LECTURE 4: Fundamental Antenna Parameters

(Radiation pattern. Pattern beamwidths. Radiation intensity. Directivity. Gain.

Antenna efficiency and radiation efficiency. Frequency bandwidth. Input
impedance and radiation resistance. Antenna effective area. Relationship
between directivity and antenna effective area. Other antenna equivalent
areas.)
The antenna parameters describe the antenna performance with respect to space
distribution of the radiated energy, power efficiency, matching to the feed
circuitry, etc. Many of these parameters are interrelated. There are several
parameters not described here, such as antenna temperature and noise
characteristics. They are discussed later in conjunction with radio-wave
propagation and system performance.
1. Radiation pattern
The radiation pattern (RP) (or antenna pattern) is the representation of the
radiation properties of the antenna as a function of the angular coordinates.
The RP is measured in the far-field region, where the spatial (angular)
distribution of the radiated power does not depend on the distance. We usually
measure and plot the field intensity, e.g. | E( , ) | , or the received power
| E( , ) |2 / | H( , ) |2 .
The trace of the spatial variation of the received/radiated power at a constant
radius from the antenna is called the power pattern.
The trace of the spatial variation of the magnitude of electric (magnetic)
field at a constant radius from the antenna is called the amplitude field
pattern.
Usually, the pattern describes the normalized field (power) values with respect
to the maximum value.
Note: The power pattern and the amplitude field pattern are the same when
computed and plotted in dB.

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The pattern can be a 3-D plot (both and vary), or a 2-D plot. A 2-D plot
is obtained as an intersection of the 3-D RP with a given plane, usually a
const. plane or a const. plane that must contain the patterns maximum.

elevation plane

90

azimuth plane
90

Plotting the pattern: the trace of the pattern is obtained by setting the length of
the radius-vector | r( , ) | corresponding to the ( , ) point of the RP
proportional to the strength of the field | E( , ) | (in the case of an amplitude
field pattern) or proportional to the power density | E( , ) |2 (in the case of a
power pattern).

Elevation Plane: const

z
45
| r |1/ 2

sin

| r |1

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Some concepts related to the pattern terminology

a) Isotropic pattern is the pattern of an antenna having equal radiation in all
directions. This is an ideal (not physically achievable) concept. However,
it is used to define other antenna parameters. It is represented simply by a
sphere whose center coincides with the location of the isotropic radiator.
b) Directional antenna is an antenna, which radiates (receives) much more
efficiently in some directions than in others. Usually, this term is applied
to antennas whose directivity is much higher than that of a halfwavelength dipole.
c) Omnidirectional antenna is an antenna, which has a non-directional
pattern in a given plane, and a directional pattern in any orthogonal plane
(e.g. single-wire antenna).

d) Principal patterns are the 2-D patterns of linearly polarized antennas,

measured in the E-plane (a plane parallel to the E vector and containing
the direction of maximum radiation) and in the H-plane (a plane parallel
to the H vector, orthogonal to the E-plane, and containing the direction of
maximum radiation).

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2-D patterns can be polar or linear.

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01

30

0.75

30

0.5

60

00

30
60

-15
-30

60

0.25
90

120

90

120

180

60

-45

90

150

30

90

120

150

120
150

Polar Pattern (linear scale)

180

150

Polar Pattern (dB scale, min @-60 dB)

-10
normalized field pattern, dB

normalized field pattern

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

-20
-30
-40
-50
-60
-70

-80

-60

-40

-20

0
20
, degrees

40

60

80

Rectangular Pattern (linear scale)

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-80

-60

-40

-20

0
20
, degrees

40

60

80

Rectangular Pattern (dB)

e) Pattern lobe is a portion of the RP whose local radiation intensity

maximum is relatively weak.
Lobes are classified as: major, minor, side lobes, back lobes.

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2. Pattern beamwidth
Half-power beamwidth (HPBW) is the angle between two vectors,
originating at the patterns origin and passing through these points of the major
lobe where the radiation intensity is half its maximum.
First-null beamwidth (FNBW) is the angle between two vectors,
originating at the patterns origin and tangent to the main beam at its base.
Often, it is true that FNBW2HPBW.

The HPBW is the best parameter to describe the antenna resolution properties.
In radar technology as well as in radio-astronomy, the antenna resolution
capability is of primary importance.

