volume | PIER Journals

Abstract

We apply the ESPRIT algorithm to decompose the currents on a helical antenna into different traveling wave modes. The strengths, phase velocities and decay constants of the various modes are extracted across frequencies. Their contributions to the antenna performance including gain, polarization and time-domain radiated pulse shape are investigated. Our results show that the T₀⁺ mode is a dominant contributor to the helix gain at the low end of the frequency band while the T₁⁺ mode contributes significantly to the gain at higher frequencies. It is also found that the reflected current modes from the open end reduce the circular polarization purity of the helix. Lastly, it is observed that the T₁⁺ and T₀⁺ modes contribute constructively to a low-dispersion pulse from the antenna.

1. Kraus, J. D., "Helical beam antennas for wide-band applications," Proc. IRE, Vol. 36, 1236-1242, Oct. 1948.
doi:10.1109/JRPROC.1948.231603

2. Kraus, J. D. and R. J. Marhefka, Antennas for All Applications, 3rd Edition, McGraw Hill, 2002.

3. Nakano, H., Helical and Spiral Antennas --- A Numerical Approach, Wiley and Sons, 1987.

4. Mayes, J. R., W. J. Carey, W. C. Nunnally, and L. Altgilbers, "The Marx generator as an ultra wideband source," Pulsed Power Plasma Science, 510, 2001.

5. Giri, D. V., J. S. Levine, F. M. Tesche, and Y. Rahmat-Samii, "Numerical modeling of helical antenna excited by transient waveforms," Directed Energy Test and Evaluation Conference, Albuquerque, NM, 2007.

6. Maclean, T. S. M. and R. G. Kouyoumjian, "The bandwidth of helical antennas," IRE Trans. Antennas Propagat., Vol. 7, 379-386, Dec. 1959.

7. Ghosh, S., A. K. Sinha, R. K. Gupta, S. N. Joshi, P. K. Jain, and B. N. Basu, "Space-harmonic effects in helical slow-wave structure --- An equivalent circuit analysis," Progress In Electromagnetics Research, Vol. 30, 85-104, 2001.
doi:10.2528/PIER00011001

8. Marsh, J. A., "Current distributions on helical antennas," Proc. IRE, Vol. 39, 668-675, Jun. 1951.
doi:10.1109/JRPROC.1951.234127

9. Roy, R., A. Paulraj, and T. Kailath, "ESPRIT --- A subspace rotation approach to estimation of parameters of cisoids in noise," IEEE Trans. Acoust., Speech, Signal Processing, Vol. 34, 1340-1342, Oct. 1986.
doi:10.1109/TASSP.1986.1164935

10. Li, Y., H. Ling, M. Mayes, and J. Mayes, "Current decomposition in helical antennas using ESPRIT," IEEE Antennas Propagation Society International Symposium, 1237-1240, San Diego, CA, Jul. 2008.

11. Wang, Y. and H. Ling, "Multimode parameter extraction for multiconductor transmission lines via single-pass FDTD and signal-processing techniques," IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech., Vol. 46, 89-96, Jan. 1998.
doi:10.1109/22.654927

12. Li, Y. and H. Ling, "Extraction of wave propagation mechanisms in a cut-wire array using the ESPRIT algorithm," IEEE Antennas Wireless Propagat. Lett., Vol. 8, 744-747, May 2009.
doi:10.1109/LAWP.2009.2021866

13. Hurst, M. P. and R. Mittra, "Scattering center analysis via Prony's method," IEEE Trans. Antennas Propagat., Vol. 35, 986-988, Aug. 1987.
doi:10.1109/TAP.1987.1144210

14. Schmidt, R. O., "Multiple emitter location and signal parameter estimation," IEEE Trans. Antennas Propagat., Vol. 34, 276-280, Mar. 1986.
doi:10.1109/TAP.1986.1143830

15. Nakano, H., Y. Samada, and J. Yamauchi, "Axial mode helical antennas," IEEE Trans. Antennas Propagat., Vol. 34, 1143-1148, Sep. 1986.
doi:10.1109/TAP.1986.1143944

16. Ghosh, D., A. De, M. C. Taylor, T. K. Sarkar, M. C. Wicks, and E. L. Mokole, "Transmission and reception by ultra-wideband (UWB) antennas," IEEE Antennas Propagation Magazine, Vol. 48, 67-99, Oct. 2006.
doi:10.1109/MAP.2006.277157

Dr. Yang Li

Professor Hao Ling