Analysis of the Performance of Multi-Beam Reflector Antennas Using EBG Super-Strates to Realize Equivalent Overlapping Feed Configurations

This paper deals with the analysis and the Design of Electronic Bandgap, EBG, super-strates to improve the aperture efficiency of the elements in an array of small waveguide feeds located in the focal plane of a reflector antenna. A dedicated software capable of analyzing these arrays in a full wave manner has been developed and interfaced with a Physical Optics tool in order to characterize the increase of the performance of the entire system. The preliminary results are encouraging as at least 1 dB improvement in the edge of coverage gain is achieved, over a significant bandwidth (8%), for an array of 9 elements when only the central element is fed.