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3. Radiation intensity
Radiation intensity in a given direction is the power per unit solid angle
radiated in this direction by the antenna.
a) Solid angle
One steradian (st) is the solid angle with its vertex at the center of a sphere
of radius r, which is subtended by a spherical surface area equal to that of a
square with each side of length r. In a closed sphere, there are 4 steradians.
S
(4.1)
2 , sr
r
Note: The above definition is analogous to the definition of a 2-D angle in
radians, l / , where l is the length of the arch segment supported by the
angle in a circle of radius .

The infinitesimal area ds on a surface of a sphere of radius r in spherical

coordinates is
(4.2)
ds r 2 sin d d , m2.
Therefore,
d sin d d , sr,
(4.3)
and
ds r 2d .
(4.4)

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b) Radiation intensity U
rad d rad
, W/sr.

0
d
A useful expression, equivalent to (4.5), is given below:
rad Ud , W.
U lim

(4.5)
(4.6)

From now on, we will denote the radiated power simply by . There is a direct
relation between the radiation intensity U and the radiation power density P
(that is the Poynting vector magnitude of the far field). Since
d
d
1
(4.7)
P
2
2 U , W/m2
ds r d r
then
(4.8)
U r2 P
It was already shown that the power density of the far field depends on the
distance from the source as 1/r2, since the far field magnitude depends on r as
1/r. Thus, the radiation intensity U depends only on the direction ( , ) but not
on the distance r.
The power pattern is a trace of the function | U ( , ) | usually normalized to
its maximum value. The normalized pattern will be denoted as U ( , ) .
In the far-field zone, the radial field components vanish, and the remaining
transverse components of the electric and the magnetic far field vectors are in
phase and have magnitudes related by
| E | | H | .
(4.9)
That is why the far-field Poynting vector has only a radial component and it is a
real number showing the radiation power flow density:
1
1 | E |2
2
Prad P | H |
.
(4.10)
2
2
Then, for the radiation intensity, we obtain in terms of the electric field
r2
U ,
| E |2 .
(4.11)
2
Equation (4.11) leads to a useful relation between the power pattern and the
amplitude field pattern:
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r2
1
U ( , )
| E2 (r , , ) E2 (r , , ) |
| E2p ( , ) E2p ( , ) | .
2
2
Here, E p ( , ) and E p ( , ) denote the far-zone field patterns.

(4.12)

Examples:
1) Radiation intensity and pattern of an isotropic radiator:

P r , ,
4 r 2

U , r 2 P
const.
4
U , 1 .
The normalized pattern of an isotropic radiator is simply a sphere of a
unit radius.
2) Radiation intensity and pattern of an infinitesimal dipole:
From Lecture 3, the far-field term of the electric field is:
I l e j r
E j
sin E ( , ) sin ,
4 r
2 I l 2

sin 2 ,
r2
U | E |2
2
32 2
U , sin 2 .

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4. Directivity
4.1. Definitions and examples
Directivity of an antenna (in a given direction) is the ratio of the radiation
intensity in this direction and the radiation intensity averaged over all
directions. The radiation intensity averaged over all directions is equal to the
total power radiated by the antenna divided by 4 . If a direction is not
specified, then the direction of maximum radiation is implied.
It can be also defined as the ratio of the radiation intensity (RI) of the antenna
in a given direction and the RI of an isotropic radiator fed by the same amount
of power:
U ( , )
U ( , )
,
(4.13)
D( , )
4
U av

and
U
Dmax D0 4 max .

The directivity is a dimensionless quantity. The maximum directivity is always

1.
Examples:
1) Directivity of an isotropic source:
U , U 0 const.

4 U 0
D , 4
D0 1.

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U ,
1

11

2) Directivity of an infinitesimal dipole:

2
2 I l
U ( , )
sin 2
2
32
U ( , ) sin 2 ; U ( , ) M U ( , )
As shown in (4.6),

Ud M

sin 2 sin d d M

0 0

8
3

U ( , ) 3 2
sin

2
D0 1.5 .

D( , ) 4

Exercise: Calculate the maximum directivity of an antenna with a radiation

intensity U M sin . (Answer: D0 4 / 1.27 )
The partial directivity of an antenna is specified for a given polarization of
the field. It is defined as that part of the radiation intensity, which
corresponds to a given polarization, divided by the total radiation intensity
averaged over all directions.
The total directivity is the sum of the partial directivities for any two orthogonal
polarizations:
D D D ,
(4.14)
where:
U
,
D 4

U
D 4
.

