Near-field – far-field transformation with a planar wide-mesh scanning: experimental testing

This communication deals with the experimental validation of an efficient near-field – far-field (NF–FF) transformation using the planar wide-mesh scanning. Such a scanning technique is so named, since the sample grid is characterized by meshes wider and wider when going away from the center, and makes possible to lower the number of needed measurements, as well as the time required for the data acquisition when dealing with quasi-planar antennas. It relies on the use of the nonredundant sampling representation of electromagnetic fields based on the use of a very flexible modelling of the antenna under test, formed by two circular “bowls” with the same aperture diameter but eventually different bending radii. A two-dimensional optimal sampling interpolation formula allows the reconstruction of the NF data at any point on the measurement plane and, in particular, at those required by the classical NF–FF transformation with the conventional plane-rectangular scanning. The measurements, performed at the planar NF facility of the antenna characterization laboratories of Selex ES, have confirmed the effectiveness of this nonconventional scanning, also from the experimental viewpoint