IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ANTENNAS AND PROPAGATION, VOL. AP-34, NO.

1, JANUARY 1986

21

A Dielectric Hybrid Mode Antenna Feed: A Simple Alternative to the Corrugated Horn
ERIK LIER
Abstract-A hybrid-modehornantenna has beenanalyzedtheoreticallyandexperimentally.It consists of aconicalmetalhornwitha dielectric core inside, separated from the metal wall by another dielectric is characterized layer with lower permittivity than for the core material. It by a very simple design and excellent electrical performance. The horn can support the balanced hybrid HE,,-mode, and exhibits low cross polarization and low sidelobes over a wide frequencyrange. Compared to corrugated horns, the new horn has a simpler design, is easier to analyze, and has the potential of similar cross-polar bandwidth as for corrugated horns with ring-loaded corrugations. Drawbacks are the effects of dielectric losses. Thus the new horn represents an attractive alternativeto the corrngated horn antenna.

radiation level outside the cone from the excitation horn and theneed for a radome to prevent rain andpollution from destroying the surface of the dielectric cone. Finally, the corrugated horn [4] has been the most widelyused feed horn in satellite antennas where low cross polarization and low sidelobes havebeen required over a large frequency range. However, this horn is extremely expensive to manufacture and has a relatively high weight. Therefore, there is a need for new feed horns with similar radiation properties as for the corrugated horn, but with lower production costs and weight. In this paper a hornantenna representing an interesting alternative to the corrugated horn is analyzed, both theoretiI. INTRODUCTION cally and experimentally [ 5 ] . The horn is illustrated in Fig. 1. HE AGE OF satellite communication has increased the It consists of a conical metal horn with a conical dielectric core need for satellite antennas with low cross polarization and inside, separated from the metalwall by a dielectric layer low sidelobes, due to the requirements of frequency reuse to (which partly may be air) with lower permittivity than for the increase the capacity in the satellite bands. The main source of core material. A similar hornantenna is presentedin [6], cross polarization in reflector antennas is for most applications where the core is a low-permittivity dielectric cone (erl = the feed element. In fact, the reflectors will reduce the overall l . l ) , and the front surface ofthe core is. plane. Modified cross-polar level by typically 6 dB compared to the cross versions of the basic concept shown in Fig. 1 can be obtained polarization from the feed. Therefore, there is a need for feed either by extending the core outside the metal horn (reduced horns with lowcross polarization over either the transmit band weight), or by extending the metal horn outside the core (dual or the receive band, of preferably both of them. mode horn). One of the simplest feed horns which can be used both for The dielectric core is analyzed theoretically in Section II. linear and circular polarization is the conical horn with smooth Design criteria are developed, as well as a method for wall, whichissupporting the fundamental TEII-mode.The calculatingthe radiation patterns. Measurements are presented cross polarization from this horn is about - 18 dB (referred to in Section In. The main results are given in Section I V , where maximum co-polar level). This value is 5-10 dB too high to possible applications of the new horn antenna are discussed. satisfy the requirements for application in satellite antennas. Different horn designs have been developed with lower cross I I . THEORETICAL ANALYSIS polarization than that of the conical horn, The most common feed horns with narrow co-polar patterns and low cross A . The Plane Wall Model polarization for usein dual reflector antennas, are the dual The low cross polarization of the conical corrugated horn mode horn, the low-permittivity dielectric horn (dielguide antenna is due to the hybrid-mode HEtI which can be feed), and the corrugated horn. Thedualmodehorn [ 11 supported under the balanced hybrid condition [4, ch. 31.By represents a simple design, but has a narrow cross-polar analyzing the wall impedances of the core horn in Fig. 1, it frequency bandwidth, dependent on which type of dual mode will now be shown that the balanced hybrid condition can be coupler is used. The dielguide feed [2], [3] has a large cross- satisfied for this horn antenna as well. polar bandwidth and can easily be integrated with the The simplest model for analyzing the boundary conditionsat subreflector, thus representing a simpleand effective con- the horn wall is the plane wall model shown in Fig. 2. The struction. However, serious drawbacks of this feed are high parameter O1 is the angle between the direction of propagation of the incident plane wave and the surface normal between the two media denoted by regions 1 and 2 , and O2 is the Manuscript received May 6, 1985; revised August 15, 1985. This work was supported under a Contract from The Norwegian Telecommunications corresponding angle in region 2 of the transmitted wave. The Administration Research Establishment. model represents the asymptotic case where the diameter of The author is with the Electronics Research Laboratory, The Norwegian the cylindrical waveguide approaches infinity. By other Institute of Technology, O.S. Bragstads Plass 6, N-7034 Trondheim-NTH, Norway. words, the model is most correct in the horn aperture. IEEE Log Number 8406143. By defining the two impedances Z, and Z,, based on the

0018-926X/86/0100-01$01.00 0 1986 IEEE

- -

.-..

