Aperture efficiency enhancement of dielectric loaded hybrid mode horns with reduced sidelobes and cross polarization

Abstract

A dielectric-loaded multiflare conical horn is presented that exhibits many of the desirable features of the corrugated and dielectric core horns, but with the additional advantage of relatively increased gain. Aperture efficiencies on the order of 94-9% can be obtained easily and inexpensively at low cross-polarization levels over the Ku frequency band. When the aperture diameter is large, almost 100% aperture efficiency can be obtained at vanishing (negligible) cross polarization within a certain frequency range. In the development of this horn the technique of multimode operation for tapered aperture E-field distribution to result in low cross-polarization and sidelobe levels is combined with the technique of dielectric loading for aperture efficiency enhancement. The horn is ideal for communication applications where the cross polarization and sidelobe levels are to be low. >