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4.2. Directivity in terms of relative radiation intensity U ,

U ( , ) M U ( , )

(4.15)

Ud M U ( , )sin d d
4

0 0

D( , ) 4 2

U ( , )

(4.16)
(4.17)

U ( , )sin d d
0 0

D0 4 2

(4.18)

U ( , )sin d d
0 0

4.3. Beam solid angle A

The beam solid angle A of an antenna is the solid angle through which all
the power of the antenna would flow if its radiation intensity were constant
and equal to the maximum radiation intensity U 0 for all angles within A .
2

A U ( , )sin d d

(4.19)

0 0

The relation between the maximum directivity and the beam solid angle is
obvious from (4.18) and (4.19):
(4.20)
D0 4 / A .
In order to understand how (4.19) is obtained, follow the derivations below
(they reflect the mathematical meaning of the definition above):
Ud U 0 d U 0 A
4

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Ud
4

U0

Ud U ( , )sin d d .
4

0 0

13

4.4. Approximate expressions for directivity

The complexity of the calculation of the antenna directivity D0 depends on
the power pattern U ( , ) , which has to be integrated over a spherical surface.
In most practical cases, this function is not available in closed analytical form
(e.g., it might be a data set). Even if it is available in closed analytical form, the
integral in (4.18) may not have a closed analytical solution. In practice, simpler
although not exact expressions are often used for approximate and fast
calculations. These formulas are based on the two orthogonal-plane half-power
beamwidths (HPBW) of the pattern. The approximations for the directivity are
usually valid for highly directive (pencil-beam) antennas such as large
reflectors and horns.
a) Kraus formula
For antennas with narrow major lobe and with negligible minor lobes, the
beam solid angle A is approximately equal to the product of the HPBWs in
two orthogonal planes:
(4.21)
A 12 ,
where the HPBW angles are in radians. Another variation of (4.21) is
41000
D0
,
(4.22)
12
where 1 and 1 are in degrees.
b) Formula of Tai and Pereira

32ln 2
(4.23)
12 22
The angles in (4.23) are in radians. For details see: C. Tai and C. Pereira, An
approximate formula for calculating the directivity of an antenna, IEEE Trans.
Antennas Propagat., vol. AP-24, No. 2, March 1976, pp. 235-236.
D0

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5. Antenna gain
The gain G of an antenna is the ratio of the radiation intensity U in a given
direction and the radiation intensity that would be obtained, if the power fed
to the antenna were radiated isotropically.

U ( , )
(4.24)
Pin
The gain is a dimensionless quantity, which is very similar to the directivity D.
When the antenna has no losses, i.e. when Pin , then G( , ) D( , ) .
Thus, the gain of the antenna takes into account the losses in the antenna
system. It is calculated using the input power Pin, which can be measured
directly. In contrast, the directivity is calculated via the radiated power .
There are many factors that can worsen the transfer of energy from the
transmitter to the antenna (or from the antenna to the receiver):
mismatch losses,
losses in the transmission line,
losses in the antenna: dielectric losses, conduction losses, polarization
losses.
The power radiated by the antenna is always less than the power fed to the
antenna system, Pin , unless the antenna has integrated active devices. That
is why usually G D .
G ( , ) 4

According to the IEEE Standards, the gain does not include losses
arising from impedance mismatch and from polarization mismatch.

Therefore, the gain takes into account only the dielectric and conduction losses
of the antenna system itself.
The radiated power is related to the input power through a coefficient called
the radiation efficiency:
e Pin , e 1,
(4.25)
G( , ) e D( , ) .
(4.26)
Partial gains with respect to a given field polarization are defined in the
same way as it is done with the partial directivities; see equation (4.14).