...=.

--

.. .

...

IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON A h i N N A S AND PROPAGATION, VOL. AP-34, NO. 1 , JANUARY 1986

1 .o-

.metal w a l l

-f
\

0.80.6-

0.4

1.5

0.2

1 .o

2 . 0
Er

2.5
Er1 =Et-2

Fig. 1. Illustration of the newhybrid-mode horn antenna (the dklectric core horn).

Fig. 3. Normalized thickness of the outer dielectric versus relative permittivity of the horn antenna given in Fig. 1 which satisfies the balanced hybrid 7 ) ) . condition eased on (

under the following condition: sin

e, = >

Jij

(8)

(a)

(b)

Fig. 2. Plane wall model. (a) Illustration. (b) Transmission line model.

tangential electric (E) and magnetic (H) field components at the boundary between regions 1 and 2, the balanced hybrid condition becomes [7]

Equation (8) can be satisfied only when e,2 < erl, and if the fields in region 2 are evanescent with respect to propagation normal to the wall. Equation (7) with el = 90 represents the value of t which satisfies the balancedhybrid condition for the asymptotic case b + 00 ( b is the radius of the circular cylindrical waveguide). In Fig. 3 the normalized t versus E, is illustrated. It shows that t increases whenE,. decreases. The accuracy o f t increases with increasing b.

where

and ql is the waveimpedance in region1(thecylindrical coordinate system r , 4, z is defined in Fig. 2). Based on Fig. 2, the boundary impedances may be expressed as [SI

z,=
where

-jql

4 der
2n

sin2

el - 1tanh

( k ;t ) ,

(5)

ki = -jk2=-

x,

G2 der sin* el - 1 ,

(6)

and k2 is the propagation constant inradial direction in region 2, X,is the free space wavelength, and E, = E , ~ / E , (erl ~ and er2 are the relative permittivities of the media in region 1 and 2, respectively). By inserting (4)-(6) into (l), the following design criterium for the wall thickness t can be deduced:

E . The Circular Cylindrical Waveguide Model A more accurate model than that described in the previous section for analyzing the horn antenna shown in Fig. 1 , i s the infinitely long circular cylindrical waveguide model. A method for calculating the fields over the waveguide cross section is shown in Appendix I, where the tangential electric and magnetic fields are forced to be continuous across the boundary between the two regions. Based on this procedure, curves for t satisfying the balanced hybrid condition, are shown in Fig. 4 as a function of b with E,. . as a parameter and erl = 2.5. When b increases, it can be seen that the curves approach asymptotically the values given in (7), as should be expected. This has also been shown theoreticallyinAppendix I, where identical expressions to those givenin (4) and (5) for Z , and Z , have been obtained for the limit b 4 00. Another interesting observation from Fig. 4 isthat f is almost constant when b varies, except close to cut-off for the hybrid-mode H E l 1. This means that for practical horn designs the thickness of the outer region may be kept constant along the horn wall.
C. Radiation Patterns Twomethods for calculation of the far fields from the dielectric core horn shall be described in this section. Method I: The field distribution over the spherical horn aperture is assumedto be identical to the field distribution over the equivalent circular cylindrical cross section through the coordinate transformation shown in Appendix I, (47). The

LIER:
4.0r

ANTENNA FEED

23
Plane wall-model

--

From the expressions for the hybrid modes given in [4, p.

71 it can be seen that the cross polarization from the dielectric core horn in principle has the same expression as that of the
corrugated horn, thus obtaining

10

30

50

70

90 b [mm]

110

Fig. 4. Thickness of the outer dielectric versustheradius of the circular cylindrical waveguide with E , as a parameter for the horn antenna given in Fig. 1, satisfying the balanced hybrid condition.

