design

Design prototype antenna or arrays for resonance around specified frequency

Syntax

hant = design(antenna,frequency)

harray = design(array,frequency)

harray = design(array,frequency,elements)

harray = design(conformalarray,frequency)

harray = design(conformalarray,frequency,elements)

harray = design(infinitearray,frequency)

harray = design(infinitearray,frequency,elements)

ha = design(planewaveexcitation,frequency)

ha = design(planewaveexcitation,frequency,direction)

Description

hant = design(antenna,frequency) designs an antenna object from the antenna library that resonates at the specified frequency.

harray = design(array,frequency) designs an array of dipoles that operates at the specified frequency. The spacing between elements is half a wavelength.

harray = design(array,frequency,elements) designs an array of elements for operation at the specified frequency. The spacing between elements is half a wavelength, if possible. If the object cannot achieve half-wavelength spacing, it uses the element size to calculate the separation between elements and evenly distributes the elements on a sphere with a radius proportional to the largest element in element.

harray = design(conformalarray,frequency) designs a conformal array of dipole and bowtie elements at the specified frequency. The object places the elements in the locations specified by the default conformalArray object. If the object cannot place elements at the specified positions due to the intersection of elements, it uses the element size to calculate the spacing between elements and distributes the elements on a sphere with a radius proportional to the largest element in the Elementsproperty of the conformalArray object.

harray = design(conformalarray,frequency,elements) designs a conformal array of the specified elements at the specified frequency.

harray = design(infinitearray,frequency) designs an infinite array with a reflector element at the specified frequency.

harray = design(infinitearray,frequency,elements) designs an infinite array of the specified elements at the specified frequency.

Note

• Antennas or arrays that you design with the design function resonate around the design frequency with an error tolerance of 10–15%. To reduce this tolerance and optimize your antenna or array design, use the optimize function.

• The desgin function uses air as its default substrate.

ha = design(planewaveexcitation,frequency) creates a plane-wave excitation environment and calculates the required orientation and polarization of the receiver antenna element to capture the maximum power from the incident plane-wave at the specified frequency.

ha = design(planewaveexcitation,frequency,direction) creates a plane-wave excitation environment with the receiver antenna element orientation direction and calculates the required polarization of this antenna to capture the maximum power from the incident plane-wave at the specified frequency.

Examples

Prototype Antenna Design

Design a prototype microstrip patch antenna that resonates at a frequency of 1 GHz.

p = design(patchMicrostrip,1e9)

p = 
  patchMicrostrip with properties:

               Length: 0.1439
                Width: 0.1874
               Height: 0.0030
            Substrate: [1x1 dielectric]
    GroundPlaneLength: 0.2998
     GroundPlaneWidth: 0.2998
    PatchCenterOffset: [0 0]
           FeedOffset: [0.0303 0]
            Conductor: [1x1 metal]
                 Tilt: 0
             TiltAxis: [1 0 0]
                 Load: [1x1 lumpedElement]

show(p)

Calculate the impedance of the above antenna at the same frequency.

Z = impedance(p,1e9)

Z = 40.4976 -12.3644i

Rectangular Array of Reflector Backed Rounded Bowtie Antennas

Design a rectangular array of reflector backed rounded bowtie antennas to operate at 500 MHz.

b = bowtieRounded('Tilt',90,'TiltAxis',[0 1 0]);
r = reflector('Exciter',b);
ra = design(rectangularArray,500e6,r);
show(ra)

Plot the radiation pattern of the rectangular array at 500 MHz.

pattern(ra,500e6)

Design Conformal Array of Four Elements

Create a default conformal array.

confarraydef = conformalArray

confarraydef = 
  conformalArray with properties:

            Element: {[1x1 dipole]  [1x1 bowtieTriangular]}
    ElementPosition: [2x3 double]
          Reference: 'feed'
     AmplitudeTaper: 1
         PhaseShift: 0
               Tilt: 0
           TiltAxis: [1 0 0]

Design a conformal array using a dipole antenna, folded dipole antenna, meander dipole antenna, and a monopole antenna at 1 GHz.

desC = design(confarraydef,1e9,{dipole, dipoleFolded, dipoleMeander, monopole}) 

desC = 
  conformalArray with properties:

