Antenna Arrays

Arrays

• A single element produces a wide radiation pattern

and low directivity.
• There is a demand for very directive antennas (for
long distance communications for example).
• One way is to increase the size of the antenna.
• Having an array is the other way.
• In an array, fields from individual elements interfere
constructively in some directions and cancel in some
others
 Individual element

VLA (Very Large Array Antenna )

 There are 5 controls that affect the overall pattern of an
antenna array:
1. Geometry (linear, circular, rectangular array).
2. Distance of separation between elements.
3. Amplitude of current in each element.
4. Phase of individual elements.
5. Pattern of individual element.
 Consider a Two element array
(Made of two horizontal dipoles)

The electric field pattern for one element is given by:

jηkI ol e − jkr
E= sinψ (1)
4π r
where: sin ψ = 1 − cos 2 ψ = 1 − sin 2 θ sin 2 φ

) )
cosψ = a y ⋅ ar = sin θ sin φ

for φ = 90o ⇒ sin ψ = 1 − sin 2 θ = cosθ

r jηkI ol e − jkr
⇒E= cosθ (2)
4π r
The total field from the two elements is given by:

r r r
Et = E1 + E2 =
⎧ − j ( kr1 − β2 ) β
− j ( kr2 + ) ⎫
jηkI o l ) ⎪ e e 2
⎪
= aθ ⎨ cos θ1 + cos θ 2 ⎬
4π ⎪ r1 r2 ⎪
⎩ ⎭
(3)

β is the phase difference between the two elements

It is externally applied through a microwave circuit
In the far field
θ1 ≈ θ 2 ≈ θ
⎧ d ⎫
⎪⎪ r ≈ r − cos θ ⎪
1
2 ⎪
⎨ ⎬ for the phase term
d
⎪r ≈ r + cos θ ⎪
⎪⎩ 2 2 ⎪⎭
r1 = r2 = r for the amplitude term
 Eqn. (3) can now be rewritten as:

r jηkI ole − jkr

) ⎡ kd cos θ + β ⎤
Et = cos θ aθ 2 cos ⎢ ⎥
4π r
144424443 14442444 ⎣ 2 3⎦
(4)
single element Array Factor (A.F.)
rad. pattern

E(total ) = Esingle element × AF

Pattern Multiplication

The AF is, in general, a function of geometry, current magnitudes,

phase of elements and spacing between elements.
Example:
λ
Let d= & β = 0 (no external phase excitation )
4
r
What is Et ?
r
Normalize the pattern first ( Et)

⎡1 ⎤
Etn = cosθ cos ⎢ (kd cosθ + β )⎥ (5)
⎣2 ⎦
λ
d= & β = 0 eqn. (5) yields :
4

⎡ 1 ⎛ 2π λ ⎞⎤
Etn = cosθ cos ⎢ ⎜ cosθ + 0 ⎟⎥ ⇒
⎣2 ⎝ λ 4 ⎠⎦
⎛π ⎞
Etn = cosθ cos⎜ cosθ ⎟ (6)
⎝4 ⎠
 π π
Eqn (6) is zero at θ= ( that means at θ = we have nulls)
2 2

λ π
if d = & β= we get :
4 2
⎛π ⎞
Etn = cosθ cos⎜ (cosθ + 1)⎟ (7)
⎝4 ⎠

The nulls appear at θ = 0o & θ = 90o

π
For β = − = −90o the nulls appear at: θ = 90 o & θ = 180o
2
Pattern of a two-element
array of infinitesimal
horizontal dipoles with
identical phase excitation
(β = 0o, d = λ/4)
(β = 90o, d = λ/4)
(β = -90o, d = λ/4)
N-element Array

Uniform array
(Identical elements
with identical current
magnitudes and
progressive phase)
 j ( kd cosθ + β ) j 2 ( kd cosθ + β )
AF = 1 + e +e +
j 3( kd cosθ + β ) j ( N −1)( kd cosθ + β )
e + ... + e
(8)

If we let ψ = kd cosθ + β, then

jψ j 2ψ j 3ψ j ( N −1)ψ
AF = 1 + e +e +e + ... + e
(9)
 jψ
Multiplying both sides of eqn (9) by e yields:

AF e jψ = e jψ + e j 2ψ + e j 3ψ + ... + e jNψ (10)

Subtracting eqn (10) from eqn (9) and after some

manipulation yields:
⎡ ⎛ N ⎞⎤
⎢ sin ⎜ 2 ψ ⎟ ⎥
AF = ⎢ ⎝ ⎠⎥ (11)
⎢ sin ψ ⎥
⎢⎣ 2 ⎥⎦

For smaller ψ eqn (11) becomes:

⎡ ⎛ N ⎞⎤
⎢ sin ⎜ 2 ψ ⎟ ⎥
AF = ⎢ ⎝ ⎠⎥ (12)
⎢ ψ ⎥
⎢⎣ 2 ⎥⎦
To normalize eqn (12) we divide by N (so the maximum can be
equal to one). ⎡ ⎛ N ⎞⎤
⎢ sin ⎜ 2 ψ ⎟ ⎥
AF = ⎢ ⎝ ⎠⎥ (13)
⎢ Nψ ⎥
⎢⎣ 2 ⎥⎦

Can we determine the nulls, major lobes and other lobes?

To find the nulls we set the numerator equal to zero, i.e.
⎛ Nψ ⎞ Nψ
sin ⎜ ⎟=0⇒ = ± nπ n = 1,2,3...
⎝ 2 ⎠ 2
N
or (kd cosθ n + β ) = nπ
2
−1 ⎡ λ ⎛ 2n ⎞ ⎤
⇒ θ n = cos ⎢ ⎜ − β ± π ⎟⎥ (14)
⎣ 2πd ⎝ N ⎠⎦
null angles

Principal maxima:
Will occur when the denominator is equal to zero, i.e.
 ⎛ψ ⎞ ψ 1
sin ⎜ ⎟ = 0 ⇒ = (kd cos θ m + β ) = ± mπ m = 1,2,3...
⎝2⎠ 2 2
⎡ λ ⎤
⇒ θ m = cos ⎢−1
(− β ± 2mπ )⎥ (15)
⎣ 2πd ⎦

In our case for the array factor:

sin x −1 ⎡ λβ ⎤
= 0 ⇒ θ m = cos ⎢ ⎥
x { ⎣ 2πd ⎦
max
Secondary maxima (minor lobes)
Occur when the numerator is equal to one, i.e.:

⎛ Nψ ⎞
sin ⎜ ⎟ = ±1
⎝ 2 ⎠
π ⎧ λ ⎡ ⎛ 2s + 1 ⎞ ⎤ ⎫
⇒ θ s = − sin ⎨ −1
⎢− β ± ⎜ N ⎟π ⎥ ⎬
2 ⎩ 2πd ⎣ ⎝ ⎠ ⎦⎭
 Broadside Array ( θ m = 90o )

ψ kd cosθ + β
= = 0 ⇒ kd cos 90o + β = 0 ⇒ β = 0
2 2

d could be anything except

multiples of λ i.e. d ≠ nλ
if d ≥ λ then we get extra major lobes.
 End Fire Array
Radiation should be in one direction (one end), i.e.
θ =0 o

ψ = kd cos θ + β = kd cos θ + β = 0
⇒ kd + β = 0 ⇒ β = − kd

or for θ = 180 then o

kd cos(180o ) + β = 0 ⇒ β = kd
10-Element Uniform Amplitude Broadside Array
10-Element Uniform Amplitude Endfