Relationships Between Antennas as

Scatterers and as Radiators

The field scattered by an antenna contains a component that is For the case of radiation only, all c, equal zero, and the scat-
the short circuit scattered field normalized by the short circuit cur- tering matrix equation reduces t o b = Sooa.A n d Soois the
rent, and a second component that ls the radiation field normal-
antenna port reflection coefficient w i t h a wave incident
ized by the transmitting current and multiplied by a factor (1 - r).
RCS is the magnitude squared of the difference between two terms, from the generator. W h e n the antenna has been removed,
one being the square root of a complex "structural" cross section, d, = c, and the scattering matrix reduces to:
and the other (1 - r) times the square root of a complex "antenna"
cross section. These relationships, and the role of the load imped- 0 , o 0 0
ance are clarified. The connection between antenna directivity and
load effective receiving area is also derived.

INTRODUCTION
The reciprocity of antenna input impedance and pattern
between receive and transmit has been k n o w n for many
decades. W o r k o n the relationship between a scattering
antenna and a transmitting antenna dates at least from the
1920s, starting w i t h Carson and Sommerfeld. The modern
relationship was derived by a number of workers including
W h e n the antenna i s driven by external waves, the mode
in the feed transmission line reflects at the load impedance
w i t h a reflection coefficient r, and a = r b . From the scat-
tering matrix (I), the total fields are
N

King and Harrison [I], Aharoni [2], Stevenson [3], Harrington bS(i- moo)= mC= l sOm~,,, (3)
[4], and Collin [5]. Because this relationship i s of vital irnpor-
tance t o the understanding of antennas as scatterers, and N

because many of the o l d derivations are obtuse, the rela- d: = Snorbs+ c Snmcm. (4)
tionship i s rederived using the approach of Collin.
Here (3) i s a single equation b u t (4) is a set of equations for
THE ANTENNA-SCATTERER
THEOREM n = 1, N.Thesuperscript tindicatestotal fields.Theseequa-
tions can be combined t o give a set of equations for the
The antenna is considered t o have one port, and the elec- outgoing spherical waves:
tric field in space i s assumed t o be expanded i n a series of
N modes. M a n t e n n a portscould be included if desired.The d; = A
s r c SomCm + cN SnmC,. (5)
spatial modes may be infinite in number and they need not I - rsoo
be orthogonal. For purposes of discussion here, the exter-
N o w the field scattered by the antenna i s the difference
nal modes are assumed t o be spherical waves. Let the com-
between the total field and the antenna-absent field:
plex applied and reflected electric field waves in the feed
N N
port transmission line be represented by a and b. The
incoming and outgoing spherical waveswill be represented
di = % c
I- rsOo
SOmC, - c, + c SnmCm.
byc, and d,. Then, ageneral scattering matrix relating these
Next, the short-circuited situation will beexamined. Since
t w o exists:
the reflection coefficient is looking into the load:
b
= (7)
d,
dN A short-circuit is r = -1, w i t h the result:

Manuscript received April 22, 1988; revised July 17, 1988.

The author is a consulting engineer, P.O. Box 215, Tarzana, CA
91356, USA.
IEEE Log Number 8927978. The superscript o denotes short-circuit.

