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Multimode antenna feed system for an x-band monopulse radar

Conference Paper  in  IEEE National Radar Conference - Proceedings · June 2009

DOI: 10.1109/RADAR.2009.4977073 · Source: IEEE Xplore

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 Multimode Antenna Feed System for an X-Band
Monopulse Radar

A.M. El-Tager H. N. Ahmad, M. Magdi Darwish

Electronic Engineering Departement Electronic Engineering Departement
MTC MTC
Cairo, Egypt Cairo, Egypt
aeltager@yahoo.ca hnmahmed@yahoo.ca, mmagdi_2000@yahoo.com

Abstract— In this paper, a 3-channel multimode feed system for The horn is extended by a custom designed waveguide
a dielectric loaded E-plane rectangular waveguide horn antenna allowing the propagation of previously mentioned modes. The
is proposed. A detailed modal analysis for this multimode dimensions of the waveguide and the dielectric constant of the
monopulse feed system is presented. Simulations for the partially filling dielectric material are chosen such that no
complete system are performed to optimize isolations between other higher order modes are allowed to propagate. The
sum, azimuth and elevation channels and enhance the matching optimum dimension of this main waveguide is (26.5 mm × 13
of each, within a wideband of operation. The feed system mm).
exhibits very good amplitude and phase control of the radar
signals over a 10-percent bandwidth. Measurements for
different target positions in the 9-10 GHz frequency range are
carried out to verify the modal analysis and the simulation
results. Good agreement between measurements and simulations
is achieved.

I. INTRODUCTION
Monopulse is commonly used in modern radars and
communication systems for tracking targets or communicating
partners because of its high angular accuracy [1]. The aim of
monopulse radar is to generate the signals required for E and
H plane error channels (azimuth, and elevation) [2].
The main design strategies are to use either multiple
antennas or multi-mode waveguide propagation feed systems
[2]-[4]. The latter is found to be better in terms of size,
complexity, and accuracy. A proposed structure assembly
based on this technique is designed, simulated, implemented,
and measured in the 9-10 GHz frequency range.
Figure 1. Multi-mode Monopulse Feed System with the associated
propagating modes
II. MULTI-MODE FEED SYSTEM
The design principle of the proposed 3 channel feed III. MODAL ANALYSIS
system is shown in Fig.1 along with the E-field distribution When incident wave-front is on antenna axis, the feed
for the associated propagating mode(s) for each channel. A system is symmetrically excited, or more exactly, the
dielectric loaded E-plane rectangular waveguide horn is used. distribution of the field on the horn aperture is even for both
The horn is designed to allow the propagation of the desired E- and H-planes. In this case, only TE10 mode is transmitted
higher order modes [TE01, TE10, TE20, TM11, and TE11]. by the horn.
Common radiating aperture is designed so that the various If incident wave-front is offset in H plane of the horn, the
modes are in proper amplitude and phase relationships, to diffraction pattern moves along X-axis of the horn aperture as
produce dual plane difference patterns as well as sum patterns shown in Fig.2. The excitation becomes asymmetrical, such
with very low side lobes for dual plane monopulse operation. that higher order modes will propagate. The filtering action of
the horn only allows the propagation of TE10 and TE20 modes.

978-1-4244-2871-7/09/$25.00 ©2009 IEEE

 propagating modes is simulated. Simulations show that TE10 is
Diffraction pattern the only propagating mode, while all other modes are
suppressed as shown in Fig.5. It is clear that the sum channel
is of the same amplitude as the excitation TE10 mode. On the
other hand, the input and output matching are designed
carefully and optimized for all modes as in Fig.6. This shows
better performance than the monopulse feed system of [5].

Figure 2. Diffraction pattern in azimuth plane

Finally, if incident wave-front is offset in plane E of the
horn aperture, the diffraction pattern moves along the Y-axis
of the horn aperture as shown in Fig.3. This asymmetric
excitation produces modes TE10, TM11, and TE11.

Diffraction pattern

Figure 4. 3D model of the proposed monopulse antenna feed system

Figure 3. Diffraction pattern in elevation plane

As a result of diffraction patterns given in Fig.2 and 3,
TE10 mode is used for the sum channel. For any small
movement of diffraction pattern in front of the horn aperture, a
corresponding variation occurs in the amplitude of the TE10
mode. This means that there is output from the sum channel
with all targets whether they are on the boresight or shifted in
azimuth or elevation. Figure 5. Insertion loss for different modes between input and sum (output)
channel
On the other hand, for a certain movement of diffraction
pattern in front of the horn aperture, not all the amplitudes of
the other higher order modes [TE20, TM11, and TE11] vary
considerably. TE20 is sensitive to azimuth errors and the
combination of both TM11 and TE11 is sensitive to elevation
errors.

IV. SYSTEM SIMULATIONS

A 3D model for the proposed monopulse feed system is
built up using Ansoft HFSS as shown in Fig.4.

