Oxford University has invented a microwave feed horn that eliminates the need for corrugations.
Such horns offer excellent predicted patterns over a bandwidth of 20-30%, claimed Isis Innovation, the University's intellectual property exploitation company.
"The horns enable fabrication of lower cost mm-wave microwave receivers, and allow 10 to 100 times more horns to be integrated into an antenna's focal plane as an array at no added cost," said Isis.
Corrugated horns are time consuming to manufacture in the mm and sub-mm range (100GHz-1THz) because they need quarter wavelength (100-400µm) deep corrugations inside.
At lower frequencies (5-100GHz), the thick metal walls necessary to accommodate corrugations can add weight - particularly inconvenient for space applications.
"The Oxford feed horns overcome these problems and aim to replace the conventional corrugated horns for many applications," said Isis. "The horns are designed using a fully automated suite of horn design software that uses a genetic algorithm."
Applications could include: radio astronomy, telecommunication, radars and satellite communications.
Isis would like to talk to companies or investors interested in commercialising this invention.
The photo shows an antenna next to a pound coin, with a cross-section inset.