0018-921918910500-0659$01.OO 0 1989 IEEE

PROCEEDINGS OF THE IEEE, VOL. 77, NO. 5, M A Y 1989 659

 Subtracting (8) from (6) gives:
This gives theoutgoing spherical modecoefficients in terms
of the short-circuited outgoing mode coefficients, and the
scattering matrix and reflection coefficient parameters. I n
all ofthis it isassumed thatthespectrumof incomingwaves,
c, i s known.
For the case of incident external waves only, the short-
circuit current i s
a - b = -2b = I,<.
From the original scattering matrix equation, the short-cir-
cuit reflected wave i n the transmission line is given by:
N k
b = Sooa + 1
SC
,, = -Soob +c
Substituting the short-circuit current result from ( I O ) gives
the following:
*v
I,G(I +
b(1 + Soo) = C SC, , = -
2 COEFFICIENT
Now consider the antenna radiating w i t h no externally
incident waves. For this case:
di = aaSnO.
Here the superscript a signifies a radiation situation. The
applied field can be written i n terms of current and imped-
ance, normalized by the inverse of the square root of char-
acteristic impedance:
Here I, is the antenna current, while Z, is the antenna input
impedance. From these, the outgoing spherical waves pro-
duced by the driving antenna current can be found:
Finally, when both the short-circuit scattering, (12), and
radiation results, (15), are substituted into (9),the result i s
This i s the key equation, which relates the complex coef-
ficients t o those of the outgoing wave with a short circuit,
and under radiation conditions. Note that I , i s the short-cir-
cuit current when the scatterer i s illuminated by the set of
incomingwaves c, and I, i s the antenna current which pro-
duces the set of outgoing waves d:. Now, the load and
antenna coefficients will be written t o eliminate the trans-
mission line of characteristic impedance Z, i n between:
Since the reflection coefficient term i n (16) may be written
as:
660
the final result can be written as:
d, = d: -
Recall that this i s a set of equations for all of the outgoing
spherical modes. Because the electric field is just a sum-
mation of these modes, the electric field can be similarly
written:
(20)
(10) This is the final theorem, expressing the fields scattered by
an antenna i n terms of the short-circuited field plus the
radiated field multiplied by a load antenna impedance fac-
tor. The radiated field i s normalized by the antenna driving
SO,,,^,,,. (11)
current; and i n a similar fashion the short-circuited scat-
tered field is normalized by the short-circuit current. It i s
important t o note, however, that the total scattered field i s
also normalized by the short-circuit current.
SOO). (12) THE ANTENNA-SCATTERING
THEOREM OF REFLECTION
IN TERMS
Since the basic antenna-scattering result from the pre-
vious section does not involve the antenna port charac-
teristic impedance, it i s n o w convenient t o define an
(13) antenna reflection coefficient as:
ra = zz,a -+ ZL
~
ZL
Using this in (20), the fields immediately become:
Note that if the transmission line of (17) vanishes, the ofr
that equation i s just the negative of (21); negative because
the rs are looking i n opposite directions. It is useful t o
rewrite this equation into a term involving Fa and a second
term:
r
Here /short = I,, and Ian,= I, are spelled out. Of course, any
field can be separated into a linear combination of a con-
stant and a term times Fa; the crucial thing here i s that Fa
multiplies only the radiated antenna field. However, the
translation of (23), relating fields into an equation relating
cross sections, does not produce such a clean separation.
Discussion of this significant point will be deferred.
GREENS
DECOMPOSITION
Green [6], [7] started w i t h the basic equation (20). The
objectivewas towritethescatteredfield for any load imped-
ance in terms of the scattered field for a conjugate match
impedance and the radiation field. The short-circuit field
is eliminated between eq. (20) for load impedance ZL,and
eq. (20)withconjugate matched impedance, with the result:
PROCEEDINGS OF THE IEEE, VOL. 77, NO. 5 , M A Y 1989
After some manipulation this can b e written as:
where the conjugate match reflection coefficient is defined
by:
Note that (25) still contains the short-circuit current I,. N o w
for the short-circuit case and for the conjugate matched
radiating case, the products o f current and impedance are
related:
I0Z, = 1;cz, + z;,.
This allows the final result t o be written:
where 1: is t h e scattering current of a conjugate matched
antenna. This result (28) is that of Green [6],although h e
conveniently sets the normalizing currents equal.
A similar result can be obtained for a conventional load
match. If in eq. (26) the antenna is matched w i t h Z, instead
o f Z,: the result i s
Thus, the scatter field for any load impedance can b e w r i t -
ten simply in terms of the scattered field w h e n t h e antenna
is matched plus the reflection coefficient times the radiated
field (this i s eq. (2911, o r it can be written as the scattered
field w i t h a conjugate match load plus the conjugate match
coefficient times the radiated field (this i s (28)). Thus, there
is n o reason for the mystique that has been inferred by some
over the use of a conjugate match reflection coefficient. I t
