Fields in the image space of symmetrical focusing reflectors

The fields scattered by circular symmetric reflector illuminated by a linearly polarised wave incident normally on the aperture are calculated from the induced surface currents. It is shown that the fields in the axial region can be represented by a spectrum of near-spherical hybrid waves propagating along the axis. For large microwave focusing reflectors, the wavefronts are effectively plane in the significant part of the image space. The axial wave fields are linear combinations of the TEln and TMln fields appropriate for circular metal pipes, but can be bounded only by anisotropic-reactance surfaces. Axial-wave theory is used to investigate the characteristics of the fields in the focal region of a paraboloidal reflector, when the incident wave is uniform and plane. For radiotelescope focal ratios, the image structure differs significantly from the classical Airy pattern, deduced by scalar analysis, of optical focusing systems. Energy vortexes circulating about the dark rings influence the efficiency obtainable from aperture-type feeds in the focal plane. Application of axial-wave analysis to spherical reflectors, and the synthesis of high-efficiency low-noise feeds, using hybrid-waves in corrugated guides, are described briefly.