Search Results (2)

Aiming at the inefficiency caused by the optimal design of rotationally symmetric horn feed models, a fast modeling method for rotationally symmetric structures is proposed, which is used to deal with the mesh generation of rotationally symmetric structures and the rapid establishment of computational models. In this paper, the body-of-revolution finite-difference time-domain (BOR–FDTD) method is employed to investigate the radiation performance of the horn feed. Due to the rotational symmetry of the horn antenna, modeling only requires the establishment of a two-dimensional cross-sectional mesh of the horn feed. An optimized Delaunay triangulation algorithm combined with the projection intersection method is utilized to triangulate the horn cross-section of arbitrary polygons and establish the BOR–FDTD computational mesh. Results from both single-medium and multi-medium triangulation algorithms and computational models verify the accuracy of this modeling method. The radiation patterns of a smooth-walled horn were calculated and compared with the modeling time of MATLAB 2017 and the simulation time of CST. The results reveal that the algorithm presented in this paper aligns well with the simulation results from CST; furthermore, the modeling time amounts to only 6.78% of the MATLAB program’s modeling time, while the total simulation time is 31.3% of CST, which demonstrates both the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method. Full article

Technological advancements have revolutionized the space industry, facilitating deep space exploration using CubeSats. One objective is to locate potential life-support elements, such as water, on extraterrestrial planets. Water possesses a distinct spectral signature at 183 GHz, useful in remote sensing and environmental monitoring applications. Detecting this signature provides crucial information about water and ice presence and distribution on celestial bodies, aiding future exploration and colonization efforts. Mostly in space remote sensing uses corrugated horn antennae due to high gain and radiation patterns but fabrication of corrugated antenna is very challenging or even impossible in some cases. To ease this challenge, in our research we propose ideas to transform a corrugated horn antenna into a smooth-walled design by using MATLAB Cubic smoothing Splines algorithms. We compare simulation results between smooth-walled and corrugated antennas, and we can see some improvements in insertion losses, Voltage Standing Wave ratio (VSWR), and gain. We also manufactured this 183 GHz antenna using a commercially available 3D printer by utilizing Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) material. The antenna surface was then coated with a thin layer of copper using conductive paint. In the end, we practically evaluate smooth-walled antenna functionality and compare it with the theriacal results. Validating the antenna’s functionality proposes a cost-effective and accessible production method to be used in a CubeSat engineering model or university students’ project. Full article