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6. Antenna efficiency
The total efficiency of the antenna et is used to estimate the total loss of
energy at the input terminals of the antenna and within the antenna structure. It
includes all mismatch losses and the dielectric/conduction losses (described by
the radiation efficiency e as defined by the IEEE Standards):
(4.27)
et e p er ec ed e p er e .
e

Here: er is the reflection (impedance mismatch) efficiency,

ep is the polarization mismatch efficiency,
ec is the conduction efficiency,
ed is the dielectric efficiency.
The reflection efficiency can be calculated through the reflection coefficient
at the antenna input:
(4.28)
er 1 | |2 .
can be either measured or calculated, provided the antenna impedance is
known:
Z Zc
.
(4.29)
in
Zin Z c
Zin is the antenna input impedance and Z c is the characteristic impedance of
the feed line. If there are no polarization losses, then the total efficiency is
related to the radiation efficiency as
(4.30)
et e 1 | |2 .

7. Beam efficiency
The beam efficiency is the ratio of the power radiated in a cone of angle 21
and the total radiated power. The angle 21 can be generally any angle, but
usually this is the first-null beam width.
2 1

BE

U ( , )sin d d

0 0
2

(4.31)

U ( , )sin d d
0 0

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If the antenna has its major lobe directed along the z-axis ( 0 ), formula
(4.31) defines the BE. If 1 is the angle where the first null (or minimum)
occurs in two orthogonal planes, then the BE will show what part of the total
radiated power is channeled through the main beam.
Very high beam-efficiency antennas are needed in radars, radiometry and
astronomy.

8. Frequency bandwidth (FBW)

This is the range of frequencies, within which the antenna characteristics
(input impedance, pattern) conform to certain specifications.
Antenna characteristics, which should conform to certain requirements, might
be: input impedance, radiation pattern, beamwidth, polarization, side-lobe level,
gain, beam direction and width, radiation efficiency. Separate bandwidths may
be introduced: impedance bandwidth, pattern bandwidth, etc.
The FBW of broadband antennas is expressed as the ratio of the upper to the
lower frequencies, where the antenna performance is acceptable:
(4.32)
FBW f max / f min .
Broadband antennas with FBW as large as 40:1 have been designed. Such
antennas are referred to as frequency independent antennas.
For narrowband antennas, the FBW is expressed as a percentage of the
frequency difference over the center frequency:
f f min
(4.33)
FBW max
100 %.
f0
Usually, f0 f max f min / 2 or f0 f max f min .

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9. Input impedance
(4.34)
Z A RA jX A
Here, RA is the antenna resistance and X A is the antenna reactance. Generally,
the antenna resistance has two terms:
(4.35)
RA Rr Rl ,
where Rr is the radiation resistance and Rl is the loss resistance.
The antenna impedance is related to the radiated power Pr , the
dissipated power Pl , and the stored reactive energy, in the following way:
P Pd 2 j (Wm We )
.
(4.36)
ZA r
0.5I 0 I 0*
Here, I 0 is the current at the antenna terminals; Wm is the average magnetic
energy, and We is the average electric energy stored in the near-field region.
When the stored magnetic and electric energy values are equal, a condition of
resonance occurs and the reactive part of Z A vanishes. For a thin dipole
antenna, this occurs when the antenna length is close to a multiple of a half
wavelength.
9.1. Radiation resistance
The radiation resistance relates the radiated power to the voltage (or current)
at the antenna terminals. For example, in the Thevenin equivalent, the
following holds:
(4.37)
Rr 2 / | I |2 , .
Example: Find the radiation resistance of an infinitesimal dipole in terms of
the ratio (l / ) .
We have already derived the radiated power of an infinitesimal dipole in
Lecture 3, as:
2

id
(4.38)

2 l
Rrid
.
3
2

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(4.39)

18

9.2. Equivalent circuits of the transmitting antenna

antenna
generator

Xg

Rl

Rg

Rr

Vg

XA

(a) Thevenin equivalent

Ig

Gg

Bg

BA

Gl

Gr

(b) Norton equivalent

In the above model, it is assumed that the generator is connected to the antenna
directly. If there is a transmission line between the generator and the antenna,
which is usually the case, then Z g Rg jX g represents the equivalent
impedance of the generator transferred to the input terminals of the antenna.
Transmission lines themselves often have significant losses.
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Reminder: The impedance transformation by a long transmission line is given

by
Z Z 0 tanh( L)
.
(4.40)
Zin Zin Z 0 L
Z 0 Z L tanh( L)
Here, Z 0 is the characteristic impedance of the line, is its propagation
constant, Z L is the load impedance, and Zin is the input impedance. In the case
of a loss-free line,
Z jZ 0 tan( L)
,
(4.41)
Zin Z 0 L
Z 0 jZ L tan( L)
where j .
Maximum power is delivered to the antenna when conjugate matching of
impedances is achieved:
RA Rl Rr Rg ,
(4.42)
X A X g.
Using circuit theory, we can derive the following formulas in the case of
matched impedances:
a) power delivered to the antenna
| Vg |2
(4.43)
PA
8 Rr Rl
b) power dissipated as heat in the generator
| Vg |2
| Vg |2
(4.44)
Pg PA

