Efficient horn antennas for next-generation terahertz and millimeter-wave space telescopes
Efficient horn antennas for next-generation terahertz and millimeter-wave space telescopes
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用于下一代太赫兹和毫米波空间望远镜的高效喇叭天线
DOI：
10.1117/12.2001268
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发表时间：
2013
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
C. O'sullivan
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
D. McCarthy;N. Trappe;A. Murphy;C. Bracken;S. Doherty;M. Gradziel;C. O'sullivan
远红外天文观测对于研究宇宙微波背景 (CMB) 辐射以及行星、恒星和星系的形成和演化至关重要。就太空望远镜接收器而言，波纹喇叭天线馈源具有强大的传统，可将远红外信号耦合到安装在波导或空腔结构中的探测器。例如，在普朗克卫星中，此类天线馈电已在用于观测 CMB 的单模通道和针对前景源检测而优化的多模通道中得到利用。着眼于未来太空任务的需求，显然大型阵列需要开发用于优化和简化喇叭天线结构的新技术解决方案。喇叭天线将继续为 CMB 极化实验提供出色的波束和极化特性控制，满足大型阵列中低旁瓣电平、对称性和低交叉极化的严格要求。类似地，对于中红外系统，多模波导结构将提供高吞吐量以达到所需的灵敏度。在本文中，我们提出了一种计算有效的方法来建模和优化喇叭特性。我们研究了光滑壁异形喇叭，其性能与传统上用于 CMB 测量的波纹喇叭相同。我们讨论了喇叭优化过程和可用于最大化指标参数性能（例如低交叉极化或高高斯性）的算法。
Astronomical observations in the far-infrared are critical for investigation of cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation and the formation and evolution of planets, stars and galaxies. In the case of space telescope receivers a strong heritage exists for corrugated horn antenna feeds to couple the far-infrared signals to the detectors mounted in a waveguide or cavity structure. Such antenna feeds have been utilized, for example, in the Planck satellite in both single-mode channels for the observation of the CMB and the multi-mode channels optimized for the detection of foreground sources. Looking to the demands of the future space missions, it is clear that the development of new technology solutions for the optimization and simplification of horn antenna structures will be required for large arrays. Horn antennas will continue to offer excellent control of beam and polarization properties for CMB polarisation experiments satisfying stringent requirements on low sidelobe levels, symmetry and low cross polarization in large arrays. Similarly for mid infrared systems multi-mode waveguide structures will give high throughput to reach the required sensitivities. In this paper we present a computationally efficient approach for modelling and optimising horn characteristics. We investigate smooth-walled profiled horns that have a performance equivalent to that of the corrugated horns traditionally used for CMB measurements. We discuss the horn optimisation process and the algorithms available to maximise performance of a merit parameter such as low cross polarisation or high Gaussicity.