Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation presents modal-based techniques for the effective systematic design of quadruple-ridged flared horns (QRFHs) as reflector feeds for radio astronomy applications. A new excitation technique is proposed, consisting of a quadraxial line that terminates in the quad-ridges through the back lid of the QRFH, which allows for the integration with differential low-noise amplifiers. An equivalent circuit of this quadraxial feed is presented that allows fast synthesis of optimal feeding designs for QRFHs. In addition, the quadraxial feeding network suppresses higher-order modes significantly. The effect of eliminating these unwanted modes are investigated and the quadraxial feed is shown to outperform the coaxial feed in the known detrimental aspects of the QRFH – beamwidth narrowing for increased frequency, beamwidth variation over the upper bandwidth, high cross-polarisation levels, high co-polar sidelobes and variable phase centre – for the specific QRFH designs. Ridge-loaded modes are analysed and a large number of cut-off frequencies presented which are unavailable in literature. The pure-mode excitation of the quadraxial feed allows more effective control over the modal content in the QRFH. This is exploited in a proposed design technique where the cut-off frequencies throughout the horn are used to synthesise the ridge taper profile, in order to achieve the desired modal distribution in the aperture. The proposed feeding solution is compact and therefore is also attractive for use with cryocoolers, typically employed with front-end electronics in telescopes for radio astronomy. A prototype was successfully manufactured and the mechanical implementation of the quadraxial feed proved to be much more simple than that of the conventional feed – consisting of a coaxial line realised within the thin ridges. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie proefskrif stel modus gebasseerde tegnieke voor vir die effektiewe sistematiese ontwerp van viervoud gerifte oopgesperde horings (VGOHs) as weerkaatser voere vir radio astronomie toepassings. ’n Nuwe voertegniek word voorgestel, wat bestaan uit ’n kwadraksiale lyn wat termineer in die vier riwwe deur die agterkant van die VGOH, wat die integrasie met differensiële laeruis versterkers toelaat. ’n Ekwivalente stroombaan van hierdie kwadraksiale voer word aangebied vir die vinnige sintese van optimale voer ontwerpe vir VGOHs. Boonop onderdruk die kwadraksiale voer netwerk ook beduidend hoër orde modusse. Die effek van die uitskakeling van hierdie ongewensde modusse word ondersoek en die kwadraksiale voer oortref die gedrag van die koaksiale voer in die bekende nadelige aspekte van die VGOH – bundelwydte vernouing met toenemende frekwensie, bundelwydte variasie oor die boonste bandwydte, hoë kruispolarisasie vlakke, hoë kopolarisasie sybande en wisselvallige fase senter – vir die spesifieke VGOH ontwerpe. Rifgelaaide modusse word geanaliseer en ‘n groot aantal afsnyfrekwensies word aangebied wat nie beskikbaar is in literatuur nie. Die suiwermodus opwekking van die kwadraksiale voer bied meer effektiewe beheer oor die modusinhoud in die VGOH. Hierdie aspek word benut in ‘n voorgestelde tegniek waar die afsnyfrekwensies deur die horing gebruik word om die rif tapsheid profiel te sintetiseer, sodat die gewensde modale distribusie in die stralingsvlak behaal word. Die voorgestelde voer oplossing is kompak en daarom ook aantreklik vir die gebruik met krioverkoelers, wat tipies gebruik word met die voorkant elektronika in teleskope vir radio astronomie. ‘n Prototipe was suksesvol vervaardig en die meganiese implimentasie van die kwadraksiale voer toon dat dit eenvoudiger is as met die gebruiklike koaksiale voer – wat bestaan uit ‘n koaksiale lyn bewerkstellig binne die dun riwwe.

Leaky-waves have been a topic of increasing interest in the last years, with diverse practical applications in many different engineering fields. From periodic, FSS, EBG or even metamaterial leaky-wave based antennas to waveguide filters and higher efficiency energy guiding, they all share a common base structure: a travelling-wave propagating within a metal encapsulation, that can be open or closed, and altered by a planar metallization of periodic nature, from which the energy may radiate. Due to the fact that these antennas are usually electrically large and the periodic printed circuit requires a certain grade of complexity, 3D commercial software is prohibitively time consuming. Also, the homebrew methods developed up to this day are either not rigorous and accurate enough or unable to deal with complex periodic geometries. At this point, the evolution of leaky-wave antennas needs a solid, efficient and versatile tool where to base the future design research on. In this work a novel simulation tool for waveguide embedded leaky-wave antennas is presented. It is based on a full-wave Method of Moments applied to the spectral domain Green Functions for a rigorous modal analysis of the finite structure. The use of Subdomain basis functions allows the software to model complex periodic geometries, overcoming a main limitation, and the analytical nature of the method combined with its 2.5D approach, results in a significant computing time reduction. It is built on a modular coding philosophy and provided with a user-friendly graphical interface, and an intuitive working procedure, making the program not only fast and accurate, but also easy to use and extend to new geometries. Finally, it is remarkable the educational potential of this new analysis software, since it identifies higher order effects as bandgaps and multi-harmonic radiation from a complete and simple modal approach.

