Dielectric Lens Design for Collimation of RF Horn Antennas

Bachelor's Thesis in Telecommunications Engineering

Abstract

This Bachelor’s thesis focuses on the design of dielectric lenses to enhance the directivity of horn antennas used in anechoic chamber measurements. By designing a lens capable of collimating the beam from a horn antenna, the project aims to achieve higher directivity in primary radiation planes, improving the precision of antenna characterization.

The research utilizes Flann Standard Gain Horn antennas and explores various lens configurations, including rectangular and circular faces optimized to maximize radiated energy. The CST STUDIO SUITE electromagnetic simulation software was used extensively for design validation and simulation.

Context in the Degree Program

This thesis is part of the Telecommunications Engineering curriculum and addresses the high-precision characterization needs of the SWAT-UGR research group, which focuses on 5G applications and high-frequency antenna technology. The solutions developed here enhance horn antenna directivity, providing valuable improvements in anechoic chamber measurements and high-performance telecommunications system characterization. —

Visualizations and Results

Figure 1a: Waveguide WR22 with circular section adaptation design.
Figure 1b: Final circular lens design achieving optimal directivity.
Figure 1c: Radiation pattern of the conical antenna with the designed lens.
Figure 2: Comparison of directivity between optimized horns with and without the designed lens for different horn lengths.

In this thesis, both the lens design and a waveguide adapter for the antenna were explored to potentially enhance the antenna’s directivity while reducing the antenna length. This was aimed at achieving a collimated beam with a flat wavefront, which is essential for accurate antenna characterization. The impedance adaptation from the WR22 waveguide to the circular horn with the lens (Figure 1a) illustrates the progression towards this goal, while the improvements in directivity shown in Figure 1c validate the effectiveness of the design.

Full Thesis

You can download the complete thesis document via the following link:

Download Full Thesis PDF