where B and X are the normalized susceptance and reactance, respectively, at r = a (a is radius in circular cylindrical model). By applying the asymptotic expressions for B = q l / j Z , and X = Zq/jql from (4) and ( 9 , the following ratio can be constructed from (9)-(1 l),

and f, denotes the center frequency for which the balanced hybrid condition is satisfied. In Fig. 5 the ratio given in (12) is illustrated versusf/f , .It showsthatwhenonlythe HEll-mode ispresent the new hybrid-mode horn is less frequency dependent than the corrugated horn, andthistendencyincreasesslightlywith increasing er. Fig. 6 shows absolute cross polarization from the dielectric core horn as a function of the relative frequency with2a/X, as a parameter (X, is the free space wavelength at the center frequency.) Only the HEII-mode is assumed to propagate in the horn. It can be seen that the frequency dependence of the boundary impedances does not represent any practical limitation as far as the cross polarization is concerned. The D. Cross-Polar Bandwidth maximum theoretical cross-polar bandwidth ofa hybrid-mode An important parameter of performance of the new horn hornisabout I .8: 1, due tothe ratio betweenthecut-off antenna is its cross-polar bandwidth compared to the bandfrequencies of the undesired HE12-modeand the HEll-mode. width of the corresponding corrugated horn. In [IO] the However, for the dielectric core hornshown in Fig. 1 the dielguide feed has been compared with the corrugated horn maximum achievable bandwidth is lower than for an air-fdled with respect to the cross polarization. The same method shall horn, for example a corrugated horn. The reason is that the now beused to compare the dielectric core hornwiththe cut-off frequencies in the horn are decreased when the horn is corrugated horn. filed with a dielectric material, while the cut-off frequencies The cross polarization from circular cylindrical corrugated in the air-filled waveguide are the same. By using a core waveguides can be expressed approximately by [IO] material with low permittivity, low cross polarization over a 1.8: 1 frequency range will in principle be possible. The same effectcan be obtained by fillingtheinputwaveguidewith a dielectric, or by varying the diameter of the input waveguide properly. A conditionisthattheundesired HEI2-mode is where negligible small.

radiation patterns are then calculated by integrating the corresponding equivalent electric and magnetic currents over thehorn aperture [9] (Kirchhoff-Huygen integration). The accuracy of this method increases with decreasing flare angle of the horn. Method II: The field distribution within the horn is expressed by spherical functions. The eigenvalue of the hybrid-mode is calculated as shown in Appendix II, where the boundary impedances 2, and 2, are input data. The far fields are thencalculated by integrating over the aperture as in method I. This method is valid for all practical values of the flare angle of the horn. It has increasing accuracy with increasing horn diameter if 2, and 2, are calculated from the asymptotic expressions in (4) and (5). In both the previously described methodsonlythe HEIImode is assumed to exist in the horn (the HEI2-modecan easily be incorporated in the programs). Furthermore, a nonspherical core surface (lens) in the hornaperture can easilybe taken into account to obtain a desired phase front. Calculated patterns based on these methods will be shown in Section III.

where

E. Effects of Dielectric Losses Dielectric materials are sometimes used in horn antennas as and a is theradius of the waveguide,w and dare the width and ray-correcting lenses, situatedinthehorn aperture. As the period, respectively, of the corrugations, and f and f , are the thickness of the lens istypically a fewwavelengths, the operating frequency and center frequency (for balanced nondesired effects due to the dielectric losses are relatively hybrid mode), respectively. small. For the dielectric core horn, however, theraypath

. . .

24

IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ANTENNAS AND PROPAGATION, VOL.

AP-34,NO.

1, JANUARY 1986

Te5=24" K.

(17)

Corrugated horn

-2

If the thermal temperature increases above a certain value, theattenuation A and the noise temperature Teffincreases rapidly. This breakdown effect has not been taken into account in the theory. Using an expanded dielectric, the values calculated in (16), (17) will be considerably reduced. For high power applications, ceramic materials may be of interest as it can withstand high temperature.

