Entry requirements

120 credits including Electromagnetic field theory.

Learning outcomes

On completion of the course, the student shall be able to:

- calculate the fundamental parameters for antennas and the radiation field from an antenna using potential functions

- describe the radiation from isolated, linear wire antennas and from linear elements near or on a conducting surface

- account for circular loop antennas and apply the field equivalence principle to aperture antennas

- account for the most important properties of travelling wave antennas, broadband antennas and microstrip antennas and how to match an antenna to a transmission line

- account for the principles of antenna arrays, and use antenna synthesis in order to design arrays

- account for the basic methods for antenna measurements

Content

Definition of an antenna. The radiation mechanism. Fundamental parameters of antennas. Friis transmission equation and the radar range equation. Radiation integrals and auxiliary potential functions. Duality theorem. Reciprocity and reaction theorems. Linear wire antennas. Infinitesimal dipole, small dipole and half-wavelength dipole. Linear elements near or on infinite plane conductors. Circular loop antennas. Linear, planar and circular arrays. Self- and mutual impedances of linear elements. Antenna synthesis and integral equations. Matching techniques. Travelling wave and broadband antennas. Field equivalence principle. Rectangular and circular aperture antennas. Microstrip antennas. Antenna measurements.

Laboratory work: Numerical calculation of antenna characteristics (one laboration). Measurement of resonance frequencies, impedance and current distribution of a dipole antenna. Measurement of radiation pattern (two laboratory work).

Study visit after the course.

Instruction

Lectures, lessons and laboratory work.

Assessment

Written examination at the end of the course (4 credits). Passed laboratory course is also required (1 credit).

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the disability coordinator of the university.