Corrugated shape is easily machined for millimeter wave application and is better suited for folding antenna designs. Measured performance showed ""V'' corrugations and rectangular corrugations have nearly the same pattern beamwidth, gain, and impedance. Also, ""V'' corrugations have higher relative power loss

Beck, F. B.

Mentzer, C. A.

Peters, L., Jr.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

January 1975	 B74-10260 
NASA TECH BRIEF 
Langley Research Center
	
- 4'r 
NASA Tech Briefs announce new technology derived from the U.S. space program. They are .issued to encourage 
commercial application. Tech Briefs are available on a subscription basis from the National Technical Information 
Service, Springfield, Virginia 22151. Requests for individual copies or questions relating to the Tech Brief program may 
be directed to the Technology Utilization Office, NASA, Code KT, Washington, D.C. 20546. 
Horn Antenna With V-Shaped Corrugated Surface 
The corrugated horn antenna characteristics are 
low side and back lobes, a rotationally symmetric 
radiation' pattern, and broadband performance. 
These properties are particularly useful in low noise 
applications such as feed horns for reflectors and 
radiometer antennas. The usual corrugation is 
rectangular in shape. A new corrugation shape (see 
illustration) is more easily machined for millimeter 
wave application and is better suited for folding 
antenna design. A parametric study, using an integral 
equation solution, is available for both the rectangu-
lar and new V-shaped corrugations. 
The study involved looking into the influence of 
corrugation density and shape on the power loss, 
surface current, and scattering from a ground-plane 
corrugated surface junction. It shows that for 
operation as a cutoff corrugated surface the "V" 
corrugation depth should lie between 0.3125A and 
0.625A (A = wavelength). For the rectangular 
corrugations the corresponding depth range is 0.25A 
to 0.5A. The radiation patterns for both corrugations 
are nearly independent of the corrugation density 
(corrugations per wavelength), and the direction of 
maximum intensity decreases with increasing corru-
gation depth. 
The "V" corrugations have a higher relative power 
loss. For example, at the minimum corrugation 
depth-to-wavelength ratio, d/A = 0.25 (rectangular) 
and d/A = 0.3125 ("V"), the "V" corrugation loss is
approximately 6.5 dB larger. If low loss is important, 
the first few "V" corrugations should be polished or 
silver plated. For a foldable antenna the first part may 
be rigid and rectangular corrugations may be used to 
obtain lower loss, while the remainder would be the 
folding "V" corrugations. In any event, the loss in a 
corrugated horn would be equal to or less than the loss 
in a conducting wall made of the same material and 
having the same shape and surface finish. 
A "V" corrugation horn has been built, and its 
performance has been compared with a rectangular 
corrugation horn of the same shape. Both horns were 
designed for C-band operation (3.95 to 5.85 GHz). 
The E-plane contained the corrugations and was 
flared at 36.1°. The H-plane was flared at 33.12°, and 
it had a slant length of 42.19 cm (16.609 in.) with a 
4.75-cm (1.872-in.) waveguide feed. Measured per-
formance showed that the new "V" corrugations and 
rectangular corrugations have nearly the same pattern 
beamwidth, gain, and impedance. 
Notes: 
1. The analytical study, contained in the following 
report, may be obtained from: 
National Technical Information Service 
Springfield, Virginia 22151 
Single document price $4.25 
(or microfiche $2.25) 
Reference: NASA CR-2317 (N73-32059), A 
Parametric Study of Cut-Off Corrugated 
Surface Properties 
M WOA 
0	 -	 V-Shaped Corrugated Surface 	 (continued overleaf) 
This document was prepared under the sponsorship of the National 	 Government assumes any liability resulting from the use of the 
Aeronautics and Space Administration. Neither the United States 	 information contained in this document, or warrants that such use 
Government nor any person acting on behalf of the United States 	 will be free from privately owned rights.
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19740000260 2020-03-17T13:58:35+00:00Z
2. The experimental comparison results may be 
obtained from and technical questions may be 
directçd to: 
Technology Utilization Officer 
Langley Research Center 
Mail Stop 139-A 
Hampton, Virginia 23665 
Reference: B74-10260
Patent status: 
This invention is owned by NASA, and a patent 
application has been filed. Inquiries concerning non-
exclusive or exclusive license for its commercial 
development should be addressed to: 
Patent Counsel 
Langley Research Center 
Mail Stop 313 
Hampton, Virginia 23665
Source: F. B. Beck 
Langley Research Center and 
C. A. Mentzer and L. Peters, Jr., of 
Ohio State University 
under contract to 
Langley Research Center 
-	 (LAR-11112) 
Categories: 01 (Electronics - Components and 
Circuitry) 
02 (Electronics Systems) 
03 (Physical Sciences) 
B74-10260	 08 (Fabrication Technology)


Horn antenna with v-shaped corrugated surface

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