ANALYSIS OF PYRAMIDAL HORN ANTENNAS USING MOMENT METHODS

A hybrid numerical technique is developed for electrically large pyram idal horn antennas radiating in free space. A stepped-waveguide method is used to analyze the interior surfaces of the horn transition. The electric field integral equation (EFIE) is employed on the outer surfa ces of the pyramidal horn including the radiating aperture. Meanwhile, the magnetic field integral equation (MFIE) is used on the aperture t o relate the aperture fields and those in the horn transition. The res ultant hybrid field integral equation (HFIE) is solved numerically by the method of moments. This formulation is both accurate and numerical ly stable so that high-gain microwave pyramidal horns can be analyzed rigorously. Far-field radiation patterns, both computed and measured, are presented for three electrically-large X-band horn antennas. The c omparisons demonstrate that this method is accurate enough to predict the fine pattern structure at wide angles and in the back region. Comp uted far-field patterns and aperture field distributions of two smalle r X-band horns are also presented along with a discussion on the valid ity of the approximate aperture field distributions routinely used in the analysis and design of pyramidal horns.