Reflectors

Reflectors
The antennas and arrays described in the preceding section can often be
used with reflecting surfaces to improve their performance. A reflector
may consist of one or more planes, or it may be parabolic in shape. In
order to reduce wind and snow loads, reflectors are often constructed of
mesh or closely-spaced rods. As long as the spacing is small compared
with a wavelength, the effect on the antenna pattern, compared with a
solid reflector, is negligible.
Plane and Corner Reflectors
A plane reflector acts in a similar way to an ordinary mirror. Like a mirror, its effects
can be predicted by supposing that there is an “image” of the antenna on the opposite
side of the reflecting surface at the same distance from it as the source. Reflection
changes the phase angle of a signal by 180°. Whether the image antenna’s signal aids
or opposes the signal from the real antenna depends on the spacing between the
antenna and the reflector and on the location of the receiver. In Figure 8.27 the antenna
is one-quarter wavelength from the reflector, and the signals aid in the direction
shown. The reflected signal experiences a 180° phase shift on reflection and another
180° shift because it must travel an additional one-half wavelength to reach the
receiver. The magnitude of the electric field in the direction shown is thus increased by
a factor of two. The power density in this direction is increased by a factor of four, or
6 dB, because power is proportional to the square of voltage.
It is possible to use a plane reflector with
almost any antenna. For example, a
reflector can be placed behind a collinear
antenna, as shown in Figure 8.28. The
antenna becomes directional in both the
horizontal and vertical planes. Base
antennas for cellular radio systems are
often of this type. The corner reflector
creates two images, as shown in Figure
8.29, for a somewhat sharper pattern.
Corner reflectors are often combined
with Yagi arrays in UHF television
antennas.
 Parabolic Reflector
Parabolic reflectors have the useful property that
any ray originating at a point called the focus and
striking the reflecting surface will be reflected
parallel to the axis of the parabola. That is, a
collimated beam of radiation will be produced.
The parabolic dish antenna, familiar from
backyard satellite receiver installations, consists
of a small antenna at the focus of a large
parabolic reflector, which focuses the signal in
the same way as the reflector of a searchlight
focuses a light beam. Figure 8.30 shows a typical
example. Of course the antenna is reciprocal:
radiation entering the dish along its axis will be
focused by the reflector.
Ideally the antenna at the feedpoint should illuminate the entire surface of
the dish with the same intensity of radiation and should not “spill” any
radiation off the edges of the dish or in other directions. If that were the
case, the gain and beamwidth of the antenna could easily be calculated.
The equation for beamwidth is
θ (8.18)
Where

θ = beamwidth in degrees at the 3 dB points

λ = free-space wavelength in m

D = diameter of the dish in m

The radiation pattern for a typical parabolic
antenna is shown in Figure 8.31. The width of
the beam measured between the first nulls is
approximately twice the 3 dB beamwidth. For
gain, the equation is

G (8.19)

where
G = gain with respect to an isotropic antenna, as a power ratio (not in The effect of uneven illumination of the antenna,
dB) of losses, or of any radiation from the feed
D = diameter of the dish in m
antenna spilling off at the edges, is to reduce the
λ = the free-space wavelength in m
η = the antenna efficiency efficiency, and therefore, the gain. To include
these effects in gain calculations, it is necessary
to include a constant η, the efficiency of the
antenna. η for a typical antenna is between 0.5
and 0.7.
Example:

A parabolic antenna has a diameter of 3 m, an efficiency of 60%, and operates at a frequency of 4 ghz.
Calculate its gain and beamwidth.

Solution:
The free-space wavelength is

λ= The gain is given by Equation (8.19):

= G
= 0.075 m G
Substituting this into Equation (8.18), = 9475
θ
=39.8 dBi
=

= 1.75°
Any type of antenna can be used with a parabolic reflector. In the FIGURE 8.32 Parabolic antenna variations
microwave portion of the spectrum, where parabolic reflectors are (Courtesy of Andrew Corporation)
most useful because they can have a practical size, a horn antenna
provides a simple and efficient method to feed power to the antenna.
Besides the simple horn feed shown in Figure 8.30, there are several
ways to get power to the parabolic reflector. For example, the
Gregorian feed shown in Figure 8.32(a) uses a feed horn in the center
of the dish itself, which radiates to a reflector at the focus of the
antenna. This reflects the signal to the main parabolic reflector. By
removing the feedhorn from the focus, this system allows any
waveguide or electronics associated with the feedpoint to be placed
in a more convenient location. The strange-looking antenna shown in
Figure 8.32(b) is a combination of horn and parabolic antennas called
a hog-horn; it is often used for terrestrial microwave links.