Electrically-small loop antennas are a complex topic, with many design concepts to consider, including: effective magnetic core permeability, antenna impedance, antenna radiation, surrounding medium effects, and optimization approaches. There is a plethora of literature available covering these subjects but many conflict, compete, or are overall lacking; this thesis seeks to compare and analyze literature then validate with measurements, allowing optimal design.

Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The o set Gregorian dual re ector antenna is eminently well suited to a radio telescope antenna application as it o ers a narrow beam width pattern (i.e high gain) and good e ciency. The focus of this work is on the analysis of characteristics of such a Gregorian antenna. The design of the class of re ector antennas is normally based on the use of ray-optics, with this simpli ed approach being able to predict antenna performance based on approximate formulas for example the beam width against aperture size. However for compound antennas such as the Gregorian re ector there are several interdependent parameters that can be varied and this reduces the applicability of the simple ray-optic approach. It was decided that, if a fast enough analysis of a con guration can be found, the technique of design through interactive analysis would be viable. To implement a fast analysis of the main beam performance of such a Gregorian antenna, a solution algorithm has been implemented using a plane wave spectrum approach combined with a custom aperture integration formulation. As this is able to predict the beam performance within about a second on a PC, it is suitable for iterative design. To implement the iterative design in a practical manner a user interface has been generated that allows the user to interactively modify the geometry, see the physical layout, and then nd the antenna pattern. A complete working system has been realised with results comparing well to a reference solution. The limitations of the technique, such as its inaccuracy in predicting the side lobe structure, are also discussed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die afset Gregoriaanse dubbelweerkaatser antenna is uiters gepas vir radioteleskoop toepassings aangesien dit 'n nou bundelwydte (ho e aanwins) en 'n goeie benuttingsgraad bied. Die fokus van hierdie werk is op die analise van die eienskappe van so 'n Gregoriaanse antenna. Die ontwerp van die klas van weerkaatsantennas is normaalweg gebaseer op straal-optika, waar hierdie vereenvoudigde tegniek, deur benaderde formules, gebruik kan word om antennawerkverrigting af te skat soos bv. die bundelwydte teen stralingsvlakgrootte. Vir saamgestelde antennas soos die Gregoriaanse weerkaatser is daar egter verskeie onafhanklike parameters wat verstel kan word en die toepaslikheid van die eenvoudige straal-optiese benadering verminder. Dit was besluit dat, indien die analise van die kon gurasie vinnig genoeg uitgevoer kon word, die tegniek van ontwerp deur interaktiewe analise werkbaar kan wees. Om 'n vinnige analise van die hoofbundelwerkverrigting van so 'n Gregoriaanse antenna te bewerkstellig, is 'n oplossingsalgoritme gemplementeer wat gebruik maak van 'n platvlakgolfspektrum benadering in kombinasie met 'n doelgemaakte stralingsvlakintegrasieformulering. Aangesien hierdie strategie die hoofbundel binne ongeveer 'n sekonde op 'n persoonlike rekenaar kan voorspel, is dit gepas vir iteratiewe ontwerp. Om die iteratiewe ontwerp op 'n praktiese wyse te implementeer is 'n gebruikerskoppelvlak geskep wat die gebruiker toelaat om, op 'n interaktiewe wyse, die geometrie aan te pas, die siese uitleg te sien en dan die stralingspatroon te bereken. 'n Volledige werkende stelsel is gerealiseer met resultate wat goed ooreenstem met 'n verwysingsoplossing. Die tekortkominge van die tegniek, soos die onakkuraatheid in die voorspelling van die sylobstruktuur, word ook bespreek.

Thesis (MScEng (Electrical and Electronic Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2008. / An existing antenna used in satellite communications is investigated with the goal of improving low angle radiation performance and reducing manufacturing costs. To understand this antenna it is modelled, simulated and verified against existing measurements. This verified model is the basis for further investigation. The antenna is separated into two parts with are individually examined and enhancements are proposed for each. Simulations of the resulting final models show that little by way of improvement in the performance can be obtained but bring several key issues to light. The scanning impedance is of particular importance in such an investigation and a method of determining this impedance is recommended.

