Analysis of printed array antennas

A simple but efficient analysis tool for printed antenna arrays is presented. It relies on a perturbation approach, which starts from the infinite periodic array assumption to ultimately take into account effects due to finite size, nonperiodicity, double-periodicity in a multilayer case, complex excitation with nonlinear phase shifts between elements, etc. The technique is an approximation, as are most of the array analysis tools. However, it gives good results for arrays presenting a relatively smooth variation of the antenna characteristics between adjacent cells. Results will be shown for several arrays, including nonperiodic and multilayered cases. The method is validated through the comparison with results obtained by a rigorous element-by-element method     

一种用于5G的大规模MIMO天线阵设计

设计了一种用于第五代移动通信系统的大规模MIMO天线阵。该天线阵采用8×8矩形排布,天线单元采用缝隙耦合馈电的贴片形式,通过蚀刻在上层地板上的两个正交H型缝隙对辐射贴片分别耦合馈电来实现±45°双线极化特性。所设计的天线阵工作在3. 4 GHz~3. 6 GHz,具有剖面低、结构紧凑、便于与射频前端集成化设计的特点,能够很好地满足下一代移动通信系统对天线阵的设计要求。     

Phased array antenna analysis using time delay beam steering andhybrid FDTD method

A phased array analysis is presented where the coupling between antenna elements and the beam steering is computed in the time domain using a hybrid finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) and Kirchhoff transform method. The coupled currents are combined with the appropriate time delays to give the total element current, which is then used in conjunction with the voltage excitation to produce the driving point admittance as a function of frequency for a given beam direction     

The orthogonal method for the geometry synthesis of a linearantenna array

The orthogonal method for geometry synthesis of a linear antenna array is presented. We start from an initial array, and we perturb the element positions by using an iterative procedure and applying the orthogonal method. Applications for arrays with uniform excitation give patterns with the desired sidelobe level     

遗传算法在宽窄波束切换天线阵设计中的应用

采用对天线单元开关通断的方法,使天线阵形成不同的远场辐射方向图,实现阵列天线方向图宽波束和窄波束的切换。对一个24元线阵天线阵进行了设计。提出了一种改进的遗传算法及其目标函数模型。采用该算法对天线阵各个天线单元的电流幅度进行了优化计算,计算结果显示能够产生满足设计要求的宽波束和窄波束方向图。最后采用HFSS软件进行了仿真,计算结果与仿真结果吻合,证明了所提方法的有效性。     

一种优化非均匀阵列天线测向性能的方法

本论文给出了一种新的优化非均匀天线阵列阵元排布的方法阵元微调法。非均匀阵列天线具有许多均匀阵列天线不具备的优点,可以在节省设备量的同时增加天线孔径,但是利用非均匀阵列天线测向时也容易产生估计模糊。解决非均匀阵列天线估计模糊问题的途径之一就是调整天线阵列的排布。计算机仿真证实,经过微调法优化的非均匀阵列的测向性能有很大改善。     

Analysis and optimization of waveguide multiapplicator hyperthermiasystems

A method is proposed for determining the excitation coefficients of an antenna array operating in a large rectangular waveguide and used as a hyperthermia system. The excitation coefficients of the array elements are optimized for attaining an improved specific absorption rate (SAR) distribution around a deep-seated tumor. The method is applied to a two-dimensional problem of a piecewise homogeneous post in a waveguide representing a section of the human torso. The array is operating below the cutoff frequency of the dominant mode of the waveguide. Numerical simulations have been performed to check the effectiveness of this approach. The results show that by using the proposed optimization method, SAR distributions can be improved     

Microstrip antenna phased array with electromagnetic bandgap substrate

Uniplanar compact electromagnetic bandgap (UC-EBG) substrate has been proven to be an effective measure to reduce surface wave excitation in printed antenna geometries. This paper investigates the performance of a microstrip antenna phased array embedded in an UC-EBG substrate. The results show a reduction in mutual coupling between elements and provide a possible solution to the "blind spots" problem in phased array applications with printed elements. A novel and efficient UC-EBG array configuration is proposed. A probe fed patch antenna phased array of 7/spl times/5 elements on a high dielectric constant substrate was designed, built and tested. Simulation and measurement results show improvement in the active return loss and active pattern of the array center element. The tradeoffs used to obtain optimum performance are discussed.     

