M.T. Nguyen1, A.F. Alhaj Hasan2, T.R. Gazizov3

1-3 Tomsk State University of Control Systems and Radioelectronics (Tomsk, Russia)

1 nmtuan31121997@gmail.com; 2 alkhadzh@tusur.ru; 3 talgat.r.gazizov@tusur.ru

Problem statement. Traditional UHF-band horn antennas are typically heavy and bulky, which limits their application in systems with strict size and mass constraints. The transformation of solid metal antennas into wire-grid (WG) and sparse wire-grid structures has been shown to effectively reduce mass and wind load, but practical verification of the optimal current grid approximation (OCGA) methodology and its modifications for generating such structures remains insufficient.

Aim. To summarize recently published and new results to provide a general OCGA-based methodology and to experimentally verify this methodology with different grid element elimination tolerances (GEET) to generate actual sparse WG horn antenna structures in the UHF band.

Results. A pyramidal horn antenna operating in the UHF band was used to validate the proposed methodology. Various sparse WG structures were fabricated with GEET=5, 10, 25, 40% using OCGA and its modification. The experimental results showed strong agreement between the sparse and original WG structures in terms of reflection coefficient, gain, and radiation patterns. The generated sparse WG antennas demonstrated a mass reduction by 1.04–1.41 times relative to the original WG design and by 6.70–9.23 times relative to the solid structure, while maintaining acceptable performance. The wind load acting on the sparse WG structures was also reduced by 1.02–1.45 times compared with the WG antenna and by 5.25–7.45 times compared with the solid one.

Practical significance. The proposed methodology enables the design and fabrication of lightweight, low-cost, and weather-resistant horn antennas without significant degradation of antenna performance. The results can be applied to various types of antennas and scatterers operating in different frequency bands, making the approach suitable for modern satellite, radar, and telecommunication systems where mass and structural resistance are critical.

Nguyen M.T., Alhaj Hasan A.F., Gazizov T.R. Experimental verification of methodology for generating sparse wire-grid antennas using the optimal current grid approximation. Radiotekhnika. 2026. V. 90. № 1. P. 177−190. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18127/j00338486-202601-17

