Installed Antenna and Large Structures

Antennas on platforms, infinite arrays, and infinite ground planes

Installed antenna analysis involves electrically large structures called platforms. These platforms can be a plane, ship, or inside a car on its bumper. Antennas or arrays are installed around these platforms. You can use Antenna Toolbox™ to understand the effects of platform on antenna performance.

Use antenna elements to create infinite arrays, analyze the arrays over the desired range of scan angles, and calculate scan element patterns.

Objects

`platform`	Create platform object for installed antenna setup
`installedAntenna`	Installed antenna setup
`infiniteArray`	Create 2-D custom mesh antenna on X-Y plane

Functions

rcs Calculate and plot radar cross section (RCS) of platform, antenna, or array

Topics

Infinite Arrays

Infinite arrays are rectangular arrays of infinite extent.

Infinite Ground Plane

Antenna Toolbox library element uses the image theory technique to model an infinite ground plane.

Hybrid MoM-PO Method for Metal Antennas with Large Scatterers

Hybrid method of moments (MoM) physical optics (PO) computational technique in Antenna Toolbox allows you to model antennas near large scatterers such as parabolic reflectors.

Model Infinite Ground Plane for Balanced Antennas

This example shows how to model an infinite ground plane and calculate fundamental antenna parameters for balanced antennas.

Model Infinite Ground Plane for Unbalanced Antennas

This example shows how to model an infinite ground plane and calculate fundamental antenna parameters for unbalanced antennas.

Featured Examples

Radar Cross Section Benchmarking

Radar cross section benchmarking example.

Open Script

Infinite Array Analysis

Demonstrates the use of infinite array analysis to model the behavior of a single element - the unit cell embedded in the array[1] - [3]. The array is assumed to be of infinite extent in two dimensions, and located in the XY plane.

Open Live Script

Pattern Analysis of the Symmetric Parabolic Reflector

Investigates the effect of feed position and reflector surface geometry on the far-field radiation pattern of a half-wavelength dipole-fed symmetric parabolic reflector. The symmetric parabolic reflector also commonly referred to as a 'dish' is a simple and widely used high gain antenna. These antennas are commonly used for satellite communications, in both civilian and military applications. The high gain of these antennas is achieved due to the electrical size of the antenna, also referred to as the aperture. The symmetric parabolic reflector has a circular aperture and its electrical size is typically reported in terms of the diameter. Depending on the application the diameter of the reflector could range from 10-30 $\lambda$ (VSAT terminals), or upwards of 100 $\lambda$ (radio astronomy).

Open Script

Modeling Infinite Ground Plane in Antennas and Arrays

Illustrates modeling of antennas and arrays with infinite ground plane. The main advantage of modeling the ground plane as infinite is that the ground plane is not meshed. This helps in speeding up the solution. The structure is modelled using the method of images. Several antenna elements in Antenna Toolbox™ have a ground plane as part of the structure. For other elements, the ground plane can be introduced by placing them in front of a reflector.

Open Live Script

Installed Antenna Analysis - Modelling Antennas with Platforms

The example models an antenna element in presence of a large platform. The antenna is modelled accurately using the Method of Moments (MoM) while the effect of the electrically large platform is considered using physical optics (PO).

Open Script

Metasurface Antenna Modeling

Metasurface antenna is a new concept in surface antennas, which take the advantage of periodic boundary of each radiation unit cells to group radiation unit in a more compact space. This example presents the design, modeling and analysis of metasurface antenna in Antenna Toolbox. We present the work in [1].

Open Script