A corrugated horn antenna

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a corrugated horn antenna. A first loss portion is provided on the outer wall of the corrugated horn antenna. The first loss portion surrounds the outer wall for one week, and the first loss portion is an electromagnetic wave loss material. The corrugated horn antenna according to the embodiment of the present disclosure has good phase stability within a wide angle and good phase center consistency on each radiation surface.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of communication technologies, and particularly to a corrugated horn antenna. Background Art

[0002] An antenna is an essential device for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic waves in wireless communication, and the performance of the antenna determines the efficiency of electromagnetic energy transmission in space. With the rapid development of communication technologies, people have put forward increasingly high requirements for the performance of antennas.

[0003] The corrugated horn antenna has advantages such as a wide frequency band, low side lobes, and a simple structure. It can be used independently as an antenna or as a feed for a reflector antenna in satellite communication, radio telescopes, or compact range test systems. In some application scenarios, it is required that the corrugated horn antenna has a stable phase center. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present disclosure describes a corrugated horn antenna.

[0005] According to a first aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a corrugated horn antenna. A first loss portion is provided on an outer wall of the corrugated horn antenna. The first loss portion surrounds the outer wall for one week, and the first loss portion is an electromagnetic wave loss material.

[0006] According to an embodiment of the corrugated horn antenna, the first loss portion is a dielectric material or a magnetic material.

[0007] According to an embodiment of the corrugated horn antenna, the first loss portion is not lower than the outer wall.

[0008] According to an embodiment of the corrugated horn antenna, a transition loss portion is provided between the outer wall and the first loss portion. The transition loss portion is an electromagnetic wave loss material.

[0009] According to an embodiment of the corrugated horn antenna, the transition loss portion is a semiconductor material.

[0010] According to an embodiment of the corrugated horn antenna, the corrugated horn antenna is provided with a second loss portion at least in the outermost corrugation groove. The second loss portion is an electromagnetic wave loss material.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the corrugated horn antenna, the second loss portion is in contact with two side walls of the corrugation groove.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the corrugated horn antenna, the second loss portion is provided in 1 to 3 of the outermost corrugation grooves.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the corrugated horn antenna, the height of the second loss portion is equal to the depth of the corrugation groove.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the corrugated horn antenna, the second loss portion is a dielectric material.

[0015] The embodiments of the present disclosure suppress the edge diffraction of the corrugated horn antenna through the setting of the loss portion, reduce the surface current at the horn edge, thereby improving the phase stability of the corrugated horn antenna within a wide angle and reducing the inconsistency of the phase centers of each radiation surface. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1a is a schematic diagram of a corrugated horn antenna shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 1b is Figure 1a a cross-sectional view along axis Y in

[0018] Figure 2a is a schematic diagram of a corrugated horn antenna shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] Figure 2b is Figure 2a a cross-sectional view along axis Y' in

[0020] Figure 3a is a schematic diagram of a corrugated horn antenna shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] Figure 3b is Figure 3a a cross-sectional view along axis Y'' in

[0022] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a corrugated horn antenna in the related art.

[0023] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the phase fluctuation of a corrugated horn antenna in the related art at a wide angle under 24 GHz.

[0024] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the phase fluctuation of a corrugated horn antenna shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure at a wide angle under 24 GHz.

[0025] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the phase fluctuation of a corrugated horn antenna shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure at a wide angle under 24 GHz.

[0026] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the phase fluctuation of a corrugated horn antenna in the related art at a wide angle under 32 GHz.

[0027] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the phase fluctuation of a corrugated horn antenna shown according to an embodiment of the present disclosure at a wide angle under 32 GHz.

[0028] Figure 10 It is a schematic diagram of the phase fluctuation of a corrugated horn antenna at a wide angle under 32 GHz as shown by an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] Figure 11 It is a schematic diagram of the phase fluctuation of a corrugated horn antenna at a wide angle under 40 GHz in the related art.