8Rg
8 Rr Rl
c) radiated power
| Vg |2
Rr
(4.45)
Pr
8 Rr Rl 2
d) power dissipated as heat in the antenna
| Vg |2
Rl
.
Pl
2
8 Rr Rl

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(4.46)

20

9.3. Equivalent circuits of the receiving antenna

antenna
load Z L

XL

Rl

Rr

IA

VA

RL
b

XA

(a) Thevenin equivalent

GL

BL

BA

Gl

Gr

IA

(b) Norton equivalent

The incident wave induces voltage VA at the antenna terminals (measured

when the antenna is open circuited). Conjugate impedance matching is required
between the antenna and the load (the receiver) to achieve maximum power
delivery:
RL RA Rl Rr ,
(4.47)
X L X A.
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For the case of conjugate matching, the following power expressions hold:
a) power delivered to the load
| VA |2 | VA |2
(4.48)
PL

8RL
8 RA
b) power dissipated as heat in the antenna
| V |2 Rl
Pl A
(4.49)
8 RA2
c) scattered (re-radiated) power
| VA |2 Rr
Pr
(4.50)
8 RA2
d) total captured power
| VA |2
| V |2
(4.51)
Pc
A
4 Rr Rl 4 RA
When conjugate matching is achieved, half of the captured power Pc is
delivered to the load (the receiver) and half is antenna loss. The antenna losses
are heat dissipation Pl and reradiated (scattered) power Pr . When the antenna is
non-dissipative half of the power is delivered to the load and the other half is
scattered back into space. Thus a receiving antenna is also a scatterer.

The antenna input impedance is frequency dependent. Thus, it is

matched to its load in a certain frequency band. It can be influenced
by the proximity of objects, too.

9.4. Radiation efficiency and antenna losses

The radiation efficiency e takes into account the conductor and dielectric
(heat) losses of the antenna. It is the ratio of the power radiated by the antenna
and the total power delivered to the antenna terminals (in transmitting mode).
In terms of equivalent circuit parameters:
Rr
e
.
(4.52)
Rr Rl
Some useful formulas to calculate conduction losses are given below:
a) dc resistance

Rdc
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1 l
,
A

(4.53)
22

 - specific conductivity, S/m

l conductors length, m
A conductors cross-section, m2
b) high-frequency surface resistance
At high frequencies, the current is confined in a thin layer at the conductors
surface (skin effect). This layer is often called the skin layer. Its effective
thickness, known as the skin depth or penetration depth, is
1
, m,
(4.54)

f
where f is the frequency in Hz, and is the magnetic permeability, H/m.
Remember that (4.54) holds for very good conductors only ( / 1). The
skin depth is inverse proportional to the attenuation constant Re( ) of the
conducting medium, 1/ . The general formula for can be found in
every undergraduate textbook on electromagnetics. Due to the exponential
decay of the current density in the conductor as e x where x denotes the
distance from the surface, it can be shown that the total current flowing along
the conductor (along z) is

I J ds p J z 0e x dx pJ z 0 / pJ z 0 pJ s
S

(4.55)

where p is the circumference of the conducting wire, J z 0 is the current density

at the surface, and J s is the equivalent surface current density (in A/m).
The surface resistance Rs (in ) is defined through the tangential electric
field at the conductors surface and the collinear surface current density:
(4.56)
E0 Rs J s .
The surface current is related to the current volume density Jz0 as J s J 0 z
[see (4.55)]. Then, (4.56) can be written as
(4.57)
E0 Rs J z 0 .
Since J z 0 E0 , it follows that Rs ( )1 . Finally,
f
Rs
, .
(4.58)

We can also find a relation between the high-frequency resistance of a

conducting rod of length l, its perimeter p and its surface resistance:
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Rhf

l
1 l
l

Rs .
Ahf p
p

(4.59)
p

Here the area Ahf p is not the actual area of the

conducting rod but is the effective area through
which the high-frequency current flows.