            Element: {[1x1 dipole]  [1x1 dipoleFolded]  [1x1 dipoleMeander]  [1x1 monopole]}
    ElementPosition: [4x3 double]
          Reference: 'feed'
     AmplitudeTaper: 1
         PhaseShift: 0
               Tilt: 0
           TiltAxis: [1 0 0]

desC.ElementPosition

ans = 4×3

         0         0   -1.3016
         0         0   -2.6939
         0         0   -2.8594
         0         0   -3.1498

show(desC)

Design Infinite Array Using Specified Frequency and Antenna

Create an infinite array.

infarrayV1 = infiniteArray

infarrayV1 = 
  infiniteArray with properties:

          Element: [1x1 reflector]
      ScanAzimuth: 0
    ScanElevation: 90
     RemoveGround: 0

show(infarrayV1)

Design the above array using a monopole antenna and at 1 GHz frequency.

infarrayV2 = design(infarrayV1,1e9,monopole)

infarrayV2 = 
  infiniteArray with properties:

          Element: [1x1 monopole]
      ScanAzimuth: 0
    ScanElevation: 90
     RemoveGround: 0

show(infarrayV2)

Input Arguments

antenna — Antenna object

scalar

Antenna object from antenna library, specified as a scalar.

Example: dipole

array — Array object

linearArray | rectangularArray | circularArray

Array object from antenna library, specified as a linearArray, rectangularArray, or circularArray object.

Example: r = reflector;ra = design(rectangularArray,500e6,r); Designs a rectangular array of reflectors operating at a frequency of 500 MHz.

conformalarray — Conformal array object

conformalArray object

Conformal array object, specified as a conformalArray object.

You can position elements in a conformal array in three ways:

• Case 1: Points lie on a line.

• Case 2: Points lie on a plane.

• Case 3: Points lie in 3-D space.

Example: c = conformalArray;ca = design(c,50e6,{dipole,dipoleFolded, dipoleJ, bowtieTriangular,dipole,dipole,dipole,dipole,dipole}); Designs a conformal array of specified elements operating at a frequency of 50 MHz.

infinitearray — Infinite array object

scalar

Infinite array, specified as an infiniteArray object.

Example: i = infiniteArray;ia = design(i,1e9,monopole); Designs an infinite array with a monopole antenna element operating at a frequency of 1 GHz.

planewaveexcitation — Plane-wave excitation environment

planeWaveExcitation object

Plane-wave excitation environment, specified as a planeWaveExcitation object.

Example: design(planeWaveExcitation,1e9); Creates a plane-wave excitation environment and calculates the orientation and polarization of the receiver antenna required to capture the maximum power from the incident plane-wave at 1 GHz.

frequency — Resonant frequency of antenna

real positive scalar

Resonant frequency of the antenna, specified as a real positive scalar.

Example: 55e6

Data Types: double

elements — Antenna object in array

single antenna element | cell array

Antenna object from the antenna library used in the array, specified as a single antenna element or a cell array in conformal array. For more information on element positions for conformal array, see conformalarray.

Example: r = reflector;ra = design(rectangularArray,500e6,r); Designs a rectangular array of reflectors operating at a frequency of 500 MHz.

Example: c = conformalArray;ca = design(c,50e6,{dipole,dipoleFolded, dipoleJ, bowtieTriangular,dipole,dipole,dipole,dipole,dipole}); Designs a conformal array of specified elements operating at a frequency of 50 MHz.

direction — Orientation of receiver antenna element

1-by-3 vector of Cartesian coordinates | 1-by-2 vector of azimuth and elevation angles

Orientation of the receiver antenna element, specified as a 1-by-3 vector of Cartesian coordinates or a 1-by-2 vector of azimuth and elevation angles. When you specify the Cartesian coordinates of a point, the function calculates the direction by joining a line from the origin to this point.

Example: design(planeWaveExcitation,1e9,[45 45])

Output Arguments

hant — Antenna object operating at specified reference frequency

antenna object

Antenna object operating at the specified reference frequency, returned as an antenna object.

harray — Array object operating at specified reference frequency and specified elements

array object

Array object operating at the specified reference frequency and specified elements, returned as an array object.

ha — Plane-wave excitation environment

planeWaveExcitation object

Plane-wave excitation environment, returned as a planeWaveExcitation object. This output contains the receiver antenna orientation and polarization required to capture the maximum power from the incident plane-wave.

Tips

• Use the mesh function to refine your antenna or array prototypes.

Version History

Introduced in R2016b