[0030] Figure 12 It is a schematic diagram of the phase fluctuation of a corrugated horn antenna at a wide angle under 40 GHz as shown by an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031] Figure 13 It is a schematic diagram of the phase fluctuation of a corrugated horn antenna at a wide angle under 40 GHz as shown by an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed implementation manners

[0032] Embodiments of the present disclosure are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the drawings do not have to be to scale. The described embodiments are exemplary and are not intended to limit the present disclosure, and the features of the embodiments can be combined or substituted with these features in the same or similar manner. The singular forms "a", "the" and "said" used in the present disclosure and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term "and / or" used herein refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0033] The corrugated horn antenna has advantages such as a wide frequency band, low side lobes, and a simple structure. It can be used independently as an antenna or as a feed source for a reflector antenna in a satellite communication, radio telescope, or compact range test system. The corrugated horn antenna is provided with corrugated grooves on its inner wall, and the corrugated grooves play a role in choking, which can reduce the diffraction of electromagnetic waves at the horn edge, improve the symmetry of the lobe pattern, and reduce the cross polarization (the E-field component in the H-plane).

[0034] In wireless testing, corrugated horn antennas are commonly used as feeds for a series of reflector systems such as Compact Antenna Test Range (CATR). The CATR uses a high-precision reflector to provide a quasi-plane wave test area at a short distance, thereby simulating the electromagnetic environment of the far field in a relatively small anechoic chamber. The CATR is widely used in the testing of antennas, radomes, and low radar cross-section targets. In the CATR, the characteristics of the feed have a great impact on the performance of the entire CATR. Whether the phase center of the feed is accurately placed at the focus of the CATR reflector directly affects the quality of the quiet zone field performance. The concept of the phase center in engineering is: taking a certain position on the central axis of the horn antenna as a reference point, within a specified spherical range, on the phase radiation pattern of the antenna at this point position, the difference between the maximum phase and the minimum phase does not exceed the value required by the design. Thus, this point can be regarded as the phase center of the antenna. The phase center of the feed will move with the change of frequency, and phase error loss is inevitable. If the phase fluctuation of the feed is large within a certain angle, it will cause a significant deterioration of the amplitude-phase characteristics of the CATR quiet zone. Therefore, it is of great significance to improve the phase center stability within the wide-frequency bandwidth angle. The corrugated horn has a relatively stable phase center. Inside the horn, the corrugated grooves can guide the current direction and suppress the harmful axial current. However, at the edge and outer wall of the horn, the current is relatively disordered, which will have an adverse impact on the radiation performance, resulting in a large phase fluctuation of the horn antenna within a wide angle, and there are differences in the phase centers of different radiation surfaces.

[0035] In view of this, an embodiment of one aspect of the present disclosure provides a corrugated horn antenna. Referring to Figure 1a - 1b , a first loss portion 100 is provided on the outer wall 900 of the corrugated horn antenna. The first loss portion 100 is annular and surrounds the outer wall 900 for one week. The first loss portion 100 is an electromagnetic wave loss material. The first loss portion reduces the surface current on the outer wall of the corrugated horn antenna through the loss effect. This surface current at least partially comes from the diffracted current at the opening edge of the horn antenna. By suppressing this part of the surface current, the phase center stability of the corrugated horn antenna within a wide angle is improved, and the inconsistency of the phase centers of each radiation surface is reduced. Optionally, the first loss portion 100 is not lower than the outer wall 900, that is, the top of the first loss portion 100 is flush with the top of the outer wall 900, or the top of the first loss portion 100 is higher than the top of the outer wall 900, so as to fully absorb the surface current of the outer wall 900. The shape of the first loss portion 100 is not limited to Figure 1a - 1b shown, and it can include a specific shape designed.

[0036] Furthermore, referring to Figure 2a - 2b, on the basis of the foregoing first loss portion 100, a transition loss portion 300 made of an electromagnetic wave loss material may further be provided between the outer wall 900 and the first loss portion 100 of the corrugated horn antenna of the present disclosure. The transition loss portion 300 can be used for transition impedance matching between the metal outer wall 900 and the first loss portion 100 of the corrugated horn antenna. At the same time, the transition loss portion 300 also has a certain loss effect, which can, to a certain extent, avoid the formation of strong reflected signals at the edge of the metal outer wall 900.

