Receiving Properties of Antennas

Open-circuit voltage of short dipole antennas

For d << , quasistatic limit
Note that equipotentials (a) and (b) intercept the dipole at the
midpoints for rwire 0, and are perpendicular.
-

z
-

deff

+ +
(a)

vo.c.
+
(b)

plane
wave

+
-

E
+
+ +
-

v o.c. = E z deff = E sin deff

open circuit

+
+

equivalent charges
at infinity
L1

Equivalent circuit for short dipole antennas

-jX

+
v Th
2

Rr

jX =

1
here
jCeq

Rr

+
v Th = v o.c. = E sin deff
matched load for
maximum power received

antenna Thevenin
equivalent

L2

Available power from a short dipole antenna

V Th
Prec =

2Rr =

2 2
E deff

8Rr

deff = deff ,
r
t
sin2

2 3 2
sin
=

2o 4 2
E

S(Wm-2)
incident

thin wire,
short - dipole limit
-jX

jX
Rr

Rr
-

A e (, ) =
G(, )
4
effective
area (m2)

short
dipole

vTh

Rr = (2o 3 )(deff )2
V Th = Edeff sin

L3

Proof that A = G2/4 for all reciprocal antennas

I2

+
I1

v1 -

N-port

v2
V = ZI , where Z S

I
-+ n

Impedance matrix for imbedded N-port

vn

If reciprocity applies : Z = Z , S = S (scattering matrix)

(Reference: Electromagnetic Waves, Staelin, Morgenthaler, and Kong, p. 459)

Reciprocity applies if u = u , = , =
[Excludes ferrites, magnetized plasmas, etc.]
(Reference: Op. Cit., p.454)
L4

Proof that A = G2/4 for all reciprocal antennas

2

V1 -

1
antenna

(,)

I1 +
Rr

+
-

A1,G1

I1

A2,G2
I2
V2

Z=Z

+
V Th = Z12I2
1
-

Z21I1 = V Th
2

+
-

I2

Rr

Power received by antennas 1 and 2:

Pr = Z12 I2
1

Pr = Z 21I1
2

8Rr = Pt
1
2
8Rr = Pt
2
1

G2
2

A1

A2

4r
G1
4r

L5

Proof that A = G2/4 for all reciprocal antennas

Power received by antennas 1 and 2:
G2
2
Pr = Z12 I2 8Rr = Pt
A1
2
1
1
2 4 r
G1
2
A2
Pr = Z 21I1 8Rr = Pt
2
2
2
1 4 r
G1A 2Pt
A1 A 2 Pt1 Pr1
1
Thus Pr Pr =
Therefore
=

2
1
G2 A1Pt
G1 G2 Pt Pr
2
2
2
But

Pr

Pr

A1
Therefore
=
G1

Z12 I2 Rr
2
2

Z 21I1 Rr
1

Pt

Pt

if Z12 = Z 21

A 2 2
t
t
for
all
antennas
if

=
=
G2 4
L6

Example: Aeff for short dipole

2

2 32 ~
= f (deff )

A =G
4 8 3
3/2

/3

max
if matched

/3

e.g. = 300 m @ 1 MHz, yet d 1 m on car

e.g. cell phone @ 900 MHz 30 cm, d 15 cm
Note: Aeff can be much larger than physical antenna when
the load is roughly impedance matched, but this match
may provide excessively narrow bandwidth 1 Rr Ceq
Rr
Ceq
+

VTh

L7

Multi-conductor wire antennas

Short dipoles scatter.

How much?