Ahf p

Example: A half-wavelength dipole is made of copper ( 5.7 107 S/m).

Determine the radiation efficiency e , if the operating frequency is f 100
MHz, the radius of the wire is b 3 104 , and the radiation resistance is
Rr 73 .

c
3 m l 1.5 m
2
f
p 2 b 18 104 , m
If the current along the dipole were uniform, the high-frequency loss power
would be uniformly distributed along the dipole. However, the current has a
sine distribution along a dipole as we will discuss in Lecture 9:
l
l
l

I ( z ) I 0 sin | z | , z .
2
2

2
Equation (4.59) can be now used to express the high-frequency loss resistance
per wire differential element of infinitesimal length dz :
dz f 0
.
dRhf
p

The high-frequency loss power per wire element of infinitesimal length dz is

then obtained as
1
dz f 0
dPhf ( z ) I 2 ( z )
2
p

The total loss power is obtained by integrating along the whole dipole. Taking
into account the symmetry in the current distribution,
f 108 Hz

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l /2

Phf 2
0

I 02 2 l
1 f 0
sin z
dz ,
2
2
p

I 2 f 0
l

Phf 0
sin 2 z dz .
p

2
0
Changing variable as
l

x z
2

results in
l f 0 1 2 l /2 1 cos 2 x
2
Phf I 0
dx ,

0
l /2

Rhf

Phf

I 02 Rhf

1 l sin( l ) I 02 Rhf
1

l 4
l
4

sin( l )
1 l

In the case of l / 2 ,

I 02 Rhf
4
Since the loss resistance Rl is defined through the loss power as
I2
Phf 0 Rl ,
2
we obtain that
l f 0
Rl 0.5 Rhf 0.5
0.349 .
p

The antenna efficiency is:

Rr
73
e

0.9952
Rr Rl 73 0.349
e[dB] 10log10 0.9952 0.02 .
Phf

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10. Effective area (aperture) Ae

The effective antenna aperture is the ratio of the available power at the
terminals of the antenna to the power flux density of a plane wave incident
upon the antenna, which is matched to the antenna in terms of polarization.
If no direction is specified, the direction of maximum radiation is implied.

Ae PA / Wi ,

(4.60)

where
Ae is the effective aperture, m2,
PA is the power delivered from the antenna to the load, W,
Wi is the power flux density (Poynting vector magnitude) of the incident
wave, W/m2.
Using the Thevenin equivalent of a receiving antenna, we can show that
equation (4.60) relates the antenna impedance and its effective aperture as
| I A |2 RL / 2 | VA |2
RL
.
(4.61)
Ae

Wi
2Wi Rr Rl RL 2 X A X L 2

Under conditions of conjugate matching,

| V |2
1
.
(4.62)
Ae A
8Wi Rr Rl
RA RL

For aperture type antennas, the effective area is smaller than the physical
aperture area. Aperture antennas with constant amplitude and phase distribution
across the aperture have the maximum effective area, which is practically equal
to the geometrical area. The effective aperture of wire antennas is much larger
than the surface of the wire itself. Sometimes, the aperture efficiency of an
antenna is estimated as the ratio of the effective antenna aperture and its
physical area:
ap Ae / Ap .
(4.63)

Example: A uniform plane wave is incident upon a very short dipole. Find the
2
effective area Ae assuming that the radiation resistance is R 80 l / , and
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that the field is linearly polarized along the axis of the dipole. Compare Ae with
the physical surface of the wire if l / 50 and d / 300 , where d is the
wires diameter.
Since the dipole is very short, we can neglect the conduction losses. Wire
antennas do not have dielectric losses. Therefore, we assume that Rl 0 . Under
conjugate matching (which is implied unless specified otherwise),
| VA |2
.
Ae
8Wi Rr
The dipole is very short and we can assume that the E-field intensity is the
same along the whole wire. Then, the voltage created by the induced
electromotive force of the incident wave is
VA | E | l .
The Poynting vector has a magnitude of Wi | E |2 /(2 ) . Then, see (4.62),
| E |2 l 2 2 3 2
Ae

0.119 2 .
2
8 | E | Rr
8
The physical surface of the dipole is

Ap dl

103 2 2.1 104 2 .