A. Sum Channel
The sum channel signal is the amplitude of the TE10 mode
which passes through the main waveguide. The waveguide is
split into two equally sections by means of a metallic sheet in
order to allow the excitation of the elevation channel. The split
sheet should not affect the sum channel. The incident TE10
mode is split into two TE10 modes propagate independently
but in-phase. The two TE10 modes combine again to form the
sum channel at the output port.
The output port at which the sum signal is received should
allow the propagation of TE10 mode only and isolate any
higher order modes. Thus, the insertion loss between the
output and the input of the sum channel for different
Figure 6. Return loss for different modes at input and sum (output) channel
B. Azimuth Channel
The azimuth channel is formed by a slot machined in the
side wall of the main guide. The slot is connected to a guide
perpendicular to the main body.
The sum signal, altogether with the difference signal at the
input of the main guide create TE20 and TE10 modes. In order
to obtain the azimuth difference signal only mode TE20 is
considered. Figure 7 shows the insertion loss of all modes at
the output of the azimuth channel w.r.t. the input. The
simulation results show that only TE20 mode will propagate,
while all other modes decay.

Figure 9. Excitation using TE10 mode

Figure 7. Insertion loss of all modes at the azimuth channel output in dB

C. Elevation Channel
The elevation channel is formed by two slots machined in
the wider walls of the main guide. These 2 slots are connected
to two guides placed against the source body. These two
guides are combined by a folded magic-T. Figure 10. Excitation using TE20 mode

The sum signal, altogether with the difference signal at the

input of the main guide create TE11 and TM11 modes. These 2
modes combine together forming the field distribution given
in Fig.1, this distribution is equivalent to two TE10 modes.
When these modes enter the split sheet region, they propagate
as two separate TE10 modes.
The insertion loss of all modes at the output of the
elevation channel w.r.t. the input is shown in Fig.8. The
structure is optimized to let only TE11 and TM11 modes
propagate, while all other modes decay.

Figure11. Excitation using TE11 and TM11 modes

Figure 8. Insertion loss of all modes at the elevation channel output in dB
V. MEASURMENTS
Measurements for the feed system are carried out to verify
the modal analysis and the simulation results. To carry out the
measurements the monopulse feed system is mounted and a
transmitting horn antenna is placed at different positions; bore
sight, elevation and azimuth. The horn antenna and the
monopulse feed system are connected to the two ports of a
network analyzer. The transmitting horn is placed at different
positions while the output from each channel (sum, elevation,
and azimuth) is measured with the other two ports matched.
Measurements are carried out at 9-10 GHz frequency.

Figures 9 to 11 represent the electric field simulation
results for the excitation of the feed system when excited by
different propagating modes.
It is clear that simulation results verify the modal analysis
results. That is, the sum channel is formed by TE10 mode, the
azimuth channel is formed by TE20 mode, while the elevation
channel is formed by the superposition of TE11 and TM11
modes.
The channels outputs are measured at five positions
(boresight, +20o elevation, -20o elevation, +20o azimuth, and
-20o azimuth) in order to verify the design of the proposed
structure. Figures 12 to 14 give the output of the 3 channels
while the target is in the boresight. Measurements for the
remainder for target positions are given in [6].
 verifies the modal analysis, design and optimization done for
the proposed multi-mode monopulse feed system. This
multimode monopulse antenna feed system shows several
advantages over other published systems in terms of size,
return loss and insertion loss [5], [7] and [8].
Table 1 Measured S-parameters for sum, azimuth, and elevation channels at
different target positions at midband in [dB]
Bore
+20o EL -20o EL +20o Az -20o Az
Sight

Sum -0.85 -0.92 -0.89 -0.95 -0.88

Azimuth -33 -29.5 -33 -3.6 -3
Elevation -30 -2.2 -3.3 -29 -30
Figure 12. Sum channel output.

Table 2 Simulated vs. measured insertion losss for different modes in [dB]
TE10 TE11 + TM11 TE20
Simulated Measured Simulated Measured Simulated Measured

Sum -0.2 -0.8 -42 -30 -50 -30

Azimuth -40 -30 -2 -3 -50 -30
Elevation -55 -30 -50 -30 -2 -3

Figure 13. Azimuth channel output.
CONCLUSION
A multimode antenna feed system for an x-band
monopulse radar is proposed and optimized to give return loss
better than 40dB, insertion loss 0.8 dB for the sum channel
and isolation better than 30 dB between any 2 channels.
Measurements showing great agreement with simulations
which validates the proposed system. The feed system exhibits
very good amplitude and phase control of the radar signals
over a 10-percent bandwidth. Up to authors knowledge, this
system has several advantages over other published systems in
terms of size, return loss and insertion loss.

Figure 14. Elevation channel output.
Table 1 summarizes the results of the measured insertion
loss for all channels at different target positions taken at the
midband in dB. It is clear that when the target is along the
antenna boresight, the only output is from the sum channel.
For any target position there is output from the sum channel
indicating the presence of a target. For any deviation in the
target position off the boresight, there is a corresponding
output from the Azimuth or Elevation channel indicating the
direction of deviation. Table 2 compares simulated versus
measured results at the center frequency for certain target
position. It is clear that there is an excellent agreement
between theoretical, simulated, and measured data which
REFERENCES
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[4] Lee, K. M. and R. S. Chu, “Design and analysis of a multimode feed
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[5] Petrie Meyer, Christopher A Vale, Werner Steyn, “On the design of
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