HORN ANTENNAS

a) H-Plane Sectoral Horn b) E-Plane Sectoral Horn

c) Pyramidal Horn
 H-PLANE SECTORAL HORN
TOP VIEW

 2 
lH2=R12+
 , αH=tan-1

2 21 Phase Error:

TE10 mode in waveguide: δ =
* x2
21
πx
Ey = E0* cos
e-jβgz   2
*

 δ max =

21 2
Ey A2
, Za = [η*[1-
 ]
2 -1/2
Hx=-
Za 2
= 2 π*

8 λ 1

=2 πt
 H-PLANE SECTORAL HORN
Aperture Phase Variation:
= e-jβ(R-R1) in x –direction
= constant in y-direction
x
R= (R12 + x2) ≈ R1[1+0.5
 ]
2
1
x2
R-R1 ≈ 0.5*

1

Aperture Field Distribution:

πx
Eay = E0cos
e-j(β/2R1)x2


Phase Error:

δ=
* x2
21
  2
δ max=
*

21 2
A2
= (2 π/λ) *
 = 2 πt
8 λ1
A2 1  2 1
t=
=
∗
 *
8 λ1 8 R1/λ
DIRECTIVITY CURVES H-PLANE SECTORAL HORN

Optimum Gain
R1 6 10 20 100
A 4.24 5.48 7.75 17.32
A = √3 ∗ λ ∗ R1
A2
topt =
 | A2= (3* λ*R1)
8 λ
1
3
=
8

δmax = 2 πt
3
= 2 π*

8
3π
=
 = 135°
4
UNIVERSAL RADIATION PATTERN H-PLANE SECTORAL HORN

Relative Pattern (dB)

 E-PLANE SECTORAL HORN

SIDE VIEW

B = √3 ∗ λ ∗ R2 Electric Field Distribution:

B2
2
πx
e
-j(β/2R )y
sopt = Eay = E0* cos
2
8 λ2 

1 
δ =
* y
2
=
4 22
B2
δ max = 2 πsopt δmax = 2 π*

8 λ2
π
= B2
2 s=
8 λ2
= 90° 1  2 1
=
∗
 *
8 R 2/λ
DIRECTIVITY CURVES E-PLANE SECTORAL HORN

Optimum Directivity
R2 6 10 20 100
B 3.46 4.47 6.32 14.14
B= √2 ∗ λ ∗ R2
B2
sopt = 8 λ
2
1
= 4

δ max= 2 πsopt
π
=
2

= 90°
UNIVERSAL RADIATION PATTERN E-PLANE SECTORAL HORN

Relative Pattern (dB)

 PYRAMIDAL HORN

TOP VIEW SIDE VIEW

RE = RH
x2 y2
πx e-jβ/2*
 +  
Eay = E0* cos
  1 2

π λ λ
DP = 32 *
 DE *
 DH
 PYRAMIDAL HORN
A= √3 ∗ λ ∗ R1 = √3 ∗ λ ∗ lH ---
l
B= √2 ∗ λ ∗ R2 = √2 ∗ λ ∗ lE --- 2
4π
Gain G= εap *
2*Ap ; (Aeff=0.5Ap)

4π 2π
=0.5*
2*AB =
2 ∗ AB --- 3

For physical Realization of Horn:

RE=RH

(B-b) * #
E  2 ∗ −0.25 = (A-a) * #
E  2 ∗ −0.25 ---

l l
 
4

From l and 4

b 2 G 1 a G2 1
[(2σ) - ] * (2 σ-1)=[ ) ∗ √σ − λ , *
18π 2 − 1---
2

2 √2 ∗π σ 5

σ = lE/λ
Solve equation 5 iteratively
First Trial σ1= G/(2 *√ 6 *π) Find σ
6 2 A2
lE = σλ , B = √2 ∗ λ ∗ lE , A = 2πB , lH = 3
PRINCIPAL PLANE PATTERN FOR THE OPTIMUM HORN
ANTENNA
Optimum Dimensions vs Directivity

Dimensions of rectangular(pyramidal)horns( in wavelengths) versus

directivity(at gain, if no loss). Thus, noting the dashed lines a gain
The factor(1+cosθ)/2 is of 19 dBi requires a horn length L1=4.25, an H-plane aperture
included. HPE-12.0° aHλ=3.7 and an E-plane aperture aEλ=2.9. These are inside
dimensions. It is assumed that δ (E plane) =0.25λ and δ (H-
AND HPH=13.6° plane)=0.4 λ making the dimensions close to optimum. It is also
assumed that εap=0.6.
 CONICAL HORN ANTENNA

Optimum Dimensions vs Directivity

AMPLITUDE RELATIVE TO UNITY ON AXIS

OPTIMUM HORN

Dimensions of the conical horns (in

ANGLE IN DEGREES MEASURED FROM AXIS
wavelengths) versus directivity (at gain, if
no loss). Thus, noting the dashed lines a
gain of 20 dBi requires a horn length Lλ=
6.0 and Diameter D λ= 4.3. These inside
dimensions are close to optimum.
CALCULATED GAIN OF A CONICAL HORN AS A FUNCTION OF
APERTURE DIAMETER WITH AXIAL LENGTH AS PARAMETER

D
θ=tan-1

2/
D2
S=
=Spherical phase Error
8 /

= 0.30 to 0.375 for optimum gain

ABSOLUTE GAIN, dB

Gain (dB) =7.0 +20.6 Log(D/λ)

OPTIMUM HORN LINE

(MAXIMUM GAIN FOR
FIXED LENGTH L)

DIAMETER OF HORN APERTURE/λ

 CONICAL CORRUGATED HORN

2a 2a’

Small-flare-angle corrugated horn at left; Wide flare scalar horn

corrugations extended into flange at right
 CORRUGATED SURFACE

4
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
0
θf Z (cm)
Corrugated surface Z -4

Js(B)Js(A) in dB
-8

-12 d=0.375λ0
w W+t
-16 N/λ0=8
d=0.25λ0
nonorrugated surface N/λ0=4

Geometry of corrugated and plane surfaces 4

4
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
0
d=0.50λ0
-4
Js(B)Js(A) in dB

-4 Js(B)Js(A) in dB
d=0.50λ0 w/(w+t)=0.5
-8
-8 0.6
0.7
d=0.375λ0
-12 -12 0.5
d=0.3125λ0 0.5
0.6
d=0.25λ0 0.7
-16 d=0.25λ0 0.8
d=0.375λ0 0.9

Surface current decays on corrugated surfaces

 BROADBAND HORN

a) Sketch of short axial length horn b) VSWR and gain (1-12 GHz horn)

Internal Axial Diameters b) VSWR and gain (0.2-2 GHz horn)

Dimension 1-12 GHz 0.2-2 GHz
Horn Horn
A 0.325 1.625
B 1 5
C 6 30