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Objectives
In this course you will learn the following
Array specified by only its nulls.
Radiation pattern of a general array.
Array synthesis.
Criterion for choosing number of elements in synthesized array.
Module 7 : Antenna
Lecture 52 : Array Synthesis
In practice we need to design a variety of radiation patterns with a very tight control over the nulls and the side lobe
amplitudes. A user specifies the radiation pattern and the antenna engineer is asked to design an array which can give the
radiation pattern as close to the specified pattern as possible.
In general we have to control the complex currents of the individual elements of an antenna array to get the desired
radiation pattern.
The array synthesis problem is not a very straight forward problem as there may not be unique array for a given radiation
pattern.
Here we discuss only the synthesis of linear arrays.
Array specified by its nulls
In an interference prone environment the arrays are to be designed to suppress the effect of the interfering signals.
The interfering signals can be suppressed by placing nulls of the array factor in the directions of their arrival.
Let there be an array of
Writing
respectively, where
(i.e. currents
The
is a polynomial of
of degree
binomials as
--------------- (B)
where
i.e. when
The array currents can be obtained from the knowledge or the nulls of the radiation pattern i.e. an array can be
synthesized for given nulls in the radiation pattern.
Array Synthesis Procedure
(1) Given directions of nulls
. Generally
corresponding to nulls :
is chosen to be
where
(5) Substitute
The excitation currents are complex in general. The center element of the array is the reference element and its phase is
zero by definition. The elements around the center have conjugate symmetry, i.e. equal amplitudes but opposite phases.
Let us define the array phase is
, and
, and
, we get
with
having period
The array synthesis problem therefore reduces to the Fourier expansion of the AF. The Fourier coefficients give the
Module 7 : Antenna
Lecture 52 : Array Synthesis
The synthesized pattern is the least square fit to the desired radiation pattern.
The Fourier synthesis needs the radiation pattern specified in the
specified as a function of
Conversion from
needs the knowledge of the inter-element spacing, d. For the Fourier synthesis, the array
to
, i.e.
(2)
(3)
Select the inter-element spacing, d and the number of elements N in the array.
Get radiation pattern as a function of
. If
, there is uncovered range of
(4)
Find the Fourier series for the function and retain only (N+1) terms including DC.
(5)
within
to
. Chose some
Some times the number of elements are not decided a-priori but the rms error between the synthesized and the desired
pattern is specified. In this case the rms deviation between the two patterns is calculated for different values of N and
satisfactory choice of N is made.
Module 7 : Antenna
Lecture 52 : Array Synthesis
Recap
In this course you have learnt the following
Array specified by only its nulls.
Radiation pattern of a general array.
Array synthesis.
Criterion for choosing number of elements in synthesized array.