Patent ID: 8810468
Filing Date: 2014-08-19
Classification: H01Q

Abstract:
1. A reflector-based antenna, comprising: a primary reflector having a focal point; an antenna feed spaced from the primary reflector and located at approximately the focal point for illuminating the primary reflector with or receiving from the primary reflector radio frequency (RF) energy, said feed forming a central blockage of the primary reflector along a boresight axis; and an RF beam-shaping element formed of a dielectric material and located between the primary reflector and the antenna feed, said dielectric material configured with a non-flat front surface facing the primary reflector and a non-flat rear surface facing the antenna feed, said front and rear surfaces having different curvatures such that the dielectric material has non-uniform thickness, said dielectric material being thinner near the boresight axis to steer RF energy from the feed that is transmitted through the dielectric material away from the central blockage towards unblocked regions of the primary reflector such that power radiated toward the central blockage from the feed is reduced and the majority of the radiated power illuminates the unblocked regions of the primary reflector, wherein the curved front and rear surfaces are configured such that RF beam-shaping element is net-divergent in that the element causes more RF energy to diverge away from the boresight axis than to converge towards the boresight axis.