People > Dr Yang Hao

Monolithic Millimeter-Submillimeter Wave Active Conical Horn Antenna Arrays

EPSRC Research Grant, GR/R16945/01(P), Starts: 03/05/01, Ends: 02/05/2004, Value: £66,950

Background/International Context:


This project was funded to Dr Hao by EPSRC under the fast stream scheme in May 2001. The main objective was to characterise and implement a monolithic active conical horn antenna array for millimetre/submillimetre wave imaging applications. This proposal can be described as having two main aims:

  • To research a fast and accurate electromagnetic algorithm to analyse the proposed conical horn antenna arrays;
  • To design and build a demonstrator of the proposed active conical horn antenna arrays in order to validate the design methodology and simulation.

Imaging arrays can be used as millimetre wave cameras that allow one to see through human clothing for concealed weapon detection, as well as radio astronomy instruments for all weather conditions. For some time now, researches have been very active in California Institution of Technology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and TRW in USA. The work in UK started in late 90s with a project partially funded by ESTEC at Queen Mary, University of London. This fast stream fund has allowed that the innovation is continued in this area. In addition, the project has helped more novel approaches developed on a local distorted nonorthogonal Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) method (pioneered by Dr Hao), to strengthen and expand the UK position in this field.

Key Advances and Supporting Methodology:

  • Late Time Instabilities in the Nonorthogonal FDTD Method and A New ‘Time Sub-griding’ Scheme
  • A Stable Non-orthogonal FDTD Method
  • A Conical Horn Antenna with Hard Surfaces
  • Fast Array Analysis Using a Combination of FDTD and Matrix Manipulation Techniques
    The Active Conical Horn Antenna Array

 

Photographs of the fabricated hard surface conical horn antenna array with its associated slot ring mixers





Individual Grant Review Report (PDF).

References

[1] Rebeiz G.M., Katehi L.P.B., et al. “Integrated Horn Antennas for Millimeter-Wave Applications”, IEEE Antennas and Prop. Magazine, Volume: 34, No. 1, pp. 7-16, Feb. 1992
[2] Y. Hao, C.J. Railton, “Analyzing Electromagnetic Structures With Curved Boundaries on Cartesian FDTD Meshes”, IEEE Trans. on Microwave Theory and Techniques, vol. 46, pp. 82-88, Jan.1998
[3] V. Douvalis, Y. Hao, ‘A Monolithic Active Conical Horn Antenna Arrays for Millimeter and Sub-Millimiter Wave Applications’, the 2004 IEEE AP-S International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation and USNC/URSI National Radio Science Meeting to be held in Monterey, California, USA on June 20-26, 2004.
[4] Y. Qian and T. Itoh, ‘Progress in Active Integrated Antennas and Their Applications’, IEEE Trans. MTT, Vol. 46, No.11, Nov. 1998, pp. 1891-1990.
[5] Rebeiz G.M., et. al. “Monolithic Millimeter-Wave Two-Dimensional Horn Imaging Arrays”, IEEE Transactions on Ant.&Prop., Vol.38, No.9, pp. 1473-1482, Sep, 1990.
[6] Eleftheriades G.V. and Rebeiz G.M, “Design and Analysis of Quasi-Integrated Horn Antennas for Millimeter and Submillimeter-Wave Applications” IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques. , Vol.41, No. 6/7, pp. 954-965, June/July 1993
[7] Uehara K., et al., “Lens-Coupled Imaging arrays for the Millimeter and Submillimeter-Wave Regions” IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques. , Vol.40, No. 5, pp. 806-811, May 1992.
[8] Y. Hao, Chris Railton, 'An efficient and accurate FDTD algorithm for the treatment of curved material boundaries', pp. 382-388, IEE Proceedings, Part H, Vol. 144, No. 5, Oct. 1997.
[9] Y. Hao, V. Douvalis and C. G.Parini, “Reduction of late time instabilities of the finite difference time domain method in curvilinear coordinates”, IEE Proceedings-Science, Measurement and Technology, Vol. 149, No. 5, pp.267-272, Sept. 2002
[10] Y. Hao, Railton CJ. “Efficient determination of Q factor by structured nonorthogonal FDTD method”. Electronics Letters, vol.34, no.19, 17 Sept. 1998, pp.1834-6. Publisher: IEE, UK.
[11] V. Douvalis, Y. Hao and C. G. Parini, ‘A stable non-orthogonal FDTD method’, accepted by Electronics Letters, 2004.
[12] Skobelev S. P., Kildal P.-S., “Analysis of conical quasi-TEM horn with a hard corrugated section,” IEEE Trans. Antennas Propagat., vol. 51, pp. 2723-2731, Oct. 2003.
[13] V. Douvalis, Y. Hao and C. G. Parini, 'Modelling of A Hard Conical Horn Antenna Using Local Distorted Nonorthogonal FDTD Method', the 27th ESA Antenna Technology Workshop on Innovative Periodic Antennas to be held in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, 9-11 March 2004.
[14] C. J. Railton, G. S. Hilton, “The analysis of medium-sized arrays of complex elements using a combination of FDTD and reaction matching,” IEEE Trans. Antennas Propagat., vol. 47, pp. 707-714, April 1999.
[15] V. Douvalis, Y. Hao and C. G. Parini, “Fast Array Analysis Using a Combination of FDTD and Matrix Manipulation Techniques” to be submitted to IEE Proceedings, Part H.
[16] V. Douvalis, Y. Hao and C. G. Parini, “Conical Horn Antenna Array Analysis Using Matrix Manipulation In Conformal FDTD Scheme”, Vol.1, pp.94-97, ICAP 2003, Exeter, UK.
[17]V. Douvalis, Y. Hao and C. G. Parini, “Modeling Conical Horn Antennas Using Local Distorted Nonorthogonal FDTD Method", Vol.1, pp. 67-70, Jina 2002, 12th International Symposium on Antennas. France.

 

For more information on our research, please contact Prof. Y. Hao .