Simplifying design and design process for near-field focusing array antennas

  • L.L. Chan

Student thesis: Master

Abstract

Recently, the near-field focusing (NFF) techniquehas been used for RF power transfer purposes toconcentrate power at near-field distances from an array face.This was accomplished using a number of Yagi-Uda radiatorspointing towards a focal point. We wish to simplify and speedup the design process for such RF power transfer systemsby reducing the complexity of the antenna and by providingapproximate analysis models. We reduce the complexity byusing only one fed (active) dipole element in the transmitterantenna. To achieve the NFF effect with one feed source,we surround the active dipole with non-fed dipole elementsof varying positions and lengths. To attain a faster designprocess, we create two approximate analysis models tofind the antenna performance. Our approximate modelsuse analytical equations and a combination of analyticalequations with a method of moment (MoM) based programto obtain the scattering parameters of the antenna system.After realizing and measuring a test design, we found thatthe approximate models and the one-feed NFF array designwe presented are useful simplifications for fast NFF arrayantenna design. They can serve as initial design tools inpreparation of fine-tuning using full-wave methods.
Date of Award31 Oct 2014
Original languageEnglish
SupervisorHuib J. Visser (Supervisor 1) & Bas P. de Hon (Supervisor 2)

Cite this

'