Ultra Scientist Vol. 24(1)B, 69-74 (2012).

Role of spillover and illumination efficiency in case

of parabolic antennas
G.B. VAKIL, S.M. MASOOD, S.A. SIMNANI and SHIEKH ANSAR

Department of Physics, University of Kashmir, Srinagar (INDIA)

(Acceptance Date 29th November, 2011)

Abstract
In receiving mode when an antenna gets signal from space, like
satellite , it is known that there is a very little back ground noise emanating
from sky, compared to noise generated by the warn 300 Kelvin earth
during terrestrial communication . It is true that most of the noise received
by an antenna pointed at the sky is earth's noise arriving through feed
spill, which can be reduced by increasing edge taper.

Introduction have more critical dimensions than horns and

lenses.
It is well known fact that dish antenna
A dish antenna work the same way
can provide extremely high gains at micro
1,2 as a reflecting optical telescope. Electromagnetic
wave frequencies. A 2 ft dish at 10 GHz waves either light or radio waves arrive on
can provide more than 30 dB of gain and it is parallel paths from a source and are reflected
only limited by the size of the parabolic reflector to a common point called focus as shown in
these high gains are only achievable if the fig below.
antennas are properly implemented and dishes
70 G.B. Vakil, et al.

Parabolic reflector antennas, often There are a number of factors that affect the
called parabolic dishes are normally used in parabolic antenna gain. These factors include
applications where gain and directivity are of the following:
paramount importance. Satellite TV reception, 1. Diameter for the parabolic reflector antenna
microwave links and other satellite links are reflecting surface
prime examples of where parabolic reflector 2. Surface accuracy
gain is used. 3. Quality of illumination of the reflecting surface
4. Frequency or wavelength of the signal
The parabolic reflector antenna is ideal being received or transmitter
for high gain applications. At microwave
frequencies where these antennas are normally The parabolic antenna gain can easily
used, they are able to produce very high levels be calculated from a knowledge of the diameter
of gain, and they offer a very convenient and of the reflecting surface, the wavelength of
robust structure that is able to withstand the the signal, and a knowledge or estimate of the
rigours of external use, while still being able to efficiency of the antenna.
perform well. Many other types of antenna
design are not practiceable at these frequencies. The parabolic reflector antenna gain
is calculated as the gain over an isotropic source,
High gain parabolic reflector antennas i.e. relative to a source that radiates equally in
come in a variety of sizes. The most commonly all directions. This is a theoretical source that
seen are those used for satellite television is used as the benchmark against which most
reception. However parabolic antennas are antennas are compared. The gain is quoted in
used in many other applications. Parabolic this manner is denoted as dBi.
reflector antennas are also often seen on
microwave towers for communications. The standard formula for the parabolic
reflector antenna gain is:
Larger ones still can often be seen on TV
broadcast stations where signals need to be 10 log 10 k ( D) 2
transmitted up to a broadcast satellite and Gain G =
2
where performance is paramount. Even larger 
antennas may also be used for other where
communications or even space research G is the gain over an isotropic source in dB
applications. Some these parabolic antennas k is the efficiency factor which is generally
are many tens of metres across. around 50% to 60%, i.e. 0.5 to 0.6 D is the
diameter of the parabolic reflector in metres
The one common feature of all these lambda is the wavelength of the signal in metres
examples is the parabolic antenna gain, or
parabolic dish gain. While the larger antennas From this it can be seen that very large
have greater levels of parabolic antenna gain, gains can be achieved if sufficiently large
the performance of all these antennas is of reflectors are used. However when the antenna
prime importance. has a very large gain, the beamwidth is also
Role of spillover and illumination efficiency in case of parabolic antennas. 71

very small and the antenna requires very sources of illumination.

careful control over its position. In professional
systems electrical servo systems are used to Some of the difficulties fond in real
provide very precise positioning. antennas are easier to understand when
considering a transmitting antenna, but are also
In order to optimum illumination of the in receiving one.
reflecting surface, the level of illumination
should be greater in the centre than at the sides. In practical dish antennas we put a
and it can be shown that the optimum situation point source at the focus, so that energy would
occurs when the centre is around 10 to 11 dB radiate in all directions both in magnitude and
greater than the illumination at the edge and phase. Now the problem is that energy that is
3
so the lower levels of edge illumination result not radiated towards reflector would be wasted .
in lower levels of side lobes.
Our main task is that we want a feed
The reflecting surface antenna forms antenna that only radiates towards the reflector,
a major part of the whole system anin many and has a phase pattern that appears to radiate
respects it is not as critical as may be thought 4
from a single point .
at first. Often a wire mesh may be used. Provided
that the pitch of the mesh is small compared It has already been known to us that
to a wavelength it will be seen as a continuous efficiency is a measure of how well we use
surface by the radio signals. Now if a mesh is the aperture and if we can illuminate the whole
used then the wind resistance will be reduced, reflector, then we should be using the whole
which provides a significant advantages. aperture, and for this our feed horn pattern
should as in fig. or(a). But analyzing more
Parabolic reflector or dish antenna
closely at the parabolic surface we find that
consists of a radiating element which may be
the focus is farther from the edge of the reflector
a simple dipole or a waveguide horn antenna
than from the centre. As the radiated power
which is placed at the focal point of the parabolic
diminishes will the square of the distance, less
reflecting surface. The energy from the radiating
energy is arriving at the edge of the reflector
element is arranged so that it illuminates the
than centre, which is known as the space
reflecting surface and once the energy is reflected
attenuation or space taper.
it leaves the antenna system in a narrow beam.
As a result considerable levels of gain can be Now in order to compensate we have
3-4
achieved . to provide more power at the edge of dish than
at centre by adjusting feed pattern as shown
Now achieving this is not always easy in the fig. in order have constant illumination
because it is dependent upon the radiator that over the surface of the reflector.
is used. For lower frequencies a dipole element
is often employed whereas at higher frequencies Simple feed antenna like a circular
a circular waveguide may be used. In fact the horn that have many horns have used a pattern
n
circular waveguide provides one of the optimum which can ban approximated by an idealized
72 G.B. Vakil, et al.

Table A,B,and C

Overall Efficiency Spillover Efficiency

S. Edge Taper S. Edge Taper % Efficiency
% Efficiency No. (dB)
No. (dB)
1. 1.04 33.3 1. 1.04 33.3
2. 2.08 49.99 2. 2.08 49.99
3. 4.16 67.77 3. 4.16 68.88
4. 6.24 75.55 4. 6.24 79.99
5. 8.32 79.44 5. 8.32 86.66
6. 10.4 79.99 6. 10.40 92.21
7. 12.48 78.88 7. 12.48 95.55
8. 14.56 77.77 8. 18.56 97.77
9. 16.64 75.55 9. 16.64 99.99
10. 18.72 73.33 10. 18.72 1010.1
11. 20.8 71.1 11. 20.8 102.21

Illumination Efficiency
S. Edge Taper % Efficiency
No. (dB)
1. 1.04 103.32
2. 2.08 102.77
3. 4.16 101.66
4. 6.24 98.88
5. 8.32 95.55
6. 104 91.1
7. 12.48 86.66
8. 14.56 83.33
9. 16.64 79.44
10. 18.72 76.66
11. 20.80 73.33
Role of spillover and illumination efficiency in case of parabolic antennas. 73

 pattern like shown in fig. now as shown in energy near the edge of the dish and have the
fig. we super impose the idealized pattern on energy drop off very quickly beyond the edge.
our desired pattern we have too much energy
in the centre, not enough at the edge and some It is known that all feed horns will
misses the reflector entirely. The missing provide less energy at the edge of dish than in
energy at the edges shown as blue are dotted the centre like the difference in power at the
is called illumination we need to increase edge is referred to as the edge taper. Which
74 Ultra Scientist Vol.24(1)B, (2012).

different feed horns, we can vary the edge Refrences

taper with which a dish is illuminated.
1. L. Diaz and T. Milligan, Antenna Engineering
5,6
Different edge tapers produce using Physical Optics, Artech (1996).
different amounts of illumination loss and spill 2. C.C. Cutler, "Parabolic Antenna Design for
over loss. Microwave, Proceeding of the IRE, Nov
(1947).
Some of the small edge taper results 3. P.C. Wade, N1BT, "Secrets of Parabolic
in larger spill over loss, while a large edge taper Antennas,"Proceeding of Microwave
produces the spillover loss at the expense of uptadate ARRL', pp34-35 (1994).
increased illumination loss. On plotting these 4. Microwave Devices and Circuits by Samuel
losses verses the energy at the dish, we find Y. Lio
the what efficiency of a dish antenna peaks 5. Per-Simon Kildal, Foundations of Antennas
with an illumination tapers so that the energy -A Unified Approach, Studentlitteratur,
at the edge is about 10 dB lower than the (2000).
energy in centre. This often referred to as 10 dB 6. Joseph B. Keller, "Geometrical Theory of
edge taper or edge illumination, often recom- Diffraction," Journal Optical Society of
mended but not explained. America, February, pp. 116-130 (1962).