EC8701 - ANTENNA AND

MICROWAVE ENGINEERING
UNIT 1
INTRODUCTION TO MICROWAVE
SYSTEMS AND ANTENNAS
 INTRODUCTION
• A transducer that converts radio frequency
electric current to electromagnetic waves that
are radiated into space.
• In two-way communication, the same antenna
can be used for transmission and reception.
Helical antenna Horn antenna Parabolic reflector antenna
 MICROWAVES
• EM waves with wavelength ranging from 1cm
to 1mm.
• Freq ranging = 1 GHz to 300GHz.
– UHF 0.3 to 3GHz
– SHF 3 to 30 GHz
– EHF 30 to 300 GHz.
• Used in high resolution radars to capable of
detecting and locating.
 MICROWAVE FREQUENCY BANDS
U.S MILITARY MW FREQ BANDS IEEE MW FREQUENCY BANDS
 MERITS & DEMERITS
• Higher operating freq – large quantities of info carries,
small antennas ( short wavelength).
• Require fewer repeaters.
• Minimal cross talks exists between voice channels.
• Less maintenance and increased BW availability.
• DEMERITS
• Difficult to analyze and design
• Measuring techniques are more difficult to perfect.
• Difficult to implement conventional circuit components at
microwave freq.
• Necessary to use specialized components for microwave
frequencies.
PHYSICAL CONCEPT OF RADIATION
 NEAR FIELD AND FAR FIELD REGIONS
• When a signal from a transmitter is applied to an antenna,
it sends out electromagnetic waves in to free space. The
EM field characteristics vary as a function of distance
from the antenna.
– Near-field Region
– Far Field Region.
 NEAR FIELD REGION
• The Near Field Region is the region right next
to the antenna. It is defined by the following
equation:

• In this region, the fields are sort of

unpredictable and therefore no measurements
are usually made in this region
 FAR FIELD REGION
• EM fields - dominated by radiating fields.
• E and H-fields- orthogonal to each other and
to the direction of propagation as with plane
waves.
Fields and Power Radiated by an Antenna