Thesis (MScEng (Electrical and Electronic Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The use of Focal Plane Arrays (FPAs) as suitable feed-structures for the Parabolic Dish Reflector antennas that are intended to form a large part of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is currently the topic of conversation in various SKA research groups. The simulation of these structures however, relies on intensive computational resources, which can result in very long simulation runtimes - a serious problem for antenna designers. It was the purpose of the research to investigate efficient simulation techniques, based on the Method of Moments (MoM). In this thesis, the reader will be introduced to ways of improving FPA design by using resources such as High Performance Clusters, developing efficient MoM formulations for FPAs such as the Vivaldi antenna array and by developing efficient solution techniques for the resulting MoM equations by using techniques such as the Characteristic Basis Function Method (CBFM). In addition to the above mentioned methods, the concept of distributed computing is explored as a way to further aid the antenna designer in obtaining desired results in a reasonable time and with sufficient accuracy. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die gebruik van Fokus Punt Samestellings (FPS) vir die voer van Paraboliese Skottel Antennas in die Square Kilometer Array (SKA), geniet tans baie aandag in verkeie navorsing-sirkels. Die analise van hierdie samestellings vereis egter intensiewe berekenings-infrastrukture, wat tot lang simulasies kan lei - ’n ernstige probleem vir antenna ontwerpers. Die doel van die skrywer se navorsing was om effektiewe simulasie metodes te ondersoek, gebaseer op die Moment Metode. In hierdie tesis, sal die leser bekendgestel word aan verskeie metodes om die ontwerp van Fokus Punt Samestellings doeltreffend te verrig; nl. die gebruik van Parallel Rekenaar Klusters, die ontwikkeling van effektiewe Moment Metode kode vir samestellings soos die Vivaldi antenna konfigurasie, asook die ontwikkeling van effektiewe oplos-metodes vir die matrikse wat deur die Moment Metode gelewer word, deur die sogenaamde Karakteristieke Basis Funksie Metode (KBFM) te gebruik. Hierby ingesluit word die konsep van verspreide numeriese berekening ondersoek, as ’n manier waarop die antenna ontwerper resultate binne ’n aanvaarbare tyd en akkuraatheid kan verkry.

In remote areas without conventional cellular service, satellite communication is often the only viable option. Handheld devices for use with satellite communication networks require a high transmit power to obtain a reliable signal. The need for a high transmit power makes it difficult for the device to meet specific absorption rate (SAR) restrictions. An adaptive beam forming technique for shaping radiation away from the user’s head is proposed. This technique uses a back-to-back patch antenna design with an impedance monitoring based system capable of adaptively controlling the pattern of the antenna. The adaptive antenna system was designed, simulated, fabricated, and measured. The system could detect a head phantom within 3 cm of the antenna. SAR levels were verified to be within safety restrictions at 3 cm through simulation. By turning off the patch facing the user’s head when the phone is transmitting, and the user’s head is within 3 cm, it was shown that SAR levels could be reduced to safe levels. / February 2017

Alcançar altas taxas de dados em comunicações sem fio é difícil. Altas taxas de dados para redes locais sem fio tornou-se comercialmente um sucesso por volta do ano de 2000. Redes de longa distância sem fio ainda são projetados e utilizados principalmente para serviços de voz em baixas taxas. Apesar de muitas tecnologias promissoras, a realidade de uma rede de área ampla que atenda muitos usuários com altas taxas de dados e largura de banda e consumo de energia razoáveis, além de uma boa cobertura e qualidade no serviço ainda é um desafio. O objetivo do IEEE 802.16 é projetar um sistema de comunicação sem fio para obter uma internet de banda larga para usuários móveis em uma área metropolitana. É importante perceber que o sistema WIMAX tem que enfrentar desafios semelhantes aos existentes sistemas celulares e seu desempenho eventual será delimitado pelas mesmas leis da física e da teoria da informação. Em muitas áreas da engenharia elétrica, tem-se direcionado atenção à miniaturização de componentes e equipamentos. Em particular, antenas não são exceções. Desde que Wheeler iniciou estudos sobre os limites fundamentais de miniaturização de antenas, o assunto tem sido discutido por muitos estudiosos e várias contribuições nesse sentido foram feitas desde então. Os avanços das últimas décadas na área de microeletrônica permitiram a miniaturização dos demais componentes empregados no desenvolvimento de equipamentos eletrônicos e disponibilizaram o uso de aparelhos compactos, leves e com diversas funcionalidades e aplicações comerciais. No entanto, ainda que a integração de circuitos seja uma realidade, a integração completa de um sistema de comunicação sem fio, incluindo a antena, é ainda um dos grandes desafios tecnológicos. No caso de antenas impressas procura-se continuamente desenvolver antenas que, além de compactas, apresentem maior largura de banda, ou operação em múltiplas bandas dada sua inerente característica de banda estreita em projetos convencionais. Neste trabalho, o foco está na miniaturização de antenas impressas através da aplicação de fractais. São apresentadas comparações entre antenas fractais quadradas de Minkowski e fractais triangulares de Koch. Inicialmente, antenas 6 impressas com geometrias convencionais quadradas e triangulares foram projetadas para ter a mesma frequência de ressonância. Depois disso, as estruturas fractais de Minkowski Island e Koch Loop foram implementadas nas antenas quadrada e triangular, respectivamente, até a terceira iteração. As frequências escolhidas foram as de 2,4 GHz, 3,5 GHz, 5,0 GHz e 5,8 GHz. Diversos protótipos foram construídos em dois substratos de permissividade diferentes, o FR-4 e o DUROID 5870. Para validar os resultados foram construídas antenas na frequência de 3,5 GHz para as geometrias quadrada e triangular e suas iterações fractais. A contribuição deste trabalho está na análise sobre as vantagens e desvantagens de cada uma das estruturas propostas. Dependendo dos requisitos de um projeto, a opção pode ser por antenas miniaturizadas com maior largura de banda, como normalmente acontece em alguns projetos comerciais. Entretanto, o interesse por bandas estreitas muitas vezes pode ser um requisito, principalmente para emprego militar, onde por vezes a máxima discrição na transmissão é uma exigência. Além disso, também foi feita uma análise sobre as geometrias que atingiram maior miniaturização. / Achieving high data rates in wireless communication is difficult. High data rates for wireless local area networks became commercially successful only around 2000. Wide area wireless networks are still designed and used primarily for low rate voice services. Despite many promising technologies, the reality of a wide area network that services many users at high data rates with reasonable bandwidth and power consumption, while maintaining high coverage and quality of service has not been achieved. The goal of the IEEE 802.16 was to design a wireless communication system processing to achieve a broadband internet for mobile users over a wide or metropolitan area. It is important to realize that WIMAX system have to confront similar challenges as existing cellular systems and their eventual performance will be bounded by the same laws of physics and information theory. In many areas of electrical engineering, miniaturization has been an important issue. Antennas are not an exception. After Wheeler initiated studies on the fundamental limits for miniaturization of antennas, this subject has been extensively discussed by several scholars and many contributions have been made. The advances of recent decades in the field of microelectronics enabled the miniaturization of components and provided the use of compact, lightweight, equipments with many features in commercial applications. Although circuit integration is a reality, the integration of a complete system, including its antenna, is still one of the major technological challenges. In the case of patch antennas, the search is for compact structures with increased bandwidth, due to the inherent narrowband characteristic of this type of antenna. In this work the focus is on a comparison between the Minkowski and the Koch Fractal Patch Antennas. Initially, patch antennas with conventional square and triangular geometries were simulated to present the same resonance frequency. After that, fractal Minkowski and Koch Island Loop antennas were implemented in the square and triangular geometries, respectively, to the third iteration. A comparison was made for two substrates of different permittivities FR-4 and DUROID 5870 at the frequencies of 2,4 GHz; 3,5 GHz; 5,0 GHz and 5,8 GHz. 8 Prototype antennas were built using FR-4 and DUROID 5870 to resonate at a frequency of 3,5 GHz to validate simulation results. The contribution of this work is the analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of each proposed fractal structure. According to the project requirements, the best option can be use a miniaturized antenna with a wider band, as in commercial projects. Particularly in military applications, a narrow band antenna can be a requirement, as sometimes maximum discretion in transmission is a paramount. An additional analysis was performed to verify which of the geometries fulfilled the miniaturization criteria of Hansen.

