A novel 2–18 GHz double‐ridged horn antenna with simple structure

Abstract A 2–18 GHz double‐ridged horn antenna (DRHA) with simple structure is proposed in this paper. Previous studies have found that the radiation patterns of traditional DRHA cannot keep good characteristics in the whole frequency band. The main lobes would split and the gain would seriously decline when frequency is above 12 GHz. And the gaps between the internal structure, especially those in the feeding section formed in design and machining process, could cause serious effect on the performance of antenna. To overcome these problems, the Bézier curve instead of the exponential type curve and simplified feeding section that eliminates the wedges are utilized to design the DRHA. The problem that caused by the gaps in the feeding section is solved by extending the end of ridge into the short circuit board and eliminating the wages. The proposed antenna can achieve good radiation characteristics over the whole frequency band from 2 to 18 GHz. The VSWR is less than 2 and the gain is stable in the high frequency band. The proposed antenna is suitable for electromagnetic compatibility testing and the feed for reflector antennas.