1. Tkachenko D., et al. Scenarios for Co-Existence of Digital TV and 5G Broadcast Services in UHF Band. 2023 International Conference on Electrical Engineering and Photonics (EExPolytech). St. Petersburg. Russian Federation. 2023. P. 209–213. DOI: 10.1109/EExPolytech58658.2023.10318786.
2. Fischer J., Ulbricht G., Koch R. M2M-SCM: a spatial channel model for mobile-to-mobile communications in the VHF and UHF band. 2022 Tenth International Symposium on Computing and Networking Workshops (CANDARW). Himeji. Japan. 2022. P. 1–6. DOI: 10.1109/CANDARW57323.2022.00028.
3. Mistry K.K., Lazaridis P.I., Zaharis Z.D., Chochliouros I.P., Loh T.H., Gravas I.P., Cheadle D. Optimization of log-periodic TV reception antenna with UHF mobile communications band rejection. Electronics. 2020. V. 9. P. 1830. DOI: 10.3390/electronics9111830.
4. Jarvis R.E., Mattingly R.G., McDaniel J.W. UHF-band radar cross section measurements with single-antenna reflection coefficient results. IEEE Trans Instrum Meas. 2021. V. 70. P. 1–4. DOI: 10.1109/TIM.2021.3102756.
5. Kuang C., Wang C., Wen B., Hou Y., Lai Y. An improved CA-CFAR method for ship target detection in strong clutter using UHF radar. IEEE Signal Process Lett. 2020. V. 27. P. 1445–1449. DOI: 10.1109/LSP.2020.3015682.
6. Ren J., Shi J., Zhang Q., Zhang X., Liu Y. An UHF/S dual-band shared-aperture feed antenna for satellite application. Antennas Wirel Propag Lett. 2024. V. 23. P. 2031–2035. DOI: 10.1109/LAWP.2024.3378011.
7. Das J., Muppana R.S., Parusha M., Vineeth M. Ground station with VHF and UHF band antenna to track satellites and testing with high altitude balloon (HAB) experiment. 2022 IEEE 19th India Council International Conference (INDICON). Kochi. India. 2022. P. 1–5. DOI: 10.1109/INDICON56171.2022.10040115.
8. Nguyen M.T., Lin Y.F., Chen C.H., Chang C.H., Chen H.M. Shorted patch antenna with multi slots for a UHF RFID tag attached to a metallic object. IEEE Access. 2021. V. 9. P. 111277–111292. DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2021.3103177.
9. Sharma R., Raghava N.S., De A. Design of compact circular microstrip patch antenna using parasitic patch. 2021 6th International Conference for Convergence in Technology (I2CT). Maharashtra. India. 2021. P. 1–4. DOI: 10.1109/I2CT51068.2021.9418104.
10. Ugnichev V.D., Kogan B.L., Belkovich I.V., Seleznyov V.N. Multi-band reflector antenna feed design based on coaxial structure. 2020 International Youth Conference on Radio Electronics, Electrical and Power Engineering (REEPE). Moscow. Russia. 2020. P. 1–4. DOI: 10.1109/REEPE49198.2020.9059239.
11. Hamidi A., Mekimah B., Berhab S., Djerafi T., Belhedri A., Boulesbaa M. A high gain circularly polarized passive RFID tag on a metallic reflector for UHF band applications. 2024 8th International Conference on Image and Signal Processing and their Applications (ISPA). Biskra, Algeria. 2024. P. 1–4. DOI: 10.1109/ISPA59904.2024.10536807.
12. Nguyen M.T., Lin Y.F., Chen C.H., Tseng Y.C., Chen H.M. Miniature 3-D-dipole antenna for UHF RFID tag mounted on conductive materials. IEEE Trans Antennas Propag. 2022. V. 70. P. 11454–11464. DOI: 10.1109/TAP.2022.3209690.
13. Xue F., Zhang Y., Li J., Liu H. Circularly polarized cross-dipole antenna for UHF RFID readers applicated in the warehouse environment. IEEE Access. 2023. V. 11. P. 38657–38664. DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2023.3253542.
14. Balanis C.A. Evolution of antenna technology: apertures, waveguides, horns, and Vivaldi. IEEE Antennas Propag. Mag. 2024. V. 66. P. 29–36. DOI: 10.1109/MAP.2024.3428920.
15. Ivanova Y., Petrov G. A methodology for engineering design and simulation of a satellite horn antenna. Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering. 2023. P. 215–232. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-44668-9_18.
16. Adhiyoga Y.G., Rahman S.F., Apriono C., Rahardjo E.T. Miniaturized 5G antenna with enhanced gain by using stacked structure of split-ring resonator array and magneto-dielectric composite material. IEEE Access. 2022. V. 10. P. 35876–35887. DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2022.3163285.
17. Aragbaiye Y.M., Isleifson D. Mass reduction techniques for short backfire antennas: additive manufacturing and structural perforations. Sensors. 2023. V. 23. P. 8765. DOI: 10.3390/s23218765.
18. Wang Y., Zhang X., Su R., Chen M., Shen C., Xu H., He R. 3D printed antennas for 5G communication: current progress and future challenges. Chinese J Mech Eng: Additive Manufacturing Frontiers. 2023. V. 2. P. 100065. DOI: 10.1016/j.cjmeam.2023.100065.