Alcançar altas taxas de dados em comunicações sem fio é difícil. Altas taxas de dados para redes locais sem fio tornou-se comercialmente um sucesso por volta do ano de 2000. Redes de longa distância sem fio ainda são projetados e utilizados principalmente para serviços de voz em baixas taxas. Apesar de muitas tecnologias promissoras, a realidade de uma rede de área ampla que atenda muitos usuários com altas taxas de dados e largura de banda e consumo de energia razoáveis, além de uma boa cobertura e qualidade no serviço ainda é um desafio. O objetivo do IEEE 802.16 é projetar um sistema de comunicação sem fio para obter uma internet de banda larga para usuários móveis em uma área metropolitana. É importante perceber que o sistema WIMAX tem que enfrentar desafios semelhantes aos existentes sistemas celulares e seu desempenho eventual será delimitado pelas mesmas leis da física e da teoria da informação. Em muitas áreas da engenharia elétrica, tem-se direcionado atenção à miniaturização de componentes e equipamentos. Em particular, antenas não são exceções. Desde que Wheeler iniciou estudos sobre os limites fundamentais de miniaturização de antenas, o assunto tem sido discutido por muitos estudiosos e várias contribuições nesse sentido foram feitas desde então. Os avanços das últimas décadas na área de microeletrônica permitiram a miniaturização dos demais componentes empregados no desenvolvimento de equipamentos eletrônicos e disponibilizaram o uso de aparelhos compactos, leves e com diversas funcionalidades e aplicações comerciais. No entanto, ainda que a integração de circuitos seja uma realidade, a integração completa de um sistema de comunicação sem fio, incluindo a antena, é ainda um dos grandes desafios tecnológicos. No caso de antenas impressas procura-se continuamente desenvolver antenas que, além de compactas, apresentem maior largura de banda, ou operação em múltiplas bandas dada sua inerente característica de banda estreita em projetos convencionais. Neste trabalho, o foco está na miniaturização de antenas impressas através da aplicação de fractais. São apresentadas comparações entre antenas fractais quadradas de Minkowski e fractais triangulares de Koch. Inicialmente, antenas 6 impressas com geometrias convencionais quadradas e triangulares foram projetadas para ter a mesma frequência de ressonância. Depois disso, as estruturas fractais de Minkowski Island e Koch Loop foram implementadas nas antenas quadrada e triangular, respectivamente, até a terceira iteração. As frequências escolhidas foram as de 2,4 GHz, 3,5 GHz, 5,0 GHz e 5,8 GHz. Diversos protótipos foram construídos em dois substratos de permissividade diferentes, o FR-4 e o DUROID 5870. Para validar os resultados foram construídas antenas na frequência de 3,5 GHz para as geometrias quadrada e triangular e suas iterações fractais. A contribuição deste trabalho está na análise sobre as vantagens e desvantagens de cada uma das estruturas propostas. Dependendo dos requisitos de um projeto, a opção pode ser por antenas miniaturizadas com maior largura de banda, como normalmente acontece em alguns projetos comerciais. Entretanto, o interesse por bandas estreitas muitas vezes pode ser um requisito, principalmente para emprego militar, onde por vezes a máxima discrição na transmissão é uma exigência. Além disso, também foi feita uma análise sobre as geometrias que atingiram maior miniaturização. / Achieving high data rates in wireless communication is difficult. High data rates for wireless local area networks became commercially successful only around 2000. Wide area wireless networks are still designed and used primarily for low rate voice services. Despite many promising technologies, the reality of a wide area network that services many users at high data rates with reasonable bandwidth and power consumption, while maintaining high coverage and quality of service has not been achieved. The goal of the IEEE 802.16 was to design a wireless communication system processing to achieve a broadband internet for mobile users over a wide or metropolitan area. It is important to realize that WIMAX system have to confront similar challenges as existing cellular systems and their eventual performance will be bounded by the same laws of physics and information theory. In many areas of electrical engineering, miniaturization has been an important issue. Antennas are not an exception. After Wheeler initiated studies on the fundamental limits for miniaturization of antennas, this subject has been extensively discussed by several scholars and many contributions have been made. The advances of recent decades in the field of microelectronics enabled the miniaturization of components and provided the use of compact, lightweight, equipments with many features in commercial applications. Although circuit integration is a reality, the integration of a complete system, including its antenna, is still one of the major technological challenges. In the case of patch antennas, the search is for compact structures with increased bandwidth, due to the inherent narrowband characteristic of this type of antenna. In this work the focus is on a comparison between the Minkowski and the Koch Fractal Patch Antennas. Initially, patch antennas with conventional square and triangular geometries were simulated to present the same resonance frequency. After that, fractal Minkowski and Koch Island Loop antennas were implemented in the square and triangular geometries, respectively, to the third iteration. A comparison was made for two substrates of different permittivities FR-4 and DUROID 5870 at the frequencies of 2,4 GHz; 3,5 GHz; 5,0 GHz and 5,8 GHz. 8 Prototype antennas were built using FR-4 and DUROID 5870 to resonate at a frequency of 3,5 GHz to validate simulation results. The contribution of this work is the analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of each proposed fractal structure. According to the project requirements, the best option can be use a miniaturized antenna with a wider band, as in commercial projects. Particularly in military applications, a narrow band antenna can be a requirement, as sometimes maximum discretion in transmission is a paramount. An additional analysis was performed to verify which of the geometries fulfilled the miniaturization criteria of Hansen.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2006. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 161-164).