Title :
Optimization of Reduced-Size Smooth-Walled Conical Horns Using BoR-FDTD and Genetic Algorithm
Author :
Rolland, Anthony ; Ettorre, Mauro ; Drissi, M. Hamed ; Le Coq, Laurent ; Sauleau, Ronan
Author_Institution :
Inst. of Electron. & Telecommun. of Rennes (IETR), Univ. of Rennes 1, Rennes, France
Abstract :
An accurate optimization tool has been developed to design arbitrarily-shaped axis-symmetrical devices. It is based on the combination between a genetic algorithm (GA) and a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) solver formulated in a cylindrical coordinate system. For validation purposes, this tool is applied to design several smooth-walled compact conical horns with a large flare angle (90°) in the 60-GHz band. The unavoidable phase distortions appearing in the horn aperture are compensated by loading the horn mouth with thin shaped dielectric lenses made in Rexolite. Based on these test cases, several synthesis strategies are discussed and compared in order to select the best antenna prototype among those synthesized. A scaled version of this prototype has been fabricated to operate around 29.5 GHz. The numerical and experimental results are in excellent agreement. Horn size reduction rates up to 80% have been reached.
Keywords :
aperture antennas; finite difference time-domain analysis; genetic algorithms; horn antennas; lens antennas; millimetre wave antennas; BoR-FDTD; Rexolite; arbitrary-shaped axis-symmetrical device design; cylindrical coordinate system; finite-difference time-domain solver; frequency 60 GHz; genetic algorithm; horn aperture antenna; optimization tool; phase distortions; reduced-size smooth-walled conical horn antenna; shaped dielectric lenses; synthesis strategy; Apertures; Design optimization; Dielectrics; Finite difference methods; Genetic algorithms; Lenses; Mouth; Phase distortion; Prototypes; Time domain analysis; BoR-FDTD; dielectric lens; genetic algorithm; millimeter waves; optimization; smooth-walled conical horns;
Journal_Title :
Antennas and Propagation, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TAP.2010.2052557