Optimization of microstrip feed geometry for prime focus reflector antennas

The radiation characteristics of a circular microstrip antenna are studied numerically. Surface integral equations are used to formulate the problem from the boundary conditions and moment methods are used to reduce the integral equations to a matrix equation. An analytic method is used to design a microstrip feed and to achieve symmetric radiation patterns with low cross polarization and backlobe levels. The backlobe level is reduced by adding a quarter-wavelength choke to the side wall or the ground plane of the antenna and the bandwidth is improved by stacking two layers. The performance of the feed with the reflector antenna is also considered. One of the feeds was fabricated and tested. Satisfactory agreement between the computed results and the measurement data was obtained. The microstrip feed has a very small size which should reduce its blockage of the reflector aperture.>