Rr

d <<
2

Short ~
VT
circuit

Short
circuit

N1

Multi-conductor wire antennas

Rr
+

d <<
2

Short ~
VT
circuit

Short
circuit

Recall:

E 2 d2

2
eff sin2
Prec = V Th 8Rr Sinc A matched =

8Rr

2
2
Pscat = V Th 2Rr Sinc A scat
Sinc = E 2o Wm 2

Therefore A scat 4 A matched 32 2 (for short dipoles )

~0.7

d <<

Ascat

~0.7
N2

Scattering from a half-wave dipole

Rr 73, G 1.64, X 0 because We Wm
Most EM energy (WT = We + Wm 2Wm) is stored
within a few wire radii
2
o WT
Resonance Q =
= 10
Pd
where o = 2c , Pd Pr
Sinc

Orbiting /2 needles
for passive satellite
communications link
(artificial ionosphere)

N3

Scattering from parasitic antenna elements

image current

/2
~
/4

/2

~/2, resonant

/4
/4
z

/4

reflector

radiator

pattern

N4

Phase control in isolated wires

i(t)
+

V = IZ = I(R + Ls + 1 Cs ) = I Z e j z

f Hz
s = j here

o = 1 LC

Z R + jXo ( o ) for o

z
/2

~100

o
Q=

-/2

Control phase in wire by:

reducing o 0 < < 90 (lengthen wire)
increasing o -90 < < 0 (shortening wire)
Increase Q and / by increasing WT (thinning the wire)
N5

Directivity of parasitic wire antennas

I1

I2
short circuit /4 away, so I2 I1 and radiated fields cancel

/2

<< /2
open circuit

Reflectors:
PB
back

I1

PF (forward power)
I2 = I1

~reality

I2

forward
PF Wm 2

0 /4 /2

reflector is parasitic resonant dipole

/2 long (note: reflects at all D)

D
PB (D = 4 ) 0

Directors:
I1
I1
PB

d
D

If d /2, then 0
If D, PB 0 and PF 0, then parasitic element is director
PF
N6

Multiple parasitic wires, Yagi antenna

Choice of di, Di, (i = 1, N) originally was an art. Now
computers can optimize chosen specifications (e.g.
bandwidth, reactance, directivity)
driven element /2
i=N
di

Di
main beam
directors
(length < /2)
reflectors
(length > /2)

pattern

P1

Half-wave folded dipole antenna

IA

Io

IB
Zin for 4

+
-

Therefore ITEM 0 at all z,

and IA IB

TEM parallel-wire line

Equivalent to:
D0

I(z )
+
V (z )

TEM line
I(z )
0

/2

V (z )
z

Pt = Io2Rro 2 (single dipole )

Pt = (2Io )2 Rro 2 = 2Io2Rr (folded dipole )

Io
IB
IB IA

Therefore Rr = 4Rro 300

IA

Half-wave folded dipole

Half - wave dipole Rro 73

P2

Half-wave folded dipole antenna

Cross-section of TEM twin lead line:
TEM mode
Common mode
5o (say )
(E sees less )
E

Cu wire

c TEM < c common mode and v 1 , so common > TEM

Therefore
/2 for common mode
to radiate

/2 for TEM mode

to force IA = IB

P3

A Balun couples balanced to unbalanced systems

e.g., this is okay

Suppose we want:

mirror
solder joint

mirror
C

Io
coax

/4

Solution:

/4

But current will flow down the

outside of C instead of into B

mirror
D

A
B

Conductors C and D form /4 TEM line shorted at the mirror,

yielding an open circuit at coax end, forcing current into B
P4

Helical antenna
L

e.g.
coax

D=2R
d
mirror
center conductor

If L >> D, standing wave at end is

small because of radiation losses.
Assume ~ TEM propagation

Waves add in phase in

the forward direction if

(2r )2 + d2 d = n

(If r = d, d = n

one 360
turn of wire

hypotenuse

42 + 1 1

2 r
circumference

d
P5

Helical antenna
L

e.g.
coax

D=2R
d
mirror
center conductor

f-Hz dipole
rotation

I(t)
+ +

+
-

I(t)

I(t)
I( t )

Long helices have weaker standing waves (less current at end)

P6

Log-periodic antennas
resonant at fo
active part of antenna at fo(d /2)
(moves with frequency)
fo input
long elements
not excited,
due to
radiation
losses

Too short to matter, has

a reactive effect.
Pattern, impedance
f(f) (approximately)

Log spiral, radiates

circular polarization

B
P7