15
The aperture efficiency of this dipole is then
A
0.119
ap e
568.2 .
Ap 2.1 104

11. Relation between the directivity D0 and the effective aperture Ae

The simplest derivation of this relation goes through two stages.
Stage 1: Prove that the ratio D0 / Ae is the same for any antenna.
Consider two antennas: A1 and A2. Let A1 be the transmitting antenna, and
A2 be the receiving one. Let the distance between the two antennas be R. The
power density generated by A1 at A2 is
DP
W1 1 12 .
4 R
Nikolova 2012

27

Here, P1 is the total power radiated by A1 and D1 is the directivity of A1. The
power received by A2 and delivered to its load is
D PA
P12 Ae2 W1 1 1 2e2 ,
4 R
where Ae2 is the effective area of A2.
P
D1 Ae2 4 R 2 12 .
P1
Now, let A1 be the receiving antenna and A2 be the transmitting one. We
can derive the following:
P
D2 Ae1 4 R 2 21 .
P2
If P1 P2 , then, according to the reciprocity principle in electromagnetics,
P12 P21 . Therefore,
D
D
D1 Ae2 D2 Ae1 1 2 .
Ae1 Ae2
We thus proved that is the same for every antenna.
Stage 2: Find the ratio D0 / Ae for an infinitesimal dipole.
The directivity of a very short dipole (infinitesimal dipole) is D0id 1.5 (see
Examples of Section 4, this Lecture). The effective aperture of an infinitesimal
dipole is Aeid 3 2 / (8 ) (see the Example of Section 10, this Lecture). Then,
D
1.5
0 2 8 ,
Ae 3
D
4
0 2 .
(4.64)
Ae
Equation (4.64) is true if there are no dissipation, polarization mismatch, and
impedance mismatch in the antenna system. If those factors are present, then
2
(4.65)
Ae (1 | |2 ) | w a |2
eD0 .

4 G0

Reciprocity in antenna theory states that if antenna #1 is a transmitting antenna and antenna #2 is a receiving antenna, then
the ratio of transmitted to received power Ptra / Prec will not change if antenna #1 becomes the receiving antenna and antenna
#2 becomes the transmitting one.

Nikolova 2012

28

From (4.20) and (4.64), we can obtain a simple relation between the antenna
beam solid angle A and Ae:

2
2
.
Ae
D0
4
A

(4.66)

12. Other antenna equivalent areas

Before, we have defined the antenna effective area (or effective aperture) as
the area, which when multiplied by the incident wave power density, produces
the power delivered to the load (the terminals of the antenna) PA . In a similar
manner, we define the antenna scattering area As . It is the area, which when
multiplied with the incident wave power density, produces the re-radiated
(scattered) power:
P | I |2 Rr
, m2.
(4.67)
As s A
Wi
2Wi
In the case of conjugate matching,
| VA |2
Rr
| VA |2 Rr
As

, m2.
(4.68)
2
2
8Wi ( Rr Rl )
8Wi RA
The loss area is the area, which when multiplied by the incident wave power
density, produces the dissipated (as heat) power of the antenna.
Pl | I A |2 Rl
, m2.
(4.69)
Al

Wi
2Wi
In the case of conjugate matching,
| VA |2
Rl
| VA |2 Rl
2
Al

,
m
.
(4.70)
8Wi ( Rr Rl )2
8Wi RA2
The capture area is the area, which when multiplied with the incident wave
power density, produces the total power intercepted by the antenna:
Pt | I A |2 ( Rr Rl RL )
.
(4.71)
Ac

Wi
2Wi
In the case of conjugate matching,
| VA |2 ( Rr Rl RL ) | VA |2 ( RA RL ) | VA |2 1
Ac

.
(4.72)
8Wi ( Rr Rl )2
8Wi
RA2
4Wi RA
The capture area is the sum of the effective area, the loss area and the
scattering area:
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29

Ac Ae Al As .
When conjugate matching is achieved,
Ae Al As 0.5 Ac .
If conjugate matching is achieved for a loss-free antenna, then
Ae As 0.5 Ac .

Nikolova 2012

(4.73)
(4.74)
(4.75)

30