w i l l beshown i n thenext section throughexamplesthatthis
i s indeed the case.
Using only the reflection coefficient form, there are thus
three ways of w r i t i n g t h e scattered field. I t can b e written
as the short-circuit field plus (1 - r,)times the radiated field:
eq. (22); or, it can be written as the scattered field for a
matched load plus the reflection coefficient times the
radiated field: eq. (29). A n d (28) is a conjugate match version
o f (29).
RCS EQUATIONS
From the scattered field expression it is n o w feasible t o
write the radar cross-section (RCS) expression. Assume a
current-driven antenna (a wire antenna, for example); the
voltage-driven case i s analogous. Let the (receiving) effec-
tive length be%; it contains angular dependence and all nec-
essary parameters for a particular antenna. Induced voltage
IS
v = E,%. (30)
Radiated field for a transmit current I, is conveniently writ-
ten as:
HANSEN: ANTENNAS AS SCATTERERS A N D AS RADIATORS
where T, also contains angular dependence and other
parameters. Use o f eq. (22) and these allow the radiation
portion t o be made explicit:
Use is made of equality of receiving and transmitting
impedance. The t w o terms in (32) may becalled "structural"
and "antenna." Then t h e RCS may be written:
Here dreli s the relative phase between the terms o f (33).
Consideration o f several cases may explicate these terms.
A short circuit, ra
= 1, gives:
u < h o r t = ustructural. (34)
A n open circuit, ra = -1, gives:
uopen = I& - 2& exp d'rel12 = uresidual. (35)
And finally, a match, rd = 0, gives:
umatch = - exp 4red2 (36)
Two examples will show the range of these concepts. First
takea resonant wire dipole.^^^,,^,^,,^ i s a l i t t l e m o r e t h a n four
times uantenna, so the match value i s uantenna, the short-circuit
value i s approximately 4uantenna, and the open value i s small
(it i s that o f t w o roughly Xl4collinear wires). Thus, the resid-
ual scatter is appropriately named.
As a second example, place the resonant dipole i n a large
metallic container that has only a small aperture. The short
value i s primarilythatofthestructure,asthedipole has little
effect through the small aperture. Of course, it is possible
for the structure t o be designed t o have low RCS in one or
more directions, in which case the structural value may be
small. In general, though, the container w i l l have a large
scattered field compared w i t h the field radiated by the
dipole through the small aperture. Thus, the match and
open values w i l l b e only slightly less than the short value.
Here the term residual for the open case i s less appropriate;
there does not seem t o b e a set o f terms that fits these dif-
ferent, b u t practical, examples well.
The antenna term has also been called the reradiation
term, o r the conjugate current term. When an antenna i s
excited b y a planewave, there isacomponentof the induced
currentthat istheconjugate(duet0the reversal of direction
of propagation) of the radiation current [8].The radiation
current is, o f course, affected by surroundings. The remain-
der o f the current accounts for the structural scatter, typ-
ically d u e t o antenna surroundings, edges, etc.
It is difficultto b o u n d t h e parameters in eq. (331, b u t some
useful results can be derived. To produce zero scatter, (33)
must be zero, and this requires that:
Since, for positive resistances, the magnitude o f t h e real
part of Facan be n o greater than unity, there are clearly some
cases where a zero scatter cannot be obtained through
choice of ZL. There i s n o limit o n the imaginary part o f Fa,
since Z, i n eq. (21) i s complex. For the case where a real-
izable ra
can b e f o u n d t o satisfy (33) for a particular direc-
tion and frequency, t h e RCS w i l l b e zero for that direction
and frequency. A n d two variables ZLw i l l b e adjusted to pro-
duce that r,. A n inherent difficulty o f t h e analytical
approach i s t h e need to k n o w t h e relative phase. Experi-
mentally, however, theZ, can simply bevaried t o d e t e r m i n e
the m i n i m u m RCS that can b e achieved.
GAIN AND ABSORPTION
AREA
I n addition to t h e field and RCS relationships w h i c h are
for specific directions i n space, a global connection exists
between transmit antenna directivity and receive absorp-
tion effective area. Using t h e same symbols as before, an
incident wave produces a voltage at t h e antenna terminals,
(30),and t h e power deposited i n t o t h e load i s expressed by:
V'R,
P, = ~
(38)
IZ, + 211'
Since P, = :IT, t h e effective area for power absorption,
assuming a loss free antenna, is
(39)
It iswell known thatthedirectivitycan beexpressed in terms
of antenna effective area A,: G = 4*A,/X2. A n d since for all
antennas [9] 3 0 d : = RaA,, directivity can b e written as
N o w t h e directivity-absorption area relationship emerges:
.2
Thus, t h e t w o are related as expected, w i t h an additional
impedance matching factor. A m i n i m u m o f unity for this
factor occurs for a conjugate match ZL = ZT. For a reac-
tance-only match X L = -Xa, t h e factor increases s l o w l y w i t h
either RLIR, or RaIR,; for RL = 2Ra t h e factor i s o n l y 1.125. So
i t may b e concluded that t h e absorption area is in general
