The Book End
Antenna Theory – Analysis and Design
Constantine A. Balanis
John Wiley & Sons Inc.
941 pages plus software; $92.95
This book’s main objective is to introduce the fundamental principles of antenna theory and apply them to antenna analysis, design and measurement. This second edition contains new features, including a chapter devoted to microstrip antennas, and additional introductory material on several analysis and design methods. In addition, FORTRAN computer programs are listed at the end of each chapter that can be used for design and analysis, and a computer program is supplied based on the finite-difference time domain method to animate and visualize radiation. These programs are supplied with the text on a 3.5-inch disk.
Applications are applied to some of the most basic and practical antenna configurations, such as linear dipoles, loops, arrays, and broadband, frequency-independent, aperture, horn, microstrip and reflector antennas. Introductory material on analytical methods, such as the moment method and Fourier transform technique, is included. A chapter on antenna measurements introduces state-of-the-art measurement methods for most basic antenna characteristics, such as pattern, gain, directivity, radiation efficiency, impedance, current and polarization. The section also updates progress made in antenna instrumentation, antenna range design and scale modeling. Techniques and systems used in near- to far-field measurements and transformations also are discussed.
Design procedures for Yagi-Uda and log-periodic arrays, horns and microstrip patches are described, as well as techniques using the Schelkunoff, Fourier transform, Woodward-Lawson, Tschebyscheff and Taylor methods. Radiation characteristics of corrugated, aperture-matched and multimode horns are explained, and analyses of rectangular and circular microstrip patches are described. Binomial, Tschebyscheff, T, gamma and omega matching techniques are detailed.
The book is designed as a graduate and undergraduate text and as a reference book for practicing engineers. The math supports the subject sufficiently and several illustrations are included.
To order this book, contact:
John Wiley & Sons Inc.,
605 Third Ave.,
New York, NY 10158
(212) 850-6336 or (800) 225-5945.
Design Centering Using Mu-Sigma Graphs and System Simulation
Peter Vizmuller
Artech House Inc.
201 pages plus software; $85, £65
Design centering is the process of selecting nominal operating parameters such that the greatest amount of variance can be accommodated without exceeding the given specifications. This book expands upon that concept to the design centering of entire systems using the mu-sigma graph and system simulation as tools, and a low failure rate as a design target.
A mu-sigma graph is a plot of a parameter’s mean value vs. its allowed standard deviation for a particular system-parameter failure rate. Circuits and devices specified by means of mu-sigma graphs have no need for upper and lower specification limit requirements since the failure rate is not derived with respect to those limits but to a higher system-level specification, such as receiver sensitivity or transmitter power. Thus, this book guides the reader through the design-centering concept using the mu-sigma graph and system simulations as the primary tools for this product optimization method. A very small failure rate, instead of a more traditional high yield rate, is used as a design parameter throughout the book.
Product quality refers to the failure rate of a product. Product success is achieved when the computer simulation shows that the failure rate targets are achievable, realistic circuit requirements have been developed in terms of mu-sigma graphs and the required number of physical prototypes have been measured to verify that the quality goals have been achieved.
The steps and methods required to achieve this result are spelled out clearly in the book as well as on the associated compact disk. The seven chapters and three appendices provide a good introduction to this design-centering method and offer realistic examples of its applications. The concepts introduced can be used effectively by product developers, design engineers and engineering managers to produce high quality, predictable designs, to determine how many prototypes are required to measure and validate those designs and to use simple statistical concepts confidently to support their decisions.
To order this book, contact:
Artech House Inc.,
685 Canton St.,
Norwood, MA 02062
(781) 769-9750, ext. 4002; or
Portland House, Stag Place,
London SW1E 5XA, UK
+44 (0) 171 973 8077.