[0037] Further, with reference to Figure 3a - 3b , on the basis of the foregoing first loss portion 100, or on the basis of the foregoing first loss portion 100 and the transition loss portion 300, a second loss portion 200 made of an electromagnetic wave loss material may further be provided in at least the outermost corrugation groove of the corrugated horn antenna of the present disclosure. The second loss portion 200 can suppress the surface current near the opening edge of the corrugated horn antenna through its loss effect. The shape of the second loss portion 200 is not limited to Figure 3a - 3b shown. It may include a specifically designed shape, for example, the top may have a non-planar shape, or it may include a plurality of discontinuous sub-structures, etc. Optionally, the second loss portion 200 is in contact with the two side walls of the corrugation groove to enhance the loss effect.

[0038] The height of the second loss portion 200 may be approximately equal to the depth of the corrugation groove, so as to avoid the poor loss effect due to the too low second loss portion 200 or the occlusion of the main radiation due to the too high second loss portion 200. Optionally, the height of the second loss portion 200 is equal to the depth of the corrugation groove.

[0039] The number of corrugation grooves provided with the second loss portion is not limited to Figure 3a - 3b shown. Optionally, the second loss portion is provided in 1 to 3 outermost corrugation grooves. It can be understood that the main radiation energy of the corrugated horn antenna is concentrated in the part near the center, and the current near the outside has little contribution to the main radiation, but instead will affect the performance of the horn such as cross polarization and symmetry. When the corrugated horn antenna includes a relatively large number of corrugation grooves, the second loss portion can be provided in more (more than 3) corrugation grooves according to the current distribution.

[0040] The materials of the first loss portion, the second loss portion, and the transition loss portion in each embodiment are described herein. The first loss portion, the second loss portion, and the transition loss portion all use electromagnetic wave loss materials. Specifically, the first loss portion can be selected from dielectric materials or magnetic materials. The loss mechanism of the dielectric material is dielectric polarization relaxation loss. Specifically, for example, it can be a polymer composite material mixed with conductive powder. The loss mechanism of the magnetic material is mainly ferromagnetic resonance absorption. Specifically, for example, it can be a polymer composite material mixed with metal or ferrite powder. The transition loss portion can be selected from semiconductor materials, and the transition impedance matching between the first loss portion and the outer wall of the antenna is achieved by using the function of the semiconductor material to guide current. The second loss portion can be selected from dielectric materials to avoid interference with radiation.

[0041] It should be noted that in the related art, the structure of the corrugated horn antenna is not limited to that shown in the drawings of the foregoing embodiments. Referring to Figure 4 , Figure 4 schematically shows a corrugated horn antenna with another structure, which also has a plurality of corrugated grooves. The technical solution of the present disclosure is also applicable to such a corrugated horn antenna, and will not be elaborated herein.

