Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-q99xh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T03:22:24.021Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

X-band compact choke horn antenna with circular polarization and isoflux pattern for nanosatellite applications

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 April 2015

Eric Arnaud*
Affiliation:
XLIM – CNRS, 123 Avenue Albert Thomas, 87060 Limoges Cedex, France
Luc Duchesne
Affiliation:
SATIMO, 17 Avenue de Norvège, 91140 Villebon Cedex, France
Kevin Elis
Affiliation:
CNES, 18 Avenue Edouard Belin, 31401 Toulouse Cedex 9, France
Jamil Fouany
Affiliation:
XLIM – CNRS, 123 Avenue Albert Thomas, 87060 Limoges Cedex, France
Thierry Monediere
Affiliation:
XLIM – CNRS, 123 Avenue Albert Thomas, 87060 Limoges Cedex, France
Marc Thevenot
Affiliation:
XLIM – CNRS, 123 Avenue Albert Thomas, 87060 Limoges Cedex, France
*
Corresponding author: E. Arnaud Email: eric.arnaud@xlim.fr

Abstract

This paper presents a tradeoff between isoflux pattern quality and X-band antenna compactness for nanosatellite applications. Having an isoflux radiation and a circular polarization (CP) generally causes a large antenna size which is incompatible for these applications. A new design of an antenna is done with the following maximum antenna dimensions: a diameter of 90 mm and a height of 20 mm above the nanosatellite platform. The isoflux pattern is slightly degraded while a good CP and realized gain are kept. The structure is a compact choke horn. It presents an axial ratio lower than 3 dB and a RG close to 0 dB over a 400 MHz bandwidth (8.0–8.4 GHz). It has been realized and successfully measured.

Type
Research Paper
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and the European Microwave Association 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

[1]Kilgus, C.C.: Shaped-conical radiation pattern performance of the backfire quadrifilar helix. IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., 23 (3) (1975), 392397. doi: 10.1109/TAP.1975.1141084.Google Scholar
[2]Duchesne, L.; LeGoff, M.; Durand, L.; Baracco, J.-M.; Foged, L.J.: Design and verification of ARGOS Tx/Rx space segment antenna. Antennas and Propagation (EUCAP), Proc. of the 5th European Conf. on, 11–15 April 2011, 2000–2003.Google Scholar
[3]Reyna, M.A.; Panduro, M.A.; del Rio Bocio, C.: A new reconfigurable wide coverage pattern by optimizing a microstrip patch antenna array. Antennas and Propagation Society Int. Symp. (APSURSI), 2013 IEEE, 7–13 July 2013, 1440–1441.Google Scholar
[4]Jin, J.; Wang, H.L.; Zhu, W.M.; Liu, Y.Z.: Array Patterns Synthesizing Using Genetic Algorithm’. Progress In Electromagnetics Research Symp. 2006, Cambridge, USA, March 26–29.Google Scholar
[5]Ibarra, M.; Reyna, A.; Panduro, M.A.; del Rio-Bocio, C.: Design of aperiodic planar arrays for desirable isoflux radiation in GEO satellites. Antennas and Propagation (APSURSI), 2011 IEEE Int. Symp. on, 3–8 July 2011, 3003–3006.Google Scholar
[6]Albani, M.; Mazzinghi, A.; Freni, A.: Automatic design of CP-RLSA antennas. IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., 60 (12) (2012), 55385547.Google Scholar
[7]Minatti, G.; Maci, S.; De Vita, P.; Freni, A.; Sabbadini, M.: A circularly-polarized Isoflux antenna based on anisotropic metasurface. IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., 60 (11) (2012), 49985009.Google Scholar
[8]Milligan, T.A.: Modern Antenna Design, 2nd ed., Wiley-IEEE Press, Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey, 2005. ISBN: 978-0-471-45776-3.Google Scholar
[9]Geyer, H.: Runder Hornstrahler mit ringformigen Sperrtopfen zur gleichzeitigen Ubertragung zweier polarisationsentkoppelter Wellen. Frequenz, 20 (1966), 2228. (especially p. 27).Google Scholar
[10]LaGrone, A.; Roberts, G.: Minor lobe suppression in a rectangular horn antenna through the utilization of a high impedance choke flange. IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., 14 (1) (1966), 102104.Google Scholar
[11]Wohlleben, R.; Mattes, H.; Lochner, O.: Simple small primary feed for large opening angles and high aperture efficiency. Electron. Lett., 8 (19) (1972), 474476.Google Scholar
[12]Shafai, L.: Broadening of primary feed patterns by small E-plane slots. Electron. Lett., 13 (4) (1977), 102103.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[13]Brachat, P.: Sectoral pattern synthesis with primary feeds. IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., 42 (4) (1994), 484491.Google Scholar
[14]Garcia-Muller, P.L.: Optimisation of compact horn with broad sectoral radiation pattern. Electron. Lett., 37 (6) (2001), 337338.Google Scholar
[15]Ravanelli, R.; Iannicelli, C.; Baldecchi, N.; Franchini, F.: Multi-objective optimization of an isoflux antenna for LEO satellite down-handling link. Microwave Radar and Wireless Communications (MIKON), 2010 18th Int. Conf. on, 14–16 June 2010, 1–4.Google Scholar
[16]Jeon, K.-J.; Lee, K.-i.; Son, J.-g.; Lee, T.-K.; Lee, J.-W.; Lee, W.-K.: X-band isoflux pattern antenna for SAR data transmission. Synthetic Aperture Radar (APSAR), 2011 3rd Int. Asia-Pacific Conf. on, 26–30 September 2011, 1–4.Google Scholar