Measurement of electromagnetic field intensity in focal region of wide-angle paraboloid reflector

An experimental study has been made of the intensity distribution in the focal region of a wide-angle paraboloid reflector illuminated by a linearly polarized plane wave of wavelength 12.5 mm. Intensity distributions given by the transverse field components were measured along the axis of the mirror and in several transverse planes. The corresponding distributions given by the longitudinal component were also measured. Experimental results have been found to compare well with available theoretical calculations in the transverse planes. Along the axis, better agreement was obtained after the theoretical calculations had been modified.