19. New W.K., Wong K.K., Xu H., Wang C., Ghadi F.R., Zhang J., Rao J., Murch R., Ramírez-Espinosa P., Morales-Jimenez D., Chae C.B., Tong K.F. A tutorial on fluid antenna system for 6G networks: encompassing communication theory, optimization methods and hardware designs. IEEE Commun Surv Tutorials. 2024. P. 1–1. DOI: 10.1109/COMST.2024.3498855.
20. Choi J.S., Park T.Y., Chae B.G., Oh H.U. Development of lightweight 6 m deployable mesh reflector antenna mechanisms based on a superelastic shape memory alloy. Aerospace. 2024. V. 11. P. 738. DOI: 10.3390/aerospace11090738.
21. Morsy M.A., Saleh K. Integrated solar mesh dipole antenna based energy harvesting system. IEEE Access. 2022. V. 10. P. 89083–89090. DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2022.3201127.
22. Yao J., Liu Q., Qian H., Zhang D. Dual band flexible transparent microstrip patch antenna based on metal mesh. 2024 6th International Conference on Communications, Information System and Computer Engineering (CISCE). Guangzhou. China. 2024. P. 126–129. DOI: 10.1109/CISCE62493.2024.10653317.
23. Alhaj Hasan A., Nguyen T.M., Kuksenko S.P., Gazizov T.R. Wire-grid and sparse MoM antennas: past evolution, present implementation, and future possibilities. Symmetry. 2023. V. 15. P. 378. DOI: 10.3390/sym15020378.
24. Alhaj Hasan A., Gazizov T.R. Method of making antenna based on wire grid. RU Patent RF no. 2814795; 2024.
25. Nguyen M.T. Innovative approaches to the design of sparse wire-grid antennas: development of algorithms and evaluation of their effectiveness. Systems of Control, Communication and Security. 2024. V. 4. P. 1–47. DOI: 10.24412/2410-9916-2024-4-001-047. (in Russian)
26. Nguyen M.T., Hasan A.F.A., Gazizov T.R. Generating sparse wire-grid antennas using maximum current-based optimal current grid approximation. IEEE Open J Antennas Propag. 2025. P. 1–14. DOI: 10.1109/OJAP.2025.3543559.
27. Alhaj Hasan A., Klyukin D.V., Kvasnikov A.A., Komnatnov M.E., Kuksenko S.P. On wire-grid representation for modeling symmetrical antenna elements. Symmetry. 2022. V. 14. P. 1354. DOI: 10.3390/sym14071354
28. Nguyen M.T., Hasan A.F.A., Gazizov T.R. Recommendations on modeling wire grid horn structures for sparse antenna generation. 2024 International Ural Conference on Electrical Power Engineering (UralCon). Magnitogorsk, Russian Federation. 2024. P. 114–120. DOI: 10.1109/UralCon62137.2024.10718978.
29. Nguyen M.T., Alhaj Hasan A.F., Gazizov T.R. Recommendations on designing wire grid conical horn structures for sparse antenna generation. 2024 International Conference on Actual Problems of Electron Devices Engineering (APEDE). Saratov, Russian Federation. 2024. P. 107–112. DOI: 10.1109/APEDE59883.2024.10715816.
30. Alhaj Hasan A.F., Nguyen M.T., Gazizov T.R. Modelling and designing wire-grid sparse antennas using MoM-based approaches for enhanced performance and reduced cost. Mikrotalasna revija = Microwave Review. 2023. V. 29. P. 83–94. DOI: 10.18485/mtts_mr.2023.29.2.10.
31. Nguyen M.T., Hasan A.F.A., Gazizov T.R. Sparse wire grid UHF-band pyramidal horn antenna. 2024 International Russian Automation Conference (RusAutoCon). Sochi, Russian Federation. 2024. P. 449–455. DOI: 10.1109/RusAutoCon61949.2024.10694540.
32. Hasan A.F.A., Nguyen M.T., Gazizov T.R. Efficient sparse antenna design using MoM-WG: comparative study of horn, conical horn, and reflector antennas by advanced approximations. 2023 International Russian Automation Conference (RusAutoCon). Sochi, Russian Federation. 2023. P. 709–715. DOI: 10.1109/RusAutoCon58002.2023.10272841.
33. Hasan A.A., Nguyen T.M., Gazizov T.R. Wire grid sparse antennas: verification of a modified modeling approach. 2023 IEEE Ural-Siberian Conference on Biomedical Engineering, Radioelectronics and Information Technology (USBEREIT). Yekaterinburg, Russian Federation. 2023. P. 100–104. DOI: 10.1109/USBEREIT58508.2023.10158826.
34. Dang T.P., Nguyen M.T., Hasan A.F.A., Gazizov T.R. Generation of sparse antennas and scatterers based on optimal current grid approximation. Algorithms. 2025. V. 18. P. 171. DOI: 10.3390/a18030171.
35. Kumar H., Kumar G. Coaxial feed pyramidal horn antenna with high efficiency. IETE J Res. 2017. V. 64. P. 51–58. DOI: 10.1080/03772063.2017.1323563.
36. TUSUR.EMC system. Available online: https://emc.tusur.ru/talgat-software [accessed 15 January 2025].
37. Kang S.H., Jung C.W. Transparent patch antenna using metal mesh. IEEE Trans Antennas Propag. 2018. V. 66. P. 2095–2100. DOI: 10.1109/TAP.2018.2804622.