Accurate Radiation-Pattern Measurements in a Time-Reversal Electromagnetic Chamber

Abstract

In a recent paper [1], we introduced the concept of the time-reversal electromagnetic chamber (TREC), a new facility for creating coherent wavefronts within a reverberation chamber. This facility, based on the use of time-reversal techniques in a reverberating environment, is shown here to also be a useful tool for the characterization of the field radiated by an antenna under test (AUT). The time-reversal electromagnetic chamber has proven to be capable of providing real-time measurements, with accuracy typically better than fdB over the main Iobes, while-using a limited number of static probe antennas. This performance is made possible by taking advantage of the reflections over the chamber's walls in order to gain access to the field radiated along all directions, with no need to mechanically displace the probes, or to have a full range of electronically switched probes. A two-dimensional numerical validation supported this approach, proving that the proposed procedure allows the retrieval of the free-space radiation pattern of the AUT.