A method of calculating the secondary pattern of a reflector illuminated by a feed array is developed. Geometrical optics is used to determine the incident field via a coordinate transformation approach. The incident field from each element is superimposed to form the total field used in finding the surface currents of the physical optics radiation integral. The technique allows each element to be arbitrarily excited, positioned and oriented. The element patterns may be different allowing mutual coupling to be included. / M.S.

In this dissertation a new type of infrared focal plan array (IR FPA) was investigated, consisting of antenna-coupled microbolometer fabricated using electron-beam lithography. Four different antenna designs were experimentally demonstrated at 10-micron wavelength: dipole, bowtie, square-spiral, and log-periodic. The main differences between these antenna types were their bandwidth, collection area, angular reception pattern, and polarization. To provide pixel collection areas commensurate with typical IR FPA requirements, two configurations were investigated: a two-dimensional serpentine interconnection of individual IR antennas, and a Fresnel-zone-plate (FZP) coupled to a single-element antenna. Optimum spacing conditions for the two-dimensional interconnect were developed. Increased sensitivity was demonstrated using a FZP-coupled design. In general, it was found that the configuration of the antenna substrate material was critical for optimization of sensitivity. The best results were obtained using this membranes of silicon nitride to enhance the thermal isolation of the antenna-coupled bolometers. In addition, choice of the bolometer material was also important, with the best results obtained using vanadium oxide. Using optimum choices for all parameters, normalized sensitivity (D*) values in the range of mid 108[√Hz/W] were demonstrated for antenna-coupled IR sensors, and directions for further improvements were identified. Successful integration of antenna-coupled pixels with commercial readout integrated circuits was also demonstrated.

The spherical helical antenna is investigated as a new variation of the conventional helical antenna. The spherical helix is a wire antenna in a helix shape that is wound over a spherical surface instead of the standard cylindrical one. Analysis of this structure requires numerical methods and experimental measurements because its complex geometry makes it very difficult to develop analytic expressions for its radiation characteristics. The wire antenna code ESP, based on the method of moments, is used to calculate both the gain and phase of the electric-field components, E(} and E¢J' in the far field for spherical helices having between 3 and 10 turns. Several of these antennas were also constructed and tested on the Virginia Tech antenna test range. The numerical analysis and experimental measurements were performed over a wide range of frequencies corresponding to spherical circumferences of between 0.7 and 2.8 wavelengths. A literature survey of the conventional helical antenna is presented so that comparisons can be made with the spherical helix. The numerical and experimental results of the spherical helical antenna indicate that its behavior is markedly different than the cylindrical helix. It is a broad beam elliptically polarized radiator, in general, and operates over a relatively wide bandwidth. Under certain conditions, it is circularly polarized over a major portion of the main beam for a narrow bandwidth, a result which has potential applications. The behavior of the spherical helical antenna is not significantly affected by the number of turns and is discussed in this work for a few representative cases. / Master of Science

The aim of this study is to analyze radiation from surface currents lying on an interface between a grounded, planar, lossless, isotropic, chiral slab and a simple lossless dielectric half-space. An eigenvalue-eigenfunction approach, specifically the Ohm-Raleigh method, is employed to obtain a modal expression for the full-wave Green's function. By using asymptotic techniques, the far-field electric field is found for an elemental point dipole source. The theory is directly applicable to radiation from a printed circuit antenna having a chiral substrate. Current research efforts show that under certain circumstances, the introduction of chiral materials as substrates of microstrip antennas offers novel radiation properties over achiral microstrip antennas. A number of representative antennas are analyzed with respect to radiation pattern, main beam position, and directivity. / Master of Science

no abstract provided by author / Master of Science

It is important to investigate the threat posed to commercial aircraft by on board electronic transmitters in the passenger cabin and the cargo holds of large transport aircraft. These transmitters may be in the form of unintentional use of portable electronic devices or even intentional radio frequency (RF) threat sources from terrorists. Thus, it is of interest to determine the "interference path loss" (IPL) from a transmitting device inside the cabin of such aircraft to the antenna terminals of a potential victim system of the aircraft. Past studies have concentrated on measurements. These efforts to measure IPL directly have demonstrated that accurate and repeatible measurements are difficult to obtain. Very little modeling work has been done successfully to understand the IPL on aircraft. In this thesis, we propose a 3-step methodology to quantify the interference path loss (IPL). We then apply this methodology to a broad class of aircraft and show results. To validate our results, we compare our findings to known measurements and discuss possible sources of errors. Finally we suggest areas of improvement to our analysis and propose future work. / Master of Science

No description available.

