A practical method to design a corrugated horn for radiometric applications

Presents a practical method for designing a corrugated feed to be used in an offset parabola for radiometric applications. From the knowledge of the antenna optic and of the radiometric requirements that the antenna must satisfy, general rules are given to obtain fundamental dimensions and parameters of the corrugated feed. The dimensions obtained represent a starting point for the feed detailed design. In any case the guide line for the design is to maintain a simple and practical approach in the analysis with the objective to give a feed geometry with good primary pattern characteristics and able to satisfy, at secondary pattern level, the radiometric requirements. An example of this procedure is given in the 90 GHz band. The primary pattern characteristics of the obtained design are given along with the parabolic antenna performances obtained with this feed placed in the parabola focus.