Sidelobe reduction in array-pattern synthesis using geneticalgorithm

A simple and flexible genetic algorithm (GA) for pattern synthesis of antenna array with arbitrary geometric configuration is presented. Unlike conventional GA using binary coding and binary crossover, this approach directly represents the array excitation weighting vectors as complex number chromosomes and uses decimal linear crossover without a crossover site. Compared with conventional GAs, this approach has a few advantages: giving a clearer and simpler representation of the problem, simplifying chromosome construction, and totally avoiding binary encoding and decoding so as to simplify software programming and to reduce CPU time. This method also allows us to impose constraints on phases and magnitudes of complex excitation coefficients for preferable implementation in practice using digital phase shifters and digital attenuators. Successful applications show that the approach can be used as a general tool for pattern synthesis of arbitrary arrays     

Reducing the Number of Elements in a Linear Antenna Array by the Matrix Pencil Method

The synthesis of a nonuniform antenna array with as few elements as possible has considerable practical applications. This paper introduces a new non-iterative method for linear array synthesis based on the matrix pencil method (MPM). The method can synthesize a nonuniform linear array with a reduced number of elements, and can be also used to reduce the number of elements for linear arrays designed by other synthesis techniques. In the proposed method, the desired radiation pattern is first sampled to form a discrete pattern data set. Then we organize the discrete data set in a form of Hankel matrix and perform the singular value decomposition (SVD) of the matrix. By discarding the non-principal singular values, we obtain an optimal lower-rank approximation of the Hankel matrix. The lower-rank matrix actually corresponds to fewer antenna elements. The matrix pencil method is then utilized to reconstruct the excitation and location distributions from the approximated matrix. Numerical examples show the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed synthesis method.      

An improved thinning method for density tapering of planar array antennas

A thinning method is presented to realize the desired aperture distribution in a planar array antenna with elements fixed on an array lattice. In this method elements to be excited are determined by quantizing cumulative weights which are calculated from the desired aperture distribution. At first, this method is applied to density tapering on orthogonal axes of a planar array. Radiation patterns of the planar array determined by this method are compared with those by the desired amplitude distribution, and the results show good coincidence. Next, this method is extended to density tapering on four axes, that is, orthogonal and diagonal axes of a planar array. Moreover, this method is applied to density tapering with multi-amplitude level elements in order to enhance directive gain of thinned array. Lastly, a rectangular planar array was fabricated, and its radiation patterns were measured. Measured results were in good coincidence with calculated ones, and the usefulness of this method was verified.     

A Method of Cross-Polarization Reduction

A method for the reduction of cross-polarized radiation is described. The method can be used for various antenna array systems made up of radiating elements with higher cross-polarized radiation. This solution enables numerous possibilities for selecting the position, the spacing, and the excitation coefficient of any array element. It is even possible to use two different linearly polarized arrays that use the same or different polarizations. Two examples are given: a quarter-wave microstrip antenna system operating in two frequency bands, and a suspended patch array     

Minimum Sidelobe Levels for Linear Arrays

A method of finding the optimum sidelobe-minimizing weights for an arbitrary linear array is derived that holds for any scan direction, beamwidth, and type of antenna element used. Optimum linear array positions are then determined via the particle swarm optimization method. Hence, the two together can give a global bound on antenna array performance with regards to sidelobe minimization. Results are presented for linear arrays of 2-6 elements for different scan angles, beamwidths and antenna elements.     

Mutual coupling compensation of linear antenna array using evolutionary optimization technique

This paper presents an optimization-based approach to compensate for the mutual coupling effect and to reduce the sidelobe level (SLL) of the normalized radiation pattern by optimizing the current excitation amplitude of the antenna array elements. Due to the mutual coupling effect, the SLL of the radiation pattern is increased, and thereby, the field pattern of the antenna array is severely degraded. This causes interference with other communication systems working at the same frequency. Toward the compensation of the mutual coupling effect and reduction of SLL, the Cat swarm optimization (CSO) algorithm is employed, and the excitation amplitudes of the antenna elements are optimized. In this regard, optimizing the cost function is defined by introducing the impedance factor (IF), calculated by using the self-impedance and mutual impedance of the antenna elements. The proposed method for the synthesis of a mutually coupled linear antenna array is less expensive, simpler to use, and more effective. Array sets of 4, 6, 8, and 10 elements are considered for optimization.     

