Horn Antenna Array Reflector Cavity With Standing-Wave Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multi-element antenna arrays face challenges in achieving improved radiation characteristics, particularly in terms of gain, front-to-back isolation, and polarization isolation, due to standing waves in the cavity between the ground conductor and ground plane.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of conductive members, such as walls or posts, perpendicular to the ground conductor, disrupt standing waves in the cavity, enhancing the antenna array's radiation characteristics by improving front-to-back ratio and isolation between polarizations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a multi-element antenna array is used to improve signal to noise ratio, then gain is improved, but standing waves form in the cavity between ground conductor and ground plane causing degraded front-to-back isolation and polarization isolation
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful standing waves are extracted or removed from the cavity by introducing conductive members that disrupt the wave patterns. The conductive walls or posts act to take out the harmful electromagnetic standing waves from the cavity environment, allowing the antenna array to achieve both high gain and good isolation without the detrimental effects of standing waves.
Solution Approach 2:
Conductive members (walls or posts) are introduced as intermediary elements between the ground conductor and ground plane. These intermediaries disrupt the standing wave formation by breaking the continuous cavity structure, thereby mediating between the need for high gain (which requires the cavity structure) and the need for good isolation (which requires elimination of standing waves).
2Power
If the cavity structure is maintained for gain enhancement, then front-to-back ratio is improved, but standing waves degrade polarization isolation
Solution Approach 1:
The cavity structure is maintained in certain regions to preserve front-to-back ratio enhancement, while conductive members are strategically placed to locally disrupt standing waves in specific areas. This local modification approach allows different parts of the cavity to serve different functions: some regions maintain the cavity structure for gain, while others have standing wave disruption for polarization isolation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration results in improved gain, front-to-back isolation, and polarization isolation, with a front-to-back ratio greater than 25 dB and cross-polarization level greater than 15 dB, along with a peak gain of 17 dBi and an average gain above 15 dBi, across the frequency band of 4.9-7.2 GHz.
Implementation Method 1
the conductive members perpendicular to the ground conductor disrupt a standing wave in the cavity between the ground conductor and the ground plane
Implementation Method 2
a ground conductor configured as a reflector, the ground conductor being disposed parallel to the planar substrate and behind the planar substrate with respect to the horn array elements
Implementation Method 3
each horn array element comprising a waveguide horn and a plurality of radiator patches
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4
AI summary
An antenna array assembly comprises a plurality of horn array elements, each comprising a waveguide horn and a plurality of radiator patches, a planar substrate to which the plurality of horn array elements is attached, the planar substrate having a ground plane comprising a plurality of slots on a first side and a plurality of feed tracks on the second side; and a ground conductor configured as a reflector, the ground conductor being disposed parallel to the planar substrate and behind the planar substrate with respect to the horn array elements. A plurality of conductive members is disposed such that each conductive member is between the ground conductor and a respective horn array element, each conductive member being perpendicular to the ground conductor, and each conductive member being electrically connected to the ground conductor.