Considerations on designing single- and dual-reflector antennas for efficient narrow pulse radiation

The problem of transient scattering of electromagnetic waves has received considerable attention due to the numerous possible applications of ultrawide-band (UWB) radar technology. This technology requires the radiation of short pulses with high peak power. Reflector antennas are good candidates for these applications since, with the exception of the feed, they are inherently broadband devices. However, when a pulse is radiated by a reflector antenna system, its shape is distorted by both the feed and the reflector radiation mechanisms. In order to radiate a desired pulse shape, the radiation characteristics of the reflector must then be clearly understood. This is better achieved by considering the feed and the reflector behaviors separately. The work presented only examines the scattering characteristics of the reflector. It investigates the requirements for reflector antennas capable to radiate a desired waveform in space. By examining the scattering behavior of conic sections used predominantly in reflector antennas (e.g., paraboloids and hyperboloids), many general design guidelines, applicable to both single- and dual-reflector geometries, are established.<>