An aperture-matched horn design

A novel horn design is presented which provides significantly better performance in terms of the pattern, impedance, and frequency characteristics than normally obtainable. The modification necessary to accomplish these improvements is achieved with a moderate increase in the size and weight; yet, the overall cost of design and construction need not significantly increase. The basic concept utilizes an ordinary horn except that curved surface sections are attached to the outside of the aperture edges. Although all of the original studies associated with this new antenna were made using elliptic cylinder sections, they can be arbitrary smooth convex shapes which are attached to the horn such that the junction forms a smooth surface to the touch.