Lecture - 2

2.2.3 Radiation Zones

The space surrounding the antenna is divided into three regions according to the predominant
field behavior.

Reactive near field region

This is the region immediately surrounding the antenna. When kr << 1, the terms which vary
inversely with higher powers of kr become dominant. In this region field is reactive. The near field of the
dipole is given by

Er

j I 0 e jkr
cos
2 kr 3

I 0 e jkr
j
sin
4 kr 3

E H r H 0
jkr

I 0 e
sin
4 r 2
o

Note: There exists a phase difference of 90 between the electric field component and the magnetic field
component. So these are in phase quadrature, which indicates reactive power. Investigating the Poynting
vector of dominant near field terms, we get

1
1
1
E H* Er r E H * Er H * E H * r
2
2
2

I 0l sin cos sin 2

j

r
2r 5
k 4
r5
2

The Poynting vector for the infinitesimal dipole near field is purely imaginary, this corresponds to stored
energy or reactive power.

Radiating near field Region

This is an intermediate region between the reactive near-field and the far-field region, where the radiation
field is more significant but angular field distribution is still dependent on the distance from the antenna.
In this region kr > 1. The dominant terms for radiating near-field of the infinitesimal dipole are the terms
which are constant with respect to kr for E and H and the term proportional to kr

for Er .

I 0 e jkr
cos
2 r 2
KI e jkr
E j 0
sin
4 r
kI e jkr
H j 0
sin
4 r
Er

The radial component Er is still not negligible, but the transverse components E ,H

are dominant.

Far field region

1
r

When kr >>1, only terms containing in the electric and magnetic field expressions are considered.
The angular field distribution does not depend on the distance from the source any more, i.e. the dominant
terms in the far field of the infinitesimal dipole are constant with respect to kr.

KI 0 e jkr
E j
sin
4 r
Er E H r H 0
H j

KI 0 e jkr
sin
4 r

In the far field:

1. No radial components of field vector are present.
2. The field distribution is independent of r.
3. The far the field component E & H produce radially-directed real valued Poynting vector (radiated
power).
4. The propagating wave is a transverse electromagnetic (TEM) wave.
5. The ratio of electric field to a magnetic field for infinitesimal dipole yields the intrinsic impendence of
the medium,

E
.
H

2.2.4 Total Power and Radiation Resistance

To determine the total complex power (radiated plus reactive) produced by the infinitesimal dipole, we
integrate the Poynting vector over a spherical surface enclosing the antenna. We must use the complete
field expressions to determine both the radiated and reactive power. The time-average complex Poynting
vector is

1
1
1
E H [( Er ar E a ) Ha ] [ Er Ha E Har ]
2
2
2

The total complex power passing through the spherical surface of radius r is found by integrating the
normal component of the Poynting vector over the surface.

1
2

S
2

1
S ds
2

E H r

E H a

Er Ha ar r 2 sin d d

0 0

sin d d Prad j 2 W 'm W 'e

0 0

The terms W 'e and W 'm represent the radial electric and magnetic energy density flow through the
spherical surface S.

j jkr
1
kI l
E H 0 sin j
e

kr kr 2
4 r

kI l

0 sin j e jkr
kr

4 r

k I l

0 sin
4 r

1 j j 1 1 j
kr kr kr 2 kr 2 kr 3

1 j
kr 3

The total power through the sphere is

k I0 l

sin
4 r

k I
P 0
2 4
k I
0
2 4
4

2
1

sin 3 d d
3
kr

0 0

1 j 2 1 cos sin 2 2
3
kr 3

k I0

I l
0
3

1 j
kr 3

1 j
kr 3

Separating the real and imaginary parts of the complex power we can obtain the radiated power and the
reactive power in the radial direction.

So the time average radiated power: Prad

I l
k I0
0

3
3 2

I0 l

Time-average reactive power: 2 Wm ' We '

3

(2.7)

kr 3

(2.8)

The radiation resistance for the infinitesimal dipole can be obtained from
2

Prad

I l
1 2
0 I 0 Rr

3
2

So the radiation resistance for infinitesimal dipole is :

2
Rr
3

l
2 l
80

(2.9)

2.2.5 Infinitesimal Dipole Radiation Intensity and Directivity

The radiation intensity of the infinitesimal dipole may be found by using the previously determined total
fields.

Prad

1
Re
2

E H ds

1
Re
2

E H r

sin d d

0 0

U , sin d d
0 0

Radiation intensity :
U ,

r2
Re E H

r 2 k I0 l
sin

2 4 r

(2.10)

1.5sin 2

(2.11)

k I0 l
sin

2 4

Directivity:

D , 4

U ,
Prad

k I0 l
sin

2 4

k I
0
3 2

The maximum directivity of infinitesimal dipole : D0 D , max 1.5

(2.12)

2.2.6 Infinitesimal Dipole Effective Aperture and Solid Beam Angle

The effective aperture of the infinitesimal dipole is found from the maximum directivity:
Ae

2
2 3
D0
4
4 2

So the effective aperture of infinitesimal dipole is:

3 2
Ae
8

(2.13)

The beam solid angle for the infinitesimal dipole can be found from the maximum directivity,
A

4 4 8

3
D0
3
2

(2.14)