Slotted Waveguide Antenna

Generalized Design from 1-70 GHz

Anil Kumar Pandey

Array Antenna Design Flow in EMPro
Linear waveguide Slot array modeling in EMPro
using parameterize variable for all components

Slot array antenna Synthesis using python Script

1. Calculation of antenna design

Input Parameters parameters
1. Operating Frequency 2. Changing these parameters in
2. Number of Slots EMPro GUI hence Changing Antenna
CAD file as per specified Frequency
3. Setting FEM Simulation parameters
4. Starting FEM Simulation

Simulated
Data
How a Waveguide Antenna Works
Slotted antenna arrays used with waveguides are a popular
antenna in navigation, radar and other high-frequency systems.
A waveguide is a very low loss transmission line. It allows to
propagate signals to a number of smaller antennas (slots). Each
of these slots allows a little of the energy to radiate. Slot
impedance and resonant behavior for a single slot are
dependent on slot placement and size. Its exceptional
directivity in the elevation plane gives it quite high power gain.
The slotted waveguide has achieved most of its success when
used in an omnidirectional role To make the unidirectional
antenna radiate over the entire 360 degrees of azimuth, a
second set of slots are cut in the back face of the waveguide.
When looking straight at the face of the waveguide you will be
able to see straight through both slots. Unfortunately, unless a
lot of slots are used, the antenna becomes more like a
bidirectional radiator, rather than an omnidirectional.
Linear Array Sketch Slot to Top

Parameters of waveguide slot array design Slot length

Slot Offset

Length

Slot Width

Distance
from port

Wg_a
Various Linear Array Combinations
2.44 GHz

64 slots
32 slots

N : No of Slots Variation
13.2 GHz
(F : Fixed)
16 slots

30 GHz

60 GHz
No of slots and Frequency are
two variable input parameter . F : Operating Frequency
Varying these two parameters (N : Fixed)
many combination of array
antenna can be designed
 Slot Array Design Formulas
lam_zero=300/FGHz # Free space wavelength
WG_a= (lam_zero/2)+(lam_zero*0.2) # Auto calculation of broad (a) dimension of waveguide
WG_b = WG_a/2 # Height (b)of waveguide
PI=3.14
lam_cutoff=2*WG_a
lam_guide=1/sqrt(((1.0/lam_zero)**2)-((1.0/lam_cutoff)**2))

# Slot offset
G_2_slot=1.0/Nslots
New_G1=2.09*(lam_guide/lam_zero)*(WG_a/WG_b)*(cmath.cos(0.464*PI*lam_zero/lam_guide)-cmath.cos(0.464*PI))**2
New_Y=G_2_slot/New_G1
Soff=(WG_a/PI)*sqrt(abs(cmath.asin(New_Y)))
# Slot Lenght
Slot_wl=0.210324*G_2_slot**4-0.338065*G_2_slot**3+0.12712*G_2_slot**2+0.034433*G_2_slot+0.48253
Sl=lam_zero*Slot_wl
#Slot width
Sw=WG_a*0.0625/0.9
#Slot Spacing
Ss=lam_guide/2
# Distance from short ( end space)
S_top=lam_guide/4
#Estimated Performance
Gain=abs(10 * cmath.log10((Nslots/2) * lam_guide/lam_zero)) #dB
Beamwidth=50.7 * lam_zero / ((Nslots/2)*(lam_guide/2)) #degree
 Working Model
This is generalized example of slot array antenna from 1 GHz to 70 GHz. This
example uses powerful feature of EMPro python scripting for slot array
parameters calculation and parameterize feature of EMPro to create
generalized example.
•Open the project in EMPro
•Double click synthesis script present in project
•Enter desired operating frequency and number of slots
•Run script, it will automatically calculate all design parameters, set
parameters in GUI and modified CAD file as per specified frequency and
launch FEM simulation

Other Tips
•If you don’t want to launch FEM simulation , comment below two lines in script
#setupSimulation(FGHz-1, FGHz+1, 25 )
#return empro.activeProject.addSimulationDataToProject(autoQueue)
Array Antenna Performance at 2.41 GHz
WAN: antenna for 2.44GHz, or channel 7

Slotted Waveguide 802.11b WLAN antennas

Gain-9.69 dBi

Simulation time- 22Min 47 sec

Unknown - 0.2 Million
Memory – 400 MB (Iterative)
Array Antenna Performance at 6 GHz

Simulation time- 32Min 41 sec Gain-10.48 dBi

Unknown - 0.3Million
Memory – 400 MB (Iterative)
 Gain- 11.43dBi
Array Antenna Performance at 27 and 60 GHz