0.5

0.7

0.9

1.1

1.3
f/Fc

1.5

transformer layer materialized by holes in the surfaces [121. Fig. 7 shows measured cross polarization (relative maximum copolar level) versus the frequency for a dielectric core excited by a corrugated feed horn, where the core extends outside this feed horn. The aperture surface of the dielectric core is shaped as a lens, providing plane phase front over the aperture. The two curves represent measurements,respectively, without (Fig. 7(a)) andwith(Fig. 7(b)) a separating dielectric layer between the metal horn and the core. We see that the cross polarizationismuch lower whentheouter 4 -5 m dielectric layer is used (expanded polystyrene, en = 1.06). Fig. 8 shows cross polarization versus the frequency for a Fig. 6 . Calculated cross polarization versus relative frequency for thenew horn corresponding to thatshown in Fig. 7, excited by a hybrid-mode horn with k/X, as a parameter where only theHEl,-modei s smooth feed horn. By comparing Figs. 7 and 8, we see that a assumed (X, is the free space wavelength at the center frequency). combination of corrugated feed horn and dielectric core, through the dielectric is large compared to the wavelength. separated by alow-permittivity dielectric, givesthelowest Therefore, the effects of dielectric losses have to be consid- cross-polar results. However, the simpler construction with the smooth feed horn shown in Fig. 8 is more independent of ered. Three effects due to dielectric losses are gain loss, increased the frequency, with cross polarization lower than - 30 dB effective noise temperature, and possible thermal damage in over the frequency range 1.5: 1. In addition the latter horn high power applications. The gain loss (attenuation) can be exhibits lower copolar sidelobes (about -28 dB over the band). It should be mentioned thatthe thickness t has not been expressed by [l 13 optimized with respect to minimum cross polarization or I minimum copolar sidelobe level in any of the constructions in A ( I ) = -27.3 6 - [dB], (14) Figs. 7 and 8. ho Figs. 9 and 10 show measured cross polarization versus the exp ( - j tan A), 6 is the loss angle, and 1 is the frequency for the new hybrid-mode hornshorn in Fig. 1. The where E:, = propagation distance along the ray thought thedielectric. The dielectric core is identical to the core used in the previously shown measurements. We see that the cross-polar radiation effective noise temperature can be given by patterns are nonsymmetrical, illustrated by curves for the two Teff= (1 - 10-o.lA('))Ta, (15) cross-polar sidelobesat each side of the symmetry axis shown by solid and dashedlines. This is caused by a nonsymmetrical where T, is the thermal temperature of the antenna. outer dielectric layer. It is obvious from the figures that the An accurate calculation of the thermal temperature generatedwithin the antenna requires anumericalmethod. An construction where t = 3 mm gives best results. This confirms the theory presented in Section 1 I , where the calculated approximate method is shown in [8], where a homogeneous thickness taken from Figs. 3 or 4, which satisfies the balanced circular cylindrical model has been used. hybrid condition, is t = 2.5 mm at f = 11.5 GHz for the As an exampleto quantify the dielectric effects presented in measured horn. this section, polystyrene will be used (erl = 2.5, 6 = 7 X Measured and calculated copolar radiation patterns for the Furthermore, T, = 300" K,I = 300 mm andf = 12 horn illustrated in Fig. 10 are shown in Fig. 11 at f = 11.O GHz ( x 0= 25 mm). We then obtain GHz. The calculationsare performed by method Idescribed in mm)=O.36 A(300 dB, (16) Section II-C, where the lens surface of the dielectric core,

Fig. 5 . Calculatedcross polarization forthenewhybrid-modehorn (solid curves) relative to the cross polarization fora corrugated horn with identical center frequency f,as a function of the normalized frequency (efl = 1 .O, w/d = 1.0, u/A, 1).

I I I . MEASUREMENTS A . Radiation Patterns For the measurements presented in t h i s section, the cores are madeofpolystyrene (er1 = 2.5, 6 = 7 X 10-3. The semiflare angle of the horns are 14O. The aperture surfaces of the different cores are constructed with a quarter-wave

-t
0.5

1,1<

LIER: DIELECTRIC HYBRID MODE Ah-NNA

FEED

25

-33

Fig. 10. Measured cross polarization versus frequency for the new hybridmode horn antenna witht = 3 m m (the two curves represent nonsymetrical pattern).

IO

12

13

14
f[GHz]

I5

2 f <
l 3

NEV MYRRID-MODE HORN

CDPOLAR PATTERNS
20.

Fig. 7. Measured cross polarization versus frequency for a dielectric horn antenna fed by a corrugated horn.

- to.! Y

-20
XP [dB]
-25

-25

1t
t
L
10

c w

0.j
f i MEASURED

-30

I#--/I
I

,z=l.OS

-io.

-10.

-20. 3 0 .

0.

IO.

20.

30.

-0.

THETA I deg 1

Fig. 11. Measured and calculated copolar radiation patterns for antenna show in Fig. 10 at f = 11.0 GHz.

horn

-35

-40

11

12

13

14 f [GHz]

15

Fig. 8.

Measured cross polarization versus frequency for a dielectric horn antenna fed by a loaded conical horn.