Adaptive processing using a single snapshot for a nonuniformlyspaced array in the presence of mutual coupling and near-fieldscatterers

This paper presents an adaptive technique to extract the signal of interest (SOI) arriving from a known direction in the presence of strong interferers using a single snapshot of data. The antenna elements in this method can be nonuniformly spaced and there can be mutual coupling between them. In addition, near-field scatterers can also be present. First, the voltages induced in the antenna elements of the array due to interferers, mutual coupling between the elements, and near-field scatterers is preprocessed by applying a transformation matrix to these voltages through a rigorous electromagnetic analysis tool. This electromagnetic preprocessing technique transforms the voltages that are induced in a nonuniformly spaced array containing real antenna elements to a set of voltages that will be produced in a uniform linear virtual array (ULVA) containing omnidirectional isotropic point radiators. In the transformation matrix we would like to include various electromagnetic effects like mutual coupling between the antenna elements, presence of near-field scatterers and the platform effects on which the antenna array is mounted. This transformation matrix when applied to the actual measured voltages yields an equivalent set of voltages that will be induced in the ULVA. A direct data domain least squares adaptive algorithm is then applied to the processed voltages to extract the SOI in the presence of interferers. Limited numerical examples are presented to illustrate the novelty of the proposed method     

基于遗传算法和模拟退火的不等间距稀布阵的设计

副瓣电平在天线阵列的设计中是很重要的指标,已经有很多方法进行这方面的改进。该文在稀布阵概念的基础上,引入了距离微扰,提出不等间距稀布阵的模型,来进一步改善天线阵的副瓣电平,并且利用遗传算法和模拟退火对这种不等间距稀布阵进行了综合设计。给出了200元线阵和4020面阵的优化结果,从仿真结果可以看到天线副瓣电平得到了改善。     

Phased arrays in communication system based on Taguchi‐neural networks

Phased antenna array design is one of the most important electromagnetic optimization problems. This research combined the Taguchi method and artificial intelligence methods, used them as the prediction tool in designing parameters for the communication system, and then constructed a set of the optimal parameter analysis flow and steps. In this paper, we present an application of artificial neural networks in the electromagnetic domain. We particularly look at the multilayer perceptron network, which has been the most used of artificial neural networks architectures both in the electromagnetic domain and in the Taguchi optimization technique and describes the Taguchi method to optimize the excitations elements of the linear array to produce a radiation pattern with minimum side lobe level and null placement control. This paper investigates how the implementation of the signal processing in hardware affects the performance of the adaptive array antenna. The investigation is confined to uplink or receive antenna array only. Results of a prototype of antenna array with feeding values designed using the proposed techniques are also presented. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Virtual array synthesis method for planar array antennas

A new array antenna synthesis method, which we call the virtual array synthesis method, is presented. In this method, the excitation values of a virtual array are synthesized using some known synthesis method. The geometry of the virtual array can be chosen so that there will be a suitable synthesis method for that geometry and the synthesis of the virtual array can be done accurately enough. In the synthesis method presented, the excitation values of the virtual array are transformed into the excitation values of the actual array geometry. Matrix operations are simple and large arrays can be easily synthesized     

Single-feed circularly polarized microstrip ring antenna and arrays

An analysis is presented for a microstrip-feed proximity-coupled ring antenna and a four-element array. Interactions between the embedded microstrip feed and the radiating element(s) are rigorously included. Results demonstrate that circular polarization of both senses can be achieved with a ring antenna with proper design of two inner stubs located at angles of ±45° with respect to the feedline. Theory and experiment demonstrate an axial ratio 3-dB bandwidth of 1% and the voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) <2 bandwidth of 6.1%. The axial ratio bandwidth is typical for a microstrip antenna with perturbations, while the VSWR bandwidth is larger than for the circular or rectangular patch with perturbations. A mutual coupling study between two elements shows that the axial ratio is less than 2 dB for interelement spacing greater than 0.55λ_eff, while the VSWR <2 for all spacings considered. A comparison between theory and experiment is provided for a 2×2 element array. The benefits of sequentially rotating the antenna elements in an array environment are presented. The axial ratio and VSWR bandwidths are both increased to 6.1% and 18% for a four-element array. A single-element antenna with two orthogonal feeds to provide both senses of polarization is demonstrated. The ring antenna is small (D/λ₀=0.325), the substrate thickness is thin (H/λ₀~0.035), and the microstrip feed produces a completely planar antenna system, which is compatible with microwave and millimeter integrated circuits (MICs), and monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs)     

Rigorous analysis of microstrip phased array antennas using a new FDTD method

A finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) algorithm for radiating antennas that involve multiple, phased excitation sources is presented. The algorithm has the potential to analyse phased array antennas in the time domain. The authors apply it to a two-element microstrip antenna (MSA) phased array on a finite substrate, and compare the results as gained with an existing method and experiments.<>