Improved Rayleigh field statistic in reverberation chambers from modified mechanical stirring paddles

This paper introduces a novel modification to the design of mechanical stirring paddles in reverberation chambers. The work focuses on lower modal densities with a view to increasing the overall effectiveness of the mechanical stirring operation in this range from a statistical perspective. The research indicates that by cutting tapered slots into the stirrer plate, the induced surface current can be enticed to interact more with the stirrer giving rise to an improved non line of sight field statistic. The intuitive nature of the design means that the slots would be simple, easy and cost effective if implemented into existing chambers. The performance facets have been achieved for no extra increase in the physical stirrer dimensions which means that the potential working volume of the chamber can remain as large as possible. A potential benefit therefore exists for the antenna measurement community who employ reverberation chambers as their measurement facility.