10

11

12

13

14
f [GHz]

15

Fig. 9. Measured cross polarization versusfrequency for the new hybridmode horn antenna (the two curves represents nonsymmetrical pattern).

providing plane phase front over the horn aperture is taken into account. We see that measured and calculated curves are in fair agreement (the nonregular behavior of the measured curve is due to inaccurate plotting). The discrepancy between the two curves is probably due to a nonideal and frequencydependentmatching layer represented by holes in the core surface, which slightlyinfluences the reflected and transmitted rays at the surface. In Fig. 12 calculated cross polarization versus the frequency is shown for a larger horn antenna, where the aperture surface of the core is spherical with the center in the apex of the conical core. The thickness of the outer dielectric layer is here almost optimum as far as the cross polarization is concerned (f = 2.5 mm). The cross polarization is lower than - 30 dB over the frequencyband 10-15 GHz. Above 15 GHz the hybrid-mode HEl2 can be supported within the horn as can be seen from the dramatical increase in the cross polarization. The antenna shows similar cross-polar behavior as that one in [6],where a low-permittivity core is applied. In Fig. 13 measured and calculated radiation patterns for the same horn antenna as shown inFig. 12 are shown. We see that the two different calculation methods show excellent agreement. Calculated and measuredcurves for the copolar pattern also agree very well downto at least - 40 dB below maximum copolar value. This confirms thatthehybrid-mode HEl, is dominant. The high measured cross-polar values compared to the calculatedvalues are partly due to tolerances on the

-3

. . .

26
-30 XP [de]

LEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ANTENNAS AND PROPAGATION, VOL. AP-34, NO. 1, JANUARY 1986

-35

-40

- 4 5 110
I

11

12

13

14

f [GHz]

15

-45

Fig. 12. Measured cross polarization versus frequency for the new hybridmode horn antenna (the two curves represent nonsymmetrical pattern).

cut-off

.t

10

11

12

Frequency (GHz)

13 15 14

NEW HYBRID-MODE 4ORN

n ~ASUREO

Fig. 14. Measured cross polarization versus frequency for the horn in Fig. 12 with a modified throat section (thetwo curves represent nonsymmetrical pattern).
1.50

...-\

CNC .t

tI

..a

1.30

1.20
i.io

1 .oo 10.4 10.8 11.2 31.6

12.0 12.4 12.8 13.2 13.6 14.0

1 4 . 4

14.8

15.2

15.6

76.0

Frequency (GHz1

Fig. 15. Measured voltage standing wave ratio versus frequency at the input waveguide for the horn in Fig. 10.
-60.
-40.

-20.

0.

20.

fO.

60.
1.50

THETA [dag 1

Fig. 13. Measured and calculated co- and cross-polar radiation patterns for the horn antenna shown i n Fig. 12 at f = 10.2 GHz.

1.40

1.30

constructed horn and inaccurate measurements, and partlydue to excitation of the nondesired HE12-mode in the horn. Fig. 14 shows measured cross polarization for thehorn shown in Fig. 12 where the horn throat has been modified. Cross-polar level lower than - 30 dB has now been obtained almost over a 2:l frequency range, withvoltagestandingwave ratio (VSWR) < 1.4 above 9.5 GHz. Thisisvery similar to the obtained cross polarization for corrugated horns with ring-loaded corrugations [131. The definition used for the cross polarization is the third definition by Ludwig [141. The accuracy of the measurements is within typically +- 2 dB for co- andcross-polar levels higher than - 40 dB relative maximumco-polar level. Below - 40 dB disturbing interference from unpredictable objects will influence the measurements significantly. Nonsymmetrical results are caused partly by nonsymmetrical horn constructions, and partly by inaccurate lining of the transmit and receive antennas along their common axis, in addition to interference from surrounding objects. B. VSWR

7 . 2 0
1.70
1 .w 1 0 . 4 1 0 . 8 11.2 17.6

12.0 12.4

12.8 1 3 . 2 1 3 . 6 1 4 . 0 14.4

1 4 . 8

15.2

1 5 . 6

76.0

Frequency (GHz)

Fig. 16. Measured voltage standing wave ratio versus frequency at the input waveguide for the horn in Fig. 12 (the dashed curve represents the quarterwave transformer).

