Module 7 : Antenna

Lecture 48 : Hertz Dipole Antenna

Objectives
In this course you will learn the following
Hertz Dipole
Magnetic vector potential due to Hertz dipole
Fields due to Hertz Dipole
Electrostatic Induction and Radiation fields
Near and Far-fields
Power radiated by the Hertz Dipole
Radiation resistance of the Hertz Dipole

Module 7 : Antenna
Lecture 48 : Hertz Dipole Antenna

Hertz Diople Antenna

An infinitesimal element excited with an alternating current is called the Hertz dipole. In practice a linear antenna can be
approximated by a Hertz dipole if the linear antenna is of size much smaller the wavelength.
The analysis of Hertz dipole is important as any complicated radiating structure can be decomposed into Hertz dipoles.A
Hertz dipole is shown in Fig.

The Hertz dipole is oriented along the z-axis, has length

and current

Since the Hertz dipole is small the vector potential at point P is almost same as the Green's function multiplied by the
volume integral of the current density.

Module 7 : Antenna
Lecture 48 : Hertz Dipole Antenna

Vector potential due to the Hertz dipole

The vector potential due to the Hertz dipole is therefore given as

Note that the magnetic vector potential is in the z-direction and it has same direction every where in the space.
Since the coordinate system used for the antenna analysis is spherical, the components of the magnetic vector potential in
spherical coordinates are

Fields due to the Hertz Dipole

The vector magnetic field is

The magnetic field components can be obtained as

The Hertz component has only

-component. That is, the magnetic field loops around the z-axis.

Substituting for H in the source-free Maxwell's curl equation the electric field can be obtained as

The

-component of the electric field is zero.

Module 7 : Antenna
Lecture 48 : Hertz Dipole Antenna

Types of Fields
For the Hertz dipole, the magnetic field has only
-component. The electric field lies in the

-component and the electric field does not have the

plane.

The fields can be divided into three categories depending upon their variation as a function of distance.
The field which varies as

, is called the electrostatic field. This field is dominant in the close

vicinity of the dipole since its amplitude decreases rapidly as function of distance.
The field which varies as

, is called the induction field . This field extends little further than the

electrostatic field but still decays rapidly as a function of distance.

The field which varies a

is called the radiation field . This is the field which extends over farthest

distance from the antenna and is responsible for the radiation of power from the antenna.
The electrostatic field is inversely proportional to the frequency. As the frequency of the current
approaches zero, this field diverges to infinity. This field is essentially due to the accumulation of charges
on the tip of the antenna. When the current flows in the dipole, the opposite charges get accumulated on
the tips of the antenna giving a dipole. With the reversal of the current (every half cycle) dipole reverses
its polarity giving an oscillating dipole. The electrostatic field is due to this oscillating dipole. As the
frequency decreases, the accumulated charge for a given current increases and therefore the
electrostatic field increases.
The Induction field is independent of frequency. This field has same behavior as the magnetic field
obtained from the Biot-Savart law, and hence the name given to the field.
The radiation field is proportional to the frequency. This field is therefore practically absent at low
frequencies. This field is essentially a high frequency phenomenon.
The electrostatic and the induction fields together are called the Near Fields, and the radiation fields are
called the Far Fields.
The three field become equal in magnitude at a distance of
distance within

is called the near-field zone and the distance

as shown in Fig. The

is called the far-field zone.

Module 7 : Antenna
Lecture 48 : Hertz Dipole Antenna

Near Field
The electric field for the dipole is given as (only

terms)

The total near field is given as

The Near field is minimum in the direction

and maximum in the directions

. However, along no

direction the near field is zero.

The near field essentially stores the electromagnetic energy around the dipole but does not contribute to the power flow
from the antenna.
Far Field
In the far field region only fields are the radiation fields.
The far field components of the electric and magnetic fields are given as

(1)

Important things to note about the far field (radiation field ) are,
The electric and magnetic fields are in time phase and they are in phase quadrature with the current. That is, these fields
are proportional to the rate of change of current or acceleration of charges.

(2)

The ratio of the electric and magnetic field at every point in space is equal to the intrinsic impedance of the medium.

(3)

The wave travels in the r-direction, the electric field is in the

-direction and the magnetic field is the

-direction. That is,

they are perpendicular to each other. These fields therefore represent transverse electromagnetic wave albeit spherical in

nature. (See Fig.)

(4)

The fields are not uniform in all directions. The field strength is maximum along
The Hertz dipole hence does not have any radiation along its axis.

, and zero along

Module 7 : Antenna
Lecture 48 : Hertz Dipole Antenna

Power Radiated by the Hertz dipole

The power flow density in the space can be obtained by the Poynting vector.
The average Poynting vector is given by

The filed which contribute to the power flow are essentially the radiation fields. The average Poynting vector therefore is

The total power radiated by the antenna can be calculated by integrating the Poynting vector over a sphere of any radius
enclosing the antenna. The total power radiated by the antenna is

After substituting for

and doing some manipulations, and noting that the intrinsic impedance of the medium =

, we get the total radiated power as

The total radiated power of the Hertz dipole is proportional to the square of the normalized length (normalized with respect
to the wavelength) of the dipole.
Longer the length more will be the radiated power for a given excitation current. Note however, that for increasing the
radiated power, the length can not be increased arbitrarily. For the Hertz dipole we should have
.
Radiation Resistance
If the Hertz dipole is seen from its terminal, it appears like a resistance which consumes power. This resistance is directly
related to the power radiated by the dipole.
A hypothetical resistance which will absorb same power as that radiated by the Hertz dipole when excited with the same
peak current

, is called the Radiation Resistance of the antenna.

The radiation resistance of the Hertz dipole is

For a Hertz dipole of length

, the radiation resistance is about 8 ohms.

Module 7 : Antenna
Lecture 48 : Hertz Dipole Antenna

Recap
In this course you have learnt the following
Hertz Dipole
Magnetic vector potential due to Hertz dipole
Fields due to Hertz Dipole
Electrostatic Induction and Radiation fields
Near and Far-fields
Power radiated by the Hertz Dipole
Radiation resistance of the Hertz Dipole