No description available.

Narrow beamwidth antenna systems are important to remote sensing applications and point-to-point communication systems. In many applications the main beam of the antenna radiation pattern must be scannable over a region of space. Scanning by mechanically skewing the entire antenna assembly is difficult and in many situations is unacceptable. Performance during scan is, of course, also very important. Traditional reflector systems employing the well-focused paraboloidal-shaped main reflector accomplish scan by motion of a few feeds, or by phase steering a focal plane feed array. Such scanning systems can experience significant gain loss. Traditional reflecting systems with a spherical main reflector have low aperture efficiency and poor side lobe and cross polarization performance. This dissertation introduces a new approach to the design of scanning spherical reflector systems, in which the performance weaknesses of high cross polarization and high side lobe levels are avoided. Moreover, the low aperture utilization common in spherical reflectors is overcome. As an improvement to this new spherical main reflector configuration, a flat mirror reflector is introduced to minimize the mechanical difficulties to scan the main beam. In addition to the reflector system design, reflector antenna performance evaluation is also important. The temperature resolution issue important for earth observation radiometer antennas is studied, and a new method to evaluate and optimize such temperature resolution is introduced. / Ph. D.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The triple layer pillbox antenna is an antenna topology well suited for use as a stackable "plank" element in radar applications. Its suitability arises from the folding which makes it compact, and from the layered nature which can be exploited for low cost manufacture. Existing designs of these "cheese" antennas, whether two or three layers, suff er from two drawbacks: a) The bend or fold between layers introduces undesirable reflections and b) Due to their parabolic sector geometry virtually no pattern control is available to the designer. This work addresses both of these shortcomings. A low reflection transition is realized by introducing simple compensating elements into the design which, with minimal manufacturing complexity, off er high performance over a broad frequency and incidence angle range. To cater for pattern control the concept of "dual shaped reflectors" is borrowed from the high performance dish antenna literature and implemented in the pillbox geometry. This shaping off ers limited but useful control of the aperture distribution and thus indirectly over the radiation pattern. To test these innovations three X-band antennas have been designed, built and measured. An initial unshaped geometry is used for the fi rst design to show the fold or bend performance. This antenna has a simulated and measured 2GHz usable bandwidth, with a reflection coeffi cient below -10dB and side-lobes below -27dB over a bandwidth in excess of 20%. Shaping is then added to show how either side-lobe levels can be lowered to below -32dB, or the gain enhanced by 2dB. The enhanced designs have been built and experimentally veri fied. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die drie-dubbel gevoude pildoos antenna is `n antenna topologie wat goed gepas is vir die gebruik as `n stapelbare "plank" element vir radar aanwending. Sy geskiktheid kom vanwee die vou van die struktuur wat dit meer kompak maak sowel as die konstruksie moontlik goedkoper maak. Huidige ontwerpe van die antenna strukture, hetsy twee of drie lae, ly aan twee tekortkominge: a) Die buiging of vou tussen die lae veroorsaak ongewensde weerkaatsings en b) Weens hul paraboliese meetkunde is feitlik geen beheer oor die stralings patroon beskikbaar nie. Hierdie werk spreek beide hierdie tekortkominge aan. `n Lae weerkaatsing by die oorgang is verkry deur eenvoudige kompenserende elemente by die ontwerp in te voeg wat, met minimale vervaardigings kompleksiteit, hoë werkverrigting lewer oor `n breë frekwensie en invals hoek spektrum. Om patroon beheer te voorsien is die konsep van "dubbele gevormende weerkaatsers" geleen vanaf die hoë verkverrigting skottel antenna literatuur en in die pildoos meetkunde ingestel. Hierdie vorming lewer beperkte dog nuttige beheer oor die openings verspreiding en dus indirek oor die stralings patroon. Om hierdie nuwighede te toets is drie X-band antennas ontwerp wat gebou en gemeet is. 'n Aanvanklike ongevormende meetkunde is gebruik vir die eerste ontwerp om die vou of buiging se werksverrigting te bewys. Hierdie antenna het `n gesimuleerde en gemete 2GHz bruikbare bandwydte met `n weerkaatsings kwosiënt onder -10dB en sylobbe van minder as -27dB oor `n bandwydte van meer as 20%. Vorming is dan bygevoeg om te bewys dat of verlaagde sylobbe van onder -32dB of verhoogde aanwins met 2dB verkrygbaar is. Die verbeterde ontwerpe is gebou en eksperimenteel bewys.