Lecture 35 Diffraction and Aperture Antennas

In this lecture you will learn:

Diffraction of electromagnetic radiation Gain and radiation pattern of aperture antennas

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

Diffraction and Aperture Antennas

Aperture antenna usually refers to a (metallic) sheet with a hole (or an aperture) of some shape through which radiation comes out The natural spreading of electromagnetic waves in free space when emanating from a source is called diffraction z Incoming radiation Questions What happens on this side? How does the radiation coming out of the aperture looks like when the dimensions of the hole are of the order of the wavelength? What is the radiation pattern? x

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

Aperture Antennas in Practice: Rectangular Waveguides

How does radiation coming out of a rectangular waveguide looks like?

Metal rectangular waveguide

=
P Diffraction

=
Some fraction of the incident power is reflected from the open end and some is radiated out Radiation coming out of a rectangular aperture

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

Aperture Antennas in Practice: Dielectric Waveguides

Optical fiber Diffraction

Radiation coming out of a circular aperture

Integrated Photonics (dielectric waveguides on a chip)

Diffraction Radiation coming out of a integrated dielectric waveguide (e.g. a semiconductor laser)
ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

Assumption and Goal

z Incident radiation

Assumption: Assume that we know the field for all time right at the aperture

r E ( x , y = 0, z , t )
This we could know for example from our knowledge of the incident (and reflected) fields behind the aperture

Goal: To find the field for y > 0

r E ( x , y , z, t ) = ?

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

H-field and Surface Current Density Boundary Condition

First recall the surface current boundary condition for the H-field (now in vector form):

r K

r H1

r H2

r r r H2 H1 = K n

For a left-right symmetric problem:

r K r H1 r H2
n

r r H1 = H2

r r 2H2 = K n

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

Principle of Equivalence (Huygens Principle)

Principle of equivalence says that if one knows the radiation E- and H-fields at every point on an imaginary closed surface, then the radiation outside the closed surface can be described as the radiation generated from a surface current density that flows on the closed surface Es Hs ???

r r H s (r ) r r E s (r ) r r E s (r ) = o

Equivalent problem

K r r r 2H s (r ) K (r ) = n

r r H s (r )

Principle of Equivalence is a mathematical statement of the old Huygens Principle that said that every point on a wave-front can be considered a source of radiation

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

Aperture Antenna and the Equivalent Problem

Assumption: Knowing the E-field and H-field phasors at the aperture allows us to consider the equivalent problem of radiation by a current sheet density z

r Ea ( x , z ) E ( x , y = 0, z ) = z r E (x , z ) a H ( x , y = 0, z ) = x

H E x

r r 2 Ha ( x , z ) K (x , z ) = y =z 2 Ea ( x , z )

x y

r 2 Ea ( x , z ) J (x, y , z ) = z (y )

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

Aperture Antennas: Analysis

r 2 Ea ( x , z ) J (x , y , z ) = z (y )

Knowing the current density, use the superposition integral for the vector potential to calculate the fields:

r r r r o J (r ') j k ( ) A r = r r e 4 r r ' r r r .r ' r r' r r

r r r r '

dv '

Make the far-field (or the Fraunhoffer) apprximation:

r r r r r Aff (r ) = o e j k r J (r ') e j k r . r ' dv ' 4 r

Compute the E-field in the far-field approximation:

r r r r r r c2 r Aff (r ) Eff (r ) = Aff (r ) j r j (in far field ) r r r o k j k r r J (r ') e j k r . r ' dv ' = j e r 4 r r r r r r r r Aff (r ) Note that in the far-field: Aff (r ) jk Aff (r ) = jk r

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

Rectangular Apertures: General Case

L L r 2 E a ( x , z ) o ( y ) for x x x z J (x , y , z ) = 2 2 otherwise 0
z Use the formulas:
r r r r r k r J (r ') e j k r . r ' dv ' Eff (r ) = j o e j k r r 4 r

&

Lz L z z 2 2

Lx Lz
x

sin( ) [r z ] = r
y To get:

r r j k sin( ) e j k r Eff (r ) = 2 r r + ky y + kz z k = kx x
Or:

Lz 2 Lx 2 Lz 2 Lx 2

E a ( x ' , z ') e j k . r 'dx ' dz '

r r

r + z' z r ' = x' x

Ea ( x ' , z ') e j k x x ' e j k z z ' dx ' dz '

r r j k sin( ) e j k r Eff (r ) = 2 r

Lz 2 Lx 2 Lz 2 Lx 2

Far-field is proportional to the 2D Fourier transform of the field at the aperture

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

Rectangular Apertures with Uniform Field at the Aperture

r 2 E a o ( y ) z J (x , y , z ) = 0
z for

otherwise

Lx L x x 2 2

&

Lz L z z 2 2

Lx Lz
x y

r r j k Eff (r ) = E a sin( ) e j k r 2 r

Lz 2 L x 2 Lz 2 L x 2

e j k x x ' e j k z z ' dx ' dz '

Far-field is proportional to the 2D Fourier transform of the shape of the aperture Or:

r r j k Eff (r ) = E a sin( ) e j k r 2 r

Lz 2 Lz 2

e j k z z ' dz '

Lx 2 Lx 2

e j k x x 'dx '

