On the Reflectivity of Materials for Radio Telescope and Space Antenna Applications: Antenna reflector loss needs to be known for many specific antenna applications
Journal: IEEE Antennas and Propagation Magazine
Year: 2022

System requirements can dictate the use of antenna reflector materials that are not electrically optimum and clearly not “perfectly electrically conducting.” This makes loss measurements necessary. A loss that is not acceptable for one application might be acceptable for another application. Instrument or radiometer antennas require a low loss, but, sometimes, this could be less critical for telecommunication antennas. We investigated less conventional materials, including a nickel-based materia