Theoretical analysis of the Pickett Potter horn-reflector antenna for submillimetre-wave applications

Abstract

A Pickett-Potter (1984, 1963) horn-reflector feed for short wavelength (>700 GHz) SIS mixer has been theoretically designed and a 15 GHz scale model of a Pickett-Potter horn has been developed and tested. The antenna comprises of offset parabolic reflector fed by a Pickett-Potter horn. The horn is easy to machine, and yet still preserves the desirable electrical properties of a corrugated horn, namely low cross polarisation, low sidelobe level and nearly circular beam shape, albeit over a reduced bandwidth. The calculations are based on the modal matching method and conformal mapping.