Microwave holographic measurement of reflector surface accuracy.

The performance of a reflector antenna system is degraded if the reflector surface is affected by shaping errors (the ideal shape is usually a paraboloid). If the antenna is large, the use of conventional measuring techniques becomes cumbersome and time consuming. In this paper, the technique of microwave holography is discussed which, apart from being faster, has the added advantage that the antenna can be measured under operating conditions. The theory is reviewed and the results of various experiments are presented and dicussed. Finally, two possible future applications are considered.