In Figs. 15 and 16 measured curves for VSWR are shown for the horn antennas illustrated in Figs. 10 and 12, respecIV. APPLICATIONS AND LIMITATIONS tively. The former horn shows similar values for VSWR as those for a corresponding corrugated hornwiththesame The new hybrid-mode horn antenna presented inthis report diameter of the input waveguide. The latter horn gives higher represents an interesting alternative to existing horn antennas. VSWR, as the reflections from the aperture surface of the core In this paper it has been shown theoretically and confirmed interfere constructively. The VSWR due tothefrequency experimentally that the horn posesses the potential of similar

dependence of the matching layer has been calculated from a formula given in [8] with fc = 12.5 GHz, illustrated by the dashed curve in Fig. 16. The rapidly oscillating behavior of the curve is due to reflections from the aperture surface, where the maxima and minima represent constructive and destructive interference, respectively, with other reflections. It can be seen that the measurement should have been carried out with more frequency points per GHz, especially inthe upper part of the band, in order to obtain smoother curves. The difference between the mean ofthe oscillating curve and the dashed curve in Fig. 16 is mainly caused by reflections near the hornthroat. The accuracy of themeasured VSWR is typically 2-3 percent for the reflections, due to calibration tolerances on the automatic network analyzer.

LIER: DIELECTRIC HYBRID MODE ANTENNA FEED

27

electrical properties as those of the corrugated horn with ringloaded corrugations. As the horn has a very simple design, it may also be applied in antenna systems where hybrid-mode horns are not normallyused due tohigh prices. Practical applications can be in the area of satellite communications, where the cross polarization and sidelobes have to be low for both the transmit and the receive band (for example in data communications).Other applications may be feeds for line-ofsight radio link systems and satellite broadcast antennas for community reception. For these applications the aperture efficiency can be increased due to equalE- and H-plane widths and low sidelobes compared to existing antennas with nonhybrid-mode feeds. This means that the required dimension of the reflector can be reduced, thereby reducing the total price of the antenna system. As the corrugated horn is the most frequently used hybridmode feed due to its excellent electrical performance, it will now be compared with the new horn. The following advantages and disadvantages for the horn described in this paper compared to the Corrugated horn are as follows.

A practical designof the outer dielectric region (region2) of the new horn is to use rings to separate the core from the metal wall. These rings may for example be a homogeneous part of the core, or alternatively a homogeneous part ofthemetal horn, where the most of region 2 is fiied with air. Both these alternatives represent simple constructions, but have not yet been tested. Further development of the horncould include a more accurate analysis by using spherical waves instead of plane and cylindrical waves (see Sections II-A and II-B). This will probably be of academic interest only. Analysis of the excitation of the nondesired HEl2-mode would be of greater interest, as this mode can be supported in the outer part of the horn.
APPENDIX I

CALCULATION OF THE FIELD DISTRI~U~ON IN A CIRCULAR CYLINDRICAL WAVEGUIDE CONSISTING OF Two DIELECTRICS INSIDE A METAL CYLINDER

Advantages: simpler design (lower price); easier to analyze theoretically; simpler design criteria; potential of larger cross polar bandwidth (compared to corrugated horns with conventional cormgations); can easily obtain desired phase front by shaping the front surface of the core. Disadvantages: dielectric gain loss; higher effective noise temperature; lower maximum allowable input power. In addition, the co-polar radiation patterns will be almost the same for the twohorns with corresponding dimensions. As far as the price is concerned, the new horn will be far superior to thecorrugatedhorn for millimeterwave applications, for elliptical horns, and for special broad-band applications where the corrugated horn is extremely expensive. Elliptical horns are used on board the satellite for generation of elliptically contoured beams with high polarization purity [4, ch. 71. For specialbroad-bandapplicationswithlow cross polarization over typically 50 percentfrequencyrange or more, ringloaded or dual-depth corrugations have to beused for the corrugatedhorn [4, ch. 51. The difference in weightwill depend upon the permittivity of the core material and the flare angle and length of the horn when two horn antennas with equaldimensions are compared. The weightisreducedif expanded dielectric can be used in the construction, thus reducing the dielectric losses as well. Therefore, it will be a challenge to develop new dielectric materialswithlowest possible losses(small a), predictable permittivity in the range 1.2 < E,[ < 2.0, and good homogeneity. In addition, the dielectric should withstand high maximum use temperature (for example ceramics) if the horn istobeusedintransmitantennasystems for highpower applications.

Finite Dimensions The principle for calculation of the field distribution within the waveguide illustrated in Fig. 17 is shown in [15, ch. 5-51. The electric (index e) and magnetic (index m) vector potentials in regions1 and 2 , respectively, in Fig. 17 are given by
$;=AB,,(k,,r) sin q5e-jkzz,
(18)

$?= BB,,(k,,r)

cos 4e-jkzz,

(1 9)
(20)

$;= CBzp(kr2r) sin 4e-jkzz,

$? =DBh(kr2r) cos

de -Jkzz,

(21)

where B are combinations of Bessel functions of order one, and the characteristic equations for the propagation constants are

krl=kl-kZ=ErlkO-kzt kr2= k2 - k , = Enko - k,,

2 2 2 2 2

.2

(22)

(23)

and ko is the propagation constant in vacuum. The following expressions can then be derived for the electric ( E ) and magnetic (H) fields in region 2 (only relevant terms are given), 1 EL = - C - B2,(u) cos 4e-jkzz, r
(24)

kzkr2 rn Er2= - DqZ-B L ( u ) cos 4e -jkzz, k2

E> = 0 ,

(28)

--

.*

~.

