Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Institute of Technology
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Antenna Characteristics
Radiation Pattern
An antenna radiation pattern or antenna pattern is defined as “a
mathematical function or a graphical representation of the radiation
properties of the antenna as a function of space coordinates.
Inmost cases, the radiation pattern is determined in the farfield region
and is represented as a function of the directional coordinates.
Radiation properties include power flux density, radiation intensity, field
Cont……
The radiation property of most concern is the two- or three
dimensional spatial distribution of radiated energy as a function of the
observer’s position along a path or surface of constant radius.
A convenient set of coordinates is shown in Figure1. A trace of the
received electric (magnetic) field at a constant radius is called the
amplitude field pattern.
On the other hand, a graph of the spatial variation of the power density
along a constant radius is called an amplitude power pattern
Cont…….
Often the field and power patterns are normalized with respect to their
maximum value, yielding normalized field and power patterns.
Also, the power pattern is usually plotted on a logarithmic scale or
more commonly in decibels (dB). This scale is usually desirable
because a logarithmic scale can accentuate in more details those parts
of the pattern that have very low values, which later we will refer to as
minor lobes.
Cont…….
For an antenna, the
To find the points where the pattern achieves its half-power (−3 dB
points), relative to the maximum value of the pattern, you set the value of
the
Field pattern at 0.707 value of its maximum, as shown in Figure 2(a)
Power pattern (in a linear scale) at its 0.5 value of its maximum, as
shown in Figure 2 (b)
Power pattern (in dB) at −3 dB value of its maximum, as shown in
Figure 2 (c).
Cont……..
(a) Field pattern (in linear scale) (b) Power pattern (in linear scale)
Cont……..
𝑾=𝑬×H
For time-varying fields, the time average power density (average Poynting
vector);
The average power radiated by an antenna (radiated power) can be written as
RADIATION INTENSITY
Radiation intensity in a given direction is defined as ” the power radiated from
an antenna per unit solid angle”.
The radiation intensity is a far-field parameter, and it can be obtained by
simply multiplying the radiation density by the square of the distance. It is
given by;
Where ; 𝑈 = radiation intensity, (W/unit solid angle)
For an isotropic source, 𝑈 will be independent of the angles 𝜃 and 𝜙. Thus can
be written as,
The radiation intensity of an isotropic source as;
Directivity
Directive of an antenna is defined as “the ratio of the radiation intensity in a
given direction from the antenna to the radiation intensity averaged over all
directions”.
The average radiation intensity is equal to the total power radiated divided by 4𝜋.
In mathematical form ;
If the direction is not specified, it implies the direction of maximum radiation
intensity (maximum directivity, 𝐷0,) expressed as;
Cont…..
Directivity (maximum directivity, 𝐷0,) : It is defined as the ratio of the
maximum radiation intensity to the average radiation intensity.
Gain of antenna
Gain of an antenna is defined as “the ratio of the radiation intensity, in a given
direction, to the radiation intensity that would be obtained if the power accepted
by the antenna were radiated isotropically.
In most cases we deal with relative gain, which is defined as “ the ratio of the
power gain in a given direction to the power gain of a reference antenna in its
referenced direction.” The power input must be the same for both antennas.
The reference antenna is usually a dipole, horn or any other antenna whose gain
can be calculated or it is known. However, the reference antenna is a lossless
isotropic source. Thus,
Cont……
The total power radiated, 𝑃𝑟𝑎𝑑, by the antenna is related to the input power,
𝑃𝑖𝑛, by;
The gain (𝐺) of an antenna is an actual or realized quantity which is less than
the directivity (𝐷) due to ohmic losses in the antenna or its radome (if it is
enclosed). The maximum value of the gain is related to maximum directivity;
Cont……
ANTENNA EFFICIENCY
Thank you