ELEC-E4450 - Antennas, Lecture, 1.3.2022-31.5.2022

Topic outline

• General Information
  
  

  
  

  Teaching practicalities

  The course will take place during the spring term periods IV and V starting on Tuesday, 1st of March, 2022. The weekly schedule is

  • Lectures on Tuesdays at 12:15 - 14:00  in the class AS6
    
  • Exercise sessions on Fridays at 10:15 – 12:00 in the class AS6 

  
  

  Textbook of the course
  

  The course instruction follows the textbook: A.R. Harish & al. "Antennas and Wave Propagation", Oxford University Press, 2007. Its electronic version is available for Aalto students via lib.aalto.fi.  Lecture slides will be also published and they offer a complementary perspective on the discussion given in the course book. 
  

  
  

  Prerequisite knowledge required for a successful completion of this course

  • BSc level Mathematics and electromagnetic field theory
  • ELEC-E4130 Electromagnetic fields or equivalent
  • ELEC-E4420 Microwave engineering I or equivalent
    
  • Capability in using either Mathematica or Matlab
    

  
  

  Content
  

  The main topics of this course are

  1. Electromagnetic radiation and antenna parameters
  2. Wire antennas
  3. Antenna arrays
  4. Antenna Measurements
  5. Aperture antennas

  
  

  Intended learning outcomes

  • After successful completion of the course the student is able to solve electromagnetic fields and basic antenna parameters for simple microwave radiators.
  • The student is able to explain fundamental antenna concepts and calculate common parameters used to describe their properties.
  • The student can analyse the effect of the antenna on the performance of radio communication systems. 
  • The student can describe the operation principles of most common antenna types, such as wire antennas, array antennas, and aperture antennas. He/she can compute the far-field radiation due to known current distributions.
  • The student has a readiness to perform basic antenna measurements such as the antenna impedance and radiation pattern measurements. The student can analyse the measurement results and estimate the error sources.  
    

  
  

  Nominal workload is 135 hours, individual workload varies
  

  The nominal workload is 135 hours corresponding to a 5-ECTS course. The share of in-class teaching is at maximum 50 hours meaning that individual learning time is about 85 hours. However, the nominal workload is only approximate. In practice, reaching the intended learning outcomes may take more or less than the nominal hours  depending on one's depth of prerequisite knowledge, individual skills and target grade.
  

  Assessment

  Assessment is based on weekly homework exercises, quizzes and exam. This aims to balancing the study workload and also to fair final grading. The relative weights of these categories are the following:

  • homework 50%
  • quizzes 20%
  • exam 30%

  
  

  Instructions for homework
  

  Homework solutions should be submitted electronically into the return boxes. Follow the deadlines. Each exercise round is to be returned in one pdf file. Mathematica notebooks are accepted as well, if their are well documented and clear, and the final outcome is put into a well-understandable form. If traditional pen and paper solutions are converted into pdf files specific attention should be paid to their readability. 

  The course assessment is individual. Discussions about the exercise problems between students are allowed, but everyone returns only their individual solutions. The students are assumed to be aware of Aalto University code of academic integrity. 
  

  Final exam

  The final exam will be held on Tuesday, 24th of May at 12-14. Further information about its arrangements will be available later this spring. 
  

  Teaching team

  Keijo Nikoskinen
  Jari Holopainen
  

  Communication and news

  The main channels for communication and information are the teaching sessions and the "Announcements" in MyCourses.

  The teaching staff of this course can be contacted by e-mail outside the teaching sessions. However, general questions concerning the course, homework and assignments should be posted to the "General discussion" forum in MyCourses or discussed commonly during lessons.