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

Fourier Transforms and the Rectangular Aperture Far-Field

FT: F (k x ) = f ( x ) e j k x x dx

IFT: f ( x ) = F (k x ) e j k x x

dk x 2

Consider the 1D box function

f (x )
1

FT of the 1D box function

k L sin x x 2 F (k x ) = Lx k x Lx 2
2 kx = Lx

F (k x )

Lx 2

Lx 2

kx
2 kx = Lx 4

Width of main lobe in k-space = L x The far-field E-field is proportional to the 2D FT of the aperture shape

r r j k E a sin( ) e j k r Eff (r ) = 2 r

()

Lx 2 Lx 2

e j k x x ' dx '

Lz 2 Lz 2

e j k z z ' dz '

j k E a sin( ) e j k r (Lx Lz ) sin(k x Lx 2 ) sin(k z Lz 2 ) = 2 r k x Lx 2 k z Lz 2

()

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

Rectangular Aperture: Far-Field

r r j k sin(k x Lx 2 ) sin(k z Lz 2 ) Eff (r ) = E a sin( ) e j k r (Lx Lz ) 2 r k x Lx 2 k z Lz 2

k x = k sin( ) cos( ) k z = k cos( )

z E-field amplitude on a plane perpendicular to the y-axis is plotted H

Lx Lz
x E

Lz = Lx

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

Rectangular Aperture: Angular Widths of the Main Lobe

Lz = Lx
z

k z = k cos( ) = k sin( ')

For: =

'

Lx Lz
x E

'null
y Angular width of main lobe in vertical direction is governed by the function:

sin(k z Lz 2 ) sin(k Lz sin( ') 2 ) = k z Lz 2 k Lz sin( ') 2

The angular half-width is determined by when the term inside the sine function becomes

sin( 'null ) =

2 = kLz Lz

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

Lz = Lx

Rectangular Aperture: Angular Widths of the Main Lobe = z 2 k x = k sin( ) cos( ) = k sin( ') For: = '
Lx

Lz
x

'null

Angular width of main lobe in horizontal direction is governed by the function:

sin(k x Lx 2 ) sin(k Lx sin( ') 2 ) = k x Lx 2 k Lx sin( ') 2

The angular half-width is determined by when the term inside the sine function becomes

sin( 'null ) =

2 = kLx Lx

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

Lz = Lx

Rectangular Aperture: Radiation Pattern p( = 2 , )

Lx Lz
x

y
0

k Lx = 4 p( , = 2 )

90

k Lz = 4

180
ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

What Causes the Nulls in the Diffraction Pattern?

y

'null
sin( 'null ) = 2 = kLx Lx

x slit

Lx

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

Nulls in the Diffraction Pattern: Interference in Diffraction

For the first null in the direction one must have waves coming from one half of the slit interfere destructively with the waves coming from the other half of the slit: Can you guess what kind of interference is responsible for the second null? The third null? ..

L k x sin( ') = 2 2 sin( ') = = kLx Lx

'
Lx sin( ') 2
x slit

Lx

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

Rectangular Aperture: Far-Field Intensity

Intensity on a plane perpendicular to the y-axis is plotted

Lz = Lx

Lx Lz
x E

2 2 v r 1 k Ea sin(k x Lx 2 ) sin(k z Lz 2 ) sin2 ( ) (Lx Lz ) Sff (r , t ) = r 2o 2 r k x Lx 2 k z Lz 2

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

Rectangular Aperture: Far-Field Intensity

Intensity on a plane perpendicular to the y-axis is plotted The lobes are wider in the direction in which the aperture dimension is smaller

Lz = 3 Lx Lx
H

Lz
x E

2 2 v r 1 k Ea sin(k x Lx 2 ) sin(k z Lz 2 ) sin2 ( ) (Lx Lz ) Sff (r , t ) = r 2o 2 r k x Lx 2 k z Lz 2

sin( 'null ) =

2 = kLz Lz

sin( 'null ) =

2 = kLx Lx

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

10

Rectangular Aperture: Total Radiated Power

2 2 v r 1 k Ea sin(k x Lx 2 ) sin(k z Lz 2 ) Sff (r , t ) = r sin2 ( ) (Lx Lz ) 2o 2 r k x Lx 2 k z Lz 2

k x = k sin( ) cos( ) k z = k cos( )

z

Total power radiated: Calculate right at the aperture

Lx Lz
x E

r r r 2 sin( ) d d Prad = Sff (r , t ) . r

00

1 2o

Ea

Lx Lz

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

Aperture Antennas: Gain and Effective Area

Gain: G ( , ) = rad

v r Sff (r , t ) . r Prad 4 r 2 sin(k x Lx 2 ) sin(k z Lz 2 ) k z Lz 2 k x Lx 2

2

2 4 = 2 A( , )

rad Lx Lz sin2 ( )

Effective Area: A( , ) = rad Lx Lz sin2 ( )

sin(k x Lx 2 ) sin(k z Lz 2 ) k z Lz 2 k x Lx 2

Maximum Effective Area: A( , ) = A = max = rad

, = 2 2 Lx Lz = rad {aperture area}

Maximum possible effective area of any aperture antenna (of any shape) is equal to its actual physical area

ECE 303 Fall 2005 Farhan Rana Cornell University

11