less than expected f r o m t h e directivity: AL 5 X2G14a.
SUMMARY
A review of t h e rigorous relationship between radiation
and scattering has shown that t h e field scattered f r o m an
antenna for any load impedance can b e written as t h e sum
o f t w o terms. The first term i s t h e short-circuit scattered
field, w h i l e t h e second i s t h e radiation field times (1 - r)/
2. Each i s normalized by i t s respective current. A n alternate
f o r m also expresses t h e scattered field; t h e first term is t h e
matched scattered field, and t h e second is t h e reflection
coefficient (r)times t h e radiation field. Again, each i s nor-
malized b y its respective current. The alternate f o r m can
also b e written using t h e conjugate match reflection coef-
ficient as derived b y Green, b u t there is no advantage in
using this form.
For manyantennas, t h e structural scatter i s roughlyequal
to four times t h e antenna scatter. W i t h an open-circuit, t h e
difference is t h e residual scatter. It i s vital that any antenna
scatter model include an accurate value for open-circuit
scatter, so that methods o f cross-section reduction do not
predict a zero RCS. A w i r e dipole example has shown
numerically h o w the several components behave. Patterns
662
of all modes are approximately those of t h e component
parts, as expected.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Comments by t h e reviewers were helpful and welcome.
REFERENCES
R. W. P. King and C. W. Harrison, Jr.,"The receiving antenna,"
Proc. IRE, vol. 32, pp. 18-49, Jan. 1944.
J. Aharoni, Antennae. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press, 1946.
A. F. Stevenson, "Relations between the transmitting and
receiving properties of antennas," Quart. Appl. Math., Jan.
1948, pp. 369-384.
R. F. Harrington, "Theory of loaded scatterers," Proc. /E, vol.
111, April 1964, pp. 617-623.
R. E. Collin, "The receiving antenna," in Antenna Theory, Part
I, R. E. Collin and F. J. Zucker, Eds. New York: McGraw-Hill
Book Company, 1969.
R. B. Green, "Thegeneral theoryof antenna scattering," Report
No. 1223-17, ElectroScience Laboratory, Columbus, OH, 30
Nov. 1963.
R. B. Green, "Scattering from conjugate-matched antennas,"
/ E Trans. Antennas Propagat., vol. AP-14, pp. 17-21, Jan. 1966.
D. Midgley, "A theory of receiving aerials applied to the re-
radiation of an electromagnetic horn," Proc. /, vol. 108, Nov.
1961, pp. 645-650.
R. C. Hansen, "Antennas,"Chap. 33 of Reference Data forfngi-
neers, Seventh Edition, E. C. Jordan,Ed., SamsiMacmillan, 1985.
R. C. Hansen (S'47-A'49-M'55-SM'56-F'62)
received the B.S.E.E. degree from the Mis-
souri School of Mines and the Ph.D. degree
from the University of Illinois in 1955.
From 1949 to 1955 he worked in the
Antenna Laboratoryof the University of Illi-
nois on ferrite loops, streamlined airborne
antennas, and DF and homing systems. He
was Section Head of the Microwave Lab-
oratory of Hughes Aircraft Co., working on
surface wave antennas, slot arrays, near
fields and radio power transfer, electronic scanning and steerable
arrays, and dynamic antennas. In 1960 he became a Senior Staff
Member of the Telecommunications Laboratory of STL, Inc.,
engaged in communication satellite telemetry, tracking, and com-
mand. He was Associate Director of Satellite Control, responsible
for converting the Air Force satellite control network into a real-
time computer-to-computer network. From 1964to 1965 he formed
and was Director of the Test Mission Analysis Office, responsible
for computer programs for the planning and control of classified
Air Force satellites. From 1966 to 1967 he was Operations Group
Director of the Manned Orbiting Laboratory Systems Engineering
Office of Aerospace Corporation, with responsibilities for flight
crew training, simulator, the software system for mission profiles,
and mission control center equipment and displays. Since 1971 he
has been a Consulting Engineer for antennas and systems related
problems at R. C. Hansen, Inc.
Dr. Hansen has many professional activities including: Chair-
man of Commission VI of URSI-US (1967-1969), Chairman of the
1958 WESCON Technical Program Committee, Chairman of GAP
(1963-1964 and 1980), Chairman of Standards Subcommittee 2.5
which revised Methods o i Testing Antennas, Editor of CAP News-
/etter(1961-1963), member GAP AdCom (1959-1974 and 1980-1984),
member IEEE Publications Board (1972-1974), and Director IEEE,
1975. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Electrical Engineering, is
a registered Professional Engineer in California and England, and
is a member of the American Physical Society, Tau Beta Pi, Sigma
Xi, Eta Kappa Nu, and Phi Kappa Phi. Hewas awarded an Honorary
Doctor of Engineering degree by the University of Missouri-Rolla
in 1975. He has written many papers on electromagnetics, has been
an Associate Editor of MicrowaveJournal since 1969,was Associate
Editor of Radio Science (1967-1969), Associate Editor of Microwave
Engineer's Handbook (1971), Editor of Microwave Scanning Anten-
nas, vol. I (1964), vol. II and I l l (19661, Editor of Significant Phased
Array Papers (1973), and Editor of Geometric Theory of Diffraction
(1981).
PROCEEDINGS OF THE IEEE, VOL. 77, NO. 5, M A Y 1989