- .

IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ANTENNAS AND PROPAGATION, VOL. AI-34, NO. 1, JANUARY 1986

k ?2 E; = -jDq2 - & ( u ) cos de -Jkzz, k2 1 kz = - C - - Bze(u) cos +e -jkzz, 7723 k2

(29)
(30)

x2= -Dkr2Bj,(u) cos @e-jkzz,

flz2

(3 1)
(32) (33)

= -j

cd 2 - -B 2 e ( ~ sin )
772

Fig. 17. Axial cut of a circular cylindrical waveguide dielectrics.

filled with two

k2 HZ =a,

+e -jkzz,

where u = kr2r.In region 1 the field expressions are identical to (24)-(33), except that the index 2 is replaced by index l, and the constants C and D are replaced by A and B, respectively. The wallimpedances at the boundarybetweenthetwo regions illustrated in Fig. 17 become

The unknown parameter in the 4 X 4 matrix is k,, which can be determined by setting the determinant of the matrix equal to zero. The first estimate in the iterative procedure for solving this equation may be the propagation constant of the TEIlmode in the homogeneous waveguide (a = b), i.e.,

(34)

z;=-E j

B. Asymptotic Case where the index c denotesthe cylindrical case. If we The boundary impedances 2; and Z ; for the asymptotic require that Ez and E+ = 0 at r = b, the following expressions case a, b , 00 will be derived from the theory in the previous can be developed for the Bessel functions in region 2, section by applying the large parameter approximations for the Bh(kr2r)= Jl(kr2r)Nl(krzb,)-Nl(k,zr>Jl(kr2b), (36) Bessel functions. The following expressions can be obtained after some mathematical manipulations: Bdkr2r) = Jl(krzr)Ni(krzb) - N1(kr2r)J;(kr&). (37) r + l, L lim B2( jk;2a) = -j - -cosh [k;,(b - a ) ] , (41) In region 1 the field intensity has to be finite, and the following 4.b-m a krizab expressions for the Bessel functions become 2 1 lim B2rn(jk;2a) = - -sinh [k;2(b- a)], (42) Ble(kr1r)=B,rn(krlr)=Jl(kr13)(38) a,b-m k,;2 ab By introducing (34) and (35) into the balanced hybrid where kr2 = jk,;. By introducing these expressions together condition (l), the unknown parameters are the propagation with their derivatives into (34) and (35), and applying(22) and constant kr2(or k,) and the coefficients C and D.These can be (23), the following asymptotic expressions can be found, found by forcing continuityonthetangential fields at the boundary r = a, thus obtaining the following matrix equation:
A

k:2 - j h 2 - Bdkr2a) = k2 . (35) H+ r=a 1 kz C -- Bdkr2a)+ DkrzBiAkna) 772ak2

representing an upper limit for kz o\o is the free space wavelength). When k, is determined, the matrix equation (39) can be solved with respectto the coefficients A , B , C, and D (one of the coefficients may be set to unity). The impedances (34) and (35) canthen be calculated for thegiveninput parameters a, b, erl, er2 and h. Close to cut-off for the HEll-mode in the waveguide, kR is real. Beyond cut-off kr2becomes imaginary for a given ratio between the waveguide diameter and the wavelength, such that themodifiedBessel functions shouldreplace the ordinary Bessel functions in region 2.

B
= 0.

C
=

-jql

Gr

tanh [ko q

11.

(44)

D
(39)

Equations (43) and (44) are identical to (4),( 3 , respectively, when 8, = 90, indicating that the development of the equations is correct.

LIER: DIELECTRIC HYBRID MODE ANTENNA FEED

29

C. Calculation of Radiation Patterns The co- and cross-polar field distributions over the waveguide cross section can be calculated by the field expressions given in SectionA. 1, where the co- and cross-polar directions are defined by

K,=Zp cos 4 + & sin 4,

(45)

ZXp=%sin

+-Z, cos 4,

(46)

and a denotes unit vector. The field transformation from the cross-sectionin Fig. 18(a) to the spherical aperture in Fig. l8@) can be performedby the coordinate transformation given by r (47) e=- a, b assuming constant phase.The accuracy of this method is most correct for a small flare angle a of the horn. The radiated far fields can now be calculated by integrating the corresponding equivalent electric and magnetic currents over the horn aperture (see [9]).
APPENDIX

The wall impedances2, and Z, may be given by the formulas

in (4) and (5), which are valid for large waveguide diameter,
as it was assumed that kR S 1 in the development of (51).

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The author wishes to thank Jon Anders Aas for valuable consultations and discussions concerning the analysis of the new hybrid-mode horn antenna and for his comments on the report. Programs made by Per-Simon Kildal were applied for plotting of the measured curves. Erling Ellingsen has plotted the measured curves and done part of the measurements. The horn constructions have been turned by Helge Anshushaug. REFERENCES
P. D. Potter, A new horn antenna with suppressed sidelobes and equal beamwidth, Microwave J., pp. 71-78, June 1963. P. J. B. Clarricoats and C. E. R. C. Salema, Antennas employing conical dielectric horn.Part I-Propagation and radiation characteristics of dielectric cones, Proc. Inst. Elec. Eng., vol. 120, pp. 741-749, July 1973. , Antennas employing conical dielectric horn. Part 2-The Cassegrain antenna, Proc. Inst. Elec. Eng., vol. 120, pp. 760-766, July 1973. P. J . D. Clarricoats and A. D. Olver, Corrugated Horns for Microwave Antennas. London: Peter Peregrinus Ltd, IEE, 1984. E. Lier and F. A. Aas, Simple hybrid mode horn feed loaded with a dielectric cone, Electron. Lett., vol. 21, no. 13, pp. 563-564, June 20,1985. P. J . D. Clanicoats, A. D. Olver, and M. S. A. S. Rizk, A dielectric loadedconicalfeedwithlow crosspolar radiation, in Roc. URSI Symp. Electromagn. Theory, Santiago, Spain, 1983, pp. 351-354. H. C. Minnettand B. MacA,Thomas,A methodofsynthesizing radiation patterns with axial symmetry, IEEE Truns. Antennas Propagat., vol. AP-14, pp. 654-656, Sept. 1966. E. Lier, A new hybrid-mode horn antenna-An alternative to the corrugated feed, ELAB Rep. STF44 A85064, Mar. 1985. E. Lier and P-S. Kildal, Computer programs for conical,dual mode, scalar, lens-corrected, and dielectric horn antennas, ELAB Rep. STF44 F85037, Oct. 1984. P. J . B. Clanicoats, Theoretical comparison of crosspolar performance of dielectric and corrugated feeds, Electron. Left., vol. 17, no. 9, pp. 317-318, Apr. 30, 1981. S . Silver, Microwave Antenna Theory andDesign. New York: Dover, 1965, sec. 11.6. P-S. Kildal, K. Jakobsen, and K. Sudhakar Rao, Meniscus-lenscorrected cormgatedhorn: A compact feed for a Cassegrain antenna, Proc. Inst. Elec.Eng., vol. 131,pt. H, no. 6, pp. 390-394,Dec. 1984. G . L. James, TEII- to TMII-mode converters for small angle cormgated horns, IEEE Trans. Antennas Propagat., vol. AP-30, pp.1057-1062, NOV.1982. A. C. Ludwig, The defhtion of cross polarization, IEEE Tram. Antennas Propagat., vol. AP-21, pp. 116-119, Jan. 1973. R. F. Harrington, Time-Harmonic ElectromagneticFields. New York: McGraw-W, 1961.

CALCULATION OF THE EIGENVALUE OF THE HYBRID-MODE HEII IN A CONICAL DIELECTRIC HORN WITH KNOWN BOUNDARY IMPEDANCES The characteristic equation for the eigenvalue u of a corrugated horn is shown in [4] with the wall impedance2, as a parameter and 2, = 0. The general characteristic equation where Z , # 0 will now be constructed based on the expressions in [4]. The expressions for the wall impedances when the field distribution is givenby spherical waves become

where the incident field is the TEll-mode, kR 9 1 (see Fig. 18) where k isthe propagation constant in the direction of the wave propagation in the horn, and

where Pi is the Lagrange function. By solving (48) and (49) with respect to the normalized hybridfactor A, the characteristic equation becomes

kR
U(V+

1)sin a

] .

(51)
Lier, fora photographandbiographyplease November 1983 issue of this TRANSACTIONS.
see page984ofthe

The first estimate of the eigenvalue u for the iterative solutior;