined as “the ratio of the radiation intensity in a given direction
A
from the antenna to the radiation intensity averaged over all directions”
D
A U U 4U
D  
R U 0 Prad / 4 Prad
D(dB)  10 log10[ D(dim ensionless )]
S
Where, D = directivity (dimensionless)
YS
YS U = radiation intensity (W/ unit solid angle)
TS U0= radiation intensity of isotropic source (W/ unit solid angle)
ET Prad= total radiated power (W)
M E
M S
S
R 4 4
D0  
A  A 1r 2 r
D Where, D = directivity (dimensionless)
A ΩA = beam solid angle)
R
θ1r= HPBW in one plane (radian)

S θ2r= HPBW in a plane at a right angle to other (radian)

YS If beamwidth in degrees, equation can be written as:
YS 4 4
D0  
TS 1r 2 r  (  ) (  )
1d 2d
ET 180 180
M E

4 
180 

2


41253
M S 1d 2 d 1d 2 d
S For a planar arrays, a better approximation is
32400
D0 
1d 2 d
R
A
D
A
R

S
YS
YS
TS
ET
M E
M S
S

Radiation pattern for a particular paraboloid reflector antenna

 Antenna efficiency
R
A
D
A
R
e0  er ec ed
S
YS  er ec d
   
2
YS
e 0 (1 )ecd

TS Where, e0 = total antenna efficiency (dimensionless)

ET ecd = antenna radiation efficiency (dimensionless)
M E
: used to relate the gain and directivity
M S
S er = reflection (mismatch) efficiency (dimensionless)
ec = conduction efficiency (dimensionless)
ed = dielectric efficiency (dimensionless)
R
A
D
A
R

S
YS Z L  ZC

YS Z L  ZC
TS
ET Where, Z = Antenna impedance
L
M E
M S ZC = characteristic impedance
S
 Gain (G)/ Power Gain
R radiation int ensity
Gain 
A total  input (accepted ) power
D 4U  ,  
A  (dim ensionless )
Pin
R
4U  ,   4U  ,  
 Gain    Prad  ecd Pin
S Pin Prad / ecd
YS 4U  ,  
 ecd  ecd D(dim ensionless )
YS Prad
TS 4U  ,  
ET Re lativeGain  (dim ensionless )
Pin (isotropics ource)
M E Where, D = directivity (dimensionless)
M S U = radiation intensity (W/ unit solid angle)
S Pin= total input power (W)
Prad= total radiated power (W)
ecd= antenna radiation efficiency (dimensionless)
R The relationship between the gain and the beamwidth of an antenna
A
depends on the distribution of current across the aperture.
D
A For a "typical" reflector antenna the following expression is sometimes
R used: 20000
G
1d 2 d
S
YS Where, θ1d = HPBW in one plane (degree)
YS θ2d= HPBW in a plane at a right angle to other (degree)
TS
ET
M E
M S
S
 Effective Aperture (Aeff)
R 4Aeff 4 e A
A G 
2 2
D
A Where, = wavelength
R A= Physical area of the antenna
e = antenna aperture efficiency
S
YS
YS
TS
ET
M E
M S
S
 Antenna Input Impedance
R • Antenna can be modeled as an impedance
A
D • Ratio of voltage to current at feed port
A • Design antenna to maximize power transfer from transmission line
R • Reflection of incident power sets up standing wave
• Input impedance usually defines antenna bandwidth
S
YS
YS
TS
ET
M E
M S
S
 Bandwidth (2.1)

R
Bandwidth of the antenna is defined as the range of frequencies within
A
D which the performance of the antenna provides desired characteristics.
A • Generally, Impedance BW when S11  -10dB [VSWR  2]
R The frequency bandwidth of an antenna can be expressed

S
Absolute Bandwidth (ABW) ABW  f H  f L
YS Fractional Bandwidth (FBW). FBW  2 f H  f L
fH  fL
YS
TS Where, fH and fL denote the upper edge and the lower edge of the antenna
ET bandwidth, respectively.
M E
For broadband antennas, the bandwidth can also be expressed as the
M S
S ratio of the upper to the lower frequencies, where the antenna performance
is acceptable
R
A
D
A
R

S
YS
YS
TS
ET
M E
M S
S
R
A
D
A
R

S
YS
YS
TS
ET
M E
M S
S
 Polarization (2.1)

R Polarization is defined as “the electric field vector of an antenna oriented

A in space as a function of time”.
D
A
R

S
YS
YS
TS
ET
M E
M S Electromagnetic Wave

S
 (2.1)

R The polarization of a radiated wave is the property of an electromagnetic

A
wave describing the time varying direction and relative magnitude of the
D
A electric-field vector at a fixed location in space, and the sense in which it
R is traced, as observed along the direction of propagation.

There are three classifications of antenna polarization:

S
YS • Linear polarization,
YS • circular polarization and
TS
• Elliptical polarization.
ET
M E #Circular and linear polarizations are special cases of elliptical polarization
M S
S
R
A
D
A
R

S
YS
YS
TS
ET
M E
M S
S (a) Rotation of plane electromagnetic wave and
(b) its polarization ellipse at z =0 as a function
of time
R
A
D
A
R

S
YS
YS
TS
ET
M E
M S
S
Polarisation states for a z-directed plane wave
 Polarization Loss Factor
R
A
D
A
R

S
YS
YS
TS
ET
M E
M S
S

Note : Both the PLF and p lead to the same answers

 Antenna Factor
R
• The antenna factor is defined as the ratio of the electric field strength
A
D to the voltage V (units: V or µV) induced across the terminals of a
A antenna.
R • For an electric field antenna, the field strength is in units of V/m or
µV/m and the resulting antenna factor AF is in units of 1/m:
S
YS AF= Eincident/Vreceived
YS
TS
ET
M E
M S
S • In a 50 Ω system, the antenna factor is related to the antenna gain G and the
wavelength λ via: AF= [9.73/ (λ*G1/2)]
R
A
D
A
R

S
YS
YS
TS
ET
M E
M S
S
 RADAR ANTENNAS
R • Most popularly used antennas are:
A
D • Parabolic Reflector Antennas
A • Planar Phased Arrays
R • Electronically steered Phased array antennas

S
YS
YS
TS
ET
M E
M S
S
 Radar Antenna Architecture Comparison
R
A
D
A
R

S
Y
S
T
E
M
S
 Array Radar
R Passive Array Radar Active Array Radar
A
D
A
R

S
Y
S
T
E
M
S
 Active Phased Array Radar
R
A
D
A
R

S
Y
S
T
E
M
S
 Digital Array Radar Architecture:
Digital on Receiver
R
A
D
A
R

S
Y
S
T
E
M
S
Each active analog T/R module is followed by an A/D for immediate digitization
Multiple received beams are formed digitally by the digital beam-former.
 Reference
R
A 1. C A Balanis, Antenna Theory and Design, 3rd Edition, Wiley, 2005.
D 2. G Kumar and K P Ray, Broadband Microstrip Antenna, Arctech
A Publication, 2003.
R
3. R K Shevgaonkar, Electromagnetic Waves, 2006

S
Y
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T
E
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