ECE 541 Antennas and Arrays
3 Credit Hours
This course introduces theoretical and practical concepts for antennas and arrays. Students will learn antenna fundamentals and basic parameters, the relationships between radiation and vector potentials, and apply key electromagnetic theorems such as image theory and equivalence principle. The theory and design of linear antennas, aperture antennas, microstrip antennas are discussed. Radiation pattern control via phased arrays, reflectarrays, and periodic structures are studied. Students will learn CAD tools for electromagnetic design.
Prerequisite
ECE 422 or equivalent. Graduate level electromagnetics, e.g. ECE 540, is helpful but not required. This course assumes some familiarity with Maxwell’s equations, electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic theorems, transmission line theory.
Course Objectives
Student will learn to:
- Explain fundamental antenna concepts: radiation pattern, directivity, gain, beamwidth, polarization, resonance, efficiency, far field, principal planes, and input impedance.
- Calculate link budgets for various antenna systems in point to point links.
- Express and apply the relationship between currents and far field radiation.
- Identify and discuss the fundamental tradeoffs between antenna size, bandwidth, and efficiency.
- Design dipole antennas, microstrip patch antennas, and horn antennas.
- Create and analyze equivalent radiation problems using surface equivalence principle.
- Select an antenna design based on application requirements.
- Calculate the array factor, directivity, sidelobe level, null and grating lobe locations of a uniform linear array.
- Calculate the phase shift required to steer an array pattern to a desired angle.
- Design an array amplitude taper to create an array with specified sidelobe level.
- Understand and explain various impairments possible in phased array design.
- Calculate the current distributions needed to synthesize an arbitrary antenna radiation pattern.
- Explain and plan antenna measurements.
- Simulate and analyze antennas and arrays using Ansys HFSS software.
Course Requirements
| Homework | 20% |
| CAD projects | 20% |
| Midterm | 20% |
| Final Project | 20% |
| Final Exam | 20% |
Course Outline
- Brief Review – fields, waves, energy, and propagation
- Radiation and antenna properties
- Linear wire antennas
- Electromagnetic CAD tools and the design process
- Miniaturization of antennas, fundamental limits
- Equivalence principle
- Aperture antennas
- Microstrip antennas
- Array theory
- Phased arrays and beamsteering
- Aperture synthesis
- Reflector antennas, reflectarrays
- Frequency independent antennas
- Antenna measurements
Textbook
Antenna Theory: Analysis and Design by C.A. Balanis (Wiley), 4th Ed.
Software Requirements
Matlab, Ansys HFSS (available free for students).
Updated: 10/18/2024