LENS ANTENNA

as a directional radiator. Horn radiators may be fed by coaxial or other types of lines. Horns are constructed in a variety of shapes, as illustrated in figure 1-8. The shape of the horn, along with the dimensions of the length and mouth, largely determines the beam’s shape. The ratio of the horn’s length to mouth opening size determines the beamwidth and thus the directivity. In general, the larger the opening of the horn, the more directive is the resulting field pattern. FEEDHORNS.—A waveguide horn may be used to feed into a parabolic dish. The directivity of this horn, or feedhorn, is then added to that of the parabolic dish. The resulting pattern (fig. 1-9, view A) is a very narrow and concentrated beam. Such an arrangement is ideally suited for fire control use. In most radars, the feedhorn is covered with a window of polystyrene fiberglass to prevent moisture and dirt from entering the open end of the waveguide. One problem associated with feedhorns is the shadow introduced by the feedhorn if it is in the path of the beam. (The shadow is a dead spot directly in front of the feedhorn.) To solve this problem the feedhorn can be offset from center (fig. 1-9, view B). This takes it out of the path of the RF beam, thus eliminating the shadow. LENS ANTENNA.—Another antenna that can change spherical waves into flat plane waves is the lens antenna. This antenna uses a microwave lens, which is similar to an optical lens to straighten the spherical wavefronts. Since this type of antenna uses a lens to straighten the wavefronts, its design is based on the laws of refraction, rather than reflection. Two types of lenses have been developed to provide a plane-wavefront narrow beam for tracking radars, while avoiding the problems associated with the feedhorn shadow. These are the conducting (acceleration) type and the dielectric (delay) type. The lens of an antenna is substantially transparent to microwave energy that passes through it. It will, however, cause the waves of energy to be either converged or diverged as they exit the lens. Consider the action of the two types of lenses. The conducting type of lens is illustrated in figure 1-10, view A. This type of lens consists of flat metal strips placed parallel to the electric field of the wave and spaced slightly in excess of one-half of a wavelength. To the wave these strips look like parallel waveguides. The velocity of phase propagation of a wave is greater in a waveguide than in air. Thus, since the lens is concave, the outer portions of the transmitted spherical waves are accelerated for a longer interval of time than the inner portion. The 1-9 Figure 1-9.—Reflector with feedhorn. Figure 1-10.—Antenna lenses: A. Conducting (acceleration) type of microwave lens; B. Dielectric (delay) type of microwave lens. Figure 1-8.—Horn radiators.