[0042] The technical effects of the technical solution of the present disclosure are exemplarily described herein. Referring to Figures 5 - 7 , Figures 5 - 7 schematically shows the simulation results of the phase of different corrugated horn antennas within the range of ±30° (degree) at 24 GHz. In the figure, the abscissa Theta is the angle in the vertical plane direction in the spherical coordinate system, Theta = 0° is the main radiation direction of the corrugated horn antenna, the ordinate is the phase of the main polarization electric field of the corrugated horn antenna, and the figure shows the phase fluctuation of Theta within ±30°. In each figure, the four curves are the phase direction diagrams of the main polarization electric field when phi (the angle in the horizontal plane direction in the spherical coordinate system) is 0°, 45°, 90°, and 135°, respectively. Among them, Figure 5 's corrugated horn antenna is a typical corrugated horn antenna in the related art. The specific form is a corrugated horn with an axially open circular aperture, including a 6-corrugation groove structure. As a comparison, Figure 6 is a corrugated horn antenna with the same structure provided with a first loss portion. The first loss portion is provided on the outer wall of the horn antenna, completely surrounding the outer wall for one week, and the height is higher than the outer wall. The first loss portion uses a dielectric-type electromagnetic wave loss material, with a relative dielectric constant of about 1.45 and a loss tangent of about 0.3. And Figure 7It is a corrugated horn antenna with the same structure provided with a first loss part and a second loss part. The first loss part is arranged on the outer wall of the horn antenna, surrounding the outer wall completely for one week, and its height is higher than the outer wall. The second loss part is arranged in the outermost corrugation groove of the horn antenna, filling the whole week completely, contacting the two side walls of the corrugation groove, and having the same height as the corrugation groove. Both the first loss part and the second loss part adopt a dielectric type electromagnetic wave loss material, with a relative dielectric constant of about 1.45 and a loss tangent of about 0.3. It can be seen that within a wide angle of ±30°, as Figure 5 shown, the maximum phase deviation of the corrugated horn antenna in the related art is about 8.1°, as Figure 6 shown, the maximum phase deviation of the corrugated horn antenna with the same structure provided with the first loss part is about 1.5°, as Figure 7 shown, for the corrugated horn antenna with the same structure provided with the first loss part and the second loss part, its maximum phase deviation is about 1.0°.

[0043] Similar to Figures 5 - 7 that, Figures 8 - 10 respectively are the wide-angle phase fluctuation comparisons of the three corrugated horn antennas set as above at 32 GHz. It can be seen that within a wide angle of ±30°, for the corrugated horn antenna in the related art, the corrugated horn antenna with the same structure provided with the first loss part, and the corrugated horn antenna with the same structure provided with the first loss part and the second loss part, the maximum phase deviations are about 10.0°, 5.0°, and 4.5° respectively.

[0044] Similar to Figures 5 - 7 that, Figures 11 - 13 respectively are the wide-angle phase fluctuation comparisons of the three corrugated horn antennas set as above at 40 GHz. It can be seen that within a wide angle of ±30°, for the corrugated horn antenna in the related art, the corrugated horn antenna with the same structure provided with the first loss part, and the corrugated horn antenna with the same structure provided with the first loss part and the second loss part, the maximum phase deviations are about 11.8°, 4.2°, and 3.4° respectively.

[0045] Thus, it can be seen that the technical solution of the present disclosure has an obvious technical effect of improving phase stability.

[0046] It should be noted that the figures in the present disclosure are all simplified schematic diagrams, only used to schematically illustrate the positional relationship and connection relationship between various parts in the embodiments.

[0047] In the foregoing description, the description with reference to terms such as "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "examples", "specific examples", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present disclosure. In the present disclosure, the schematic expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner.

[0048] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and cannot be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of the present disclosure, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0049] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described above, it can be understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present disclosure. Those of ordinary skill in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A corrugated horn antenna, characterized in that, a first loss part is arranged on the outer wall of the corrugated horn antenna, the first loss part surrounds the outer wall for one week, and the first loss part is an electromagnetic wave loss material; the corrugated horn antenna is provided with a second loss part at least in the outermost corrugated groove on the inner wall of the corrugated horn antenna, and the second loss part is a dielectric type electromagnetic wave loss material; the second loss part is in contact with two side walls of the corrugated groove.

2. The corrugated horn antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, the first loss part is a dielectric material or a magnetic material.

3. The corrugated horn antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, the first loss part is not lower than the top of the outer wall.

4. The corrugated horn antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, a transition loss part is arranged between the outer wall and the first loss part, and the transition loss part is an electromagnetic wave loss material.

5. The corrugated horn antenna according to claim 4, characterized in that, the transition loss part is a semiconductor material.

6. The corrugated horn antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, the second loss part is arranged in 1 to 3 of the outermost corrugated grooves.

7. The corrugated horn antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that, the height of the second loss part is equal to the depth of the corrugated groove.

Images