E-plane sectoral horn antenna based on printed ridge gap waveguide (PRGW) technology is designed for 5G applications. It is implemented on the top plate of the PRGW structure to avoid the losses and dispersion associated with conventional feeding mechanisms. The quasi-transverse electromagneticPRGW-based antenna is excited through a planar microstrip transition. First, the single horn antenna element is introduced with the microstrip feeding section. It shows an impedance bandwidth of fractional bandwidth 26% from 45.7 to 55.4 GHz with the realized gain of 12.7 dBi and radiation efficiency of 90%. In order to maximize the realized gain, a four-element linear horn array is introduced. The same impedance bandwidth is maintained with the array having a gain of 18.6 dBi from 45.7 to 55.4 GHz. The overall antenna array performance in the entire operating frequency range is stable with a radiation efficiency around 85%. Three matching sections are implemented to achieve better impedance matching. One is used to match the horn with the feeding aperture via the PRGW line. Another section is designed to match microstrip transition with PRGW ridge. Finally, two-stage quarter wavelength transformers are required to match the power divider with the array feeding network. A prototype of single-element horn antenna was fabricated to verify the concept of the design. Simulated and measured results show that the proposed antenna can operate in the frequency band of 45–55 GHz with good agreement of radiation performance. Moreover, the proposed designs are implemented and simulated using two microwave simulation tools (CST and HFSS) to verify the radiation performance, which exhibits good agreement. The design of an E-sectoral horn antenna and its array with high gain based on PRGW is demonstrated for the first time which is considered a novel issue. It can be integrated with other passive and active elements in communication systems. Thus, it can be a valuable component in 5G communication due to its high gain, compact size and ultra-wide band.

This paper reports design and successful development of new and high performance transmit and receive feed systems for reflector antennas at “lower-extended C-band”. The horns are analyzed and optimized using the mode-matching technique-based software CHAMP. Other feed components are designed with the aid of the mode-matching technique and finite element method based softwares viz. MICIAN and HFSS. The predicted radio frequency (rf) performances comply with the measured results with small deviation. Some issues related to feed system such as impact of horn outer structure; such as base for tooling ball, feed bracket for struts etc. on its rf performance are discussed. It is shown that the outer feed structure plays a significant role apart from the internal cavity of the horn for prediction of electrical performance of the feed system. Besides high rf performance; good mechanical properties such as compactness and ease to fabrication are achieved through innovative feed design.