OVERVIEW

The course aims to review the basic notions about antennas and introduce more advanced ones. The focus is mainly on a broader view of the problem of antennas, also in relation to the new technologies continuously being developed in today's information society.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Analysis of antenna systems

Design of simple antennas and their feeding systems

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to train the student in the ability to analyze an antenna system from data provided by third parties, as well as the ability to design simple antennas. Emphasis is also placed on the ability to evaluate the adequacy of a supply, as well as the ability to formulate specifications for simple antenna systems as part of more complex information engineering projects.

PREREQUISITES

Basic knowledge of electromagnetic fields and transmission lines as well as knowledge of mathematical analysis are assumed to be acquired and will be verified during evaluation.

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures and exercises

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

1. Electromagnetic field and Maxwell's equations 
2. Electromagnetic field energy and Poynting's theorem
3. Electromagnetic waves
   1. Silver-Müller radiation conditions for the field at infinity
4. Electromagnetic potentials
   1. The Green's function method 
   2. Retarded potentials
   3. Retarded fields and the Jefimenko equations
      1.  Near field 
      2.  Far field 
5. Radiation from a generic source in sinusoidal steady state
   1.  Vector potential and fields in sinusoidal steady state
6. Parameters characterizing the antennas
   1. Power of electromagnetic fields
   2. Quantities characterizing the antenna in transmission
      1.  Radiation diagram
      2.  Aperture angle
      3.  Directivity function and directivity
      4.  Gain function and gain
      5.  Antenna input impedance
      6. Phase center
   3. Radiation characteristic regions 
7. Wire antennas
   1. Thin wire approximation 
   2. Hertzian Dipole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
   3. Short dipole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
   4. Long" dipole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
   5. Balancing issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
   6. Folded dipole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
   7. Image method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
   8. Monopole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
   9. Elementary loop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8. Aperture Antennas
   1. Huygens elementary source 
   2. Equivalence theorem . . . . . . . . . . . . .
      1. Radiation intensity . . . . . . . .
   3. Circular aperture with uniform illumination
   4. Parabolic antennas
   5. Horn antennas
9. Synthesis antennas
   1. Array antennas 
      1. Uniform Linear Arrays
      2. Grating lobes 
      3. Planar Arrays 
      4. Rectangular uniform arrays 
      5. Phased arrays
   2. Yagi-Uda antenna 
10. Receiving antenna
    1. Effective height 
    2. Effective area 
    3. Circuit model of a receiving antenna
    4. Reception diagram
    5. Relationship between effective area and gain .
    6. Friis' formula
11. Characteristic parameters in time-domain
    1. Distortion and Fidelity Factor
    2. Radiation diagram and Similarity Factor
    3. System Fidelity Factor

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Reference books
Conciauro, G., Introduzione alle onde elettromagnetiche, McGraw-Hill Italia, 1993.
Conciauro, G., Perregrini, L., Fondamenti di onde elettromagnetiche, McGraw-Hill Italia, 2003.
Franceschetti, G., Campi elettromagnetici, Bollati Boringhieri, 1988.
Marzano, F. S., Pierdicca N., Fondamenti di antenne. Radiazione elettromagnetica e applicazioni, Carocci, 2011.
Orfanidis, S. J., Electromagnetic Waves and Antennas, freely downloadable from:
http://www.ece.rutgers.edu/~orfanidi/ewa/
Advanced textbooks
Geyi, W., Foundations of Applied Electrodynamics, John Wiley & Sons, 2010.
Thidé, B., Electromagnetic Field Theory, freely downloadable from: http://www.plasma.uu.se/CED/Book

Course notes and slides usually available through AulaWeb

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

GIAN LUIGI GRAGNANI (President)

MIRCO RAFFETTO

ANDREA RANDAZZO

LESSONS

LESSONS START

https://corsi.unige.it/8732/p/studenti-orario

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Homework will be assigned (at times not interfering with classes). At least one of these assignments must be completed satisfactorily in order to access the oral exam that concludes the evaluation.

Normally oral examinations take place by appointment.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Both the homework and the oral test will focus on the development of what was learned during the course and may also require basic knowledge of electromagnetism and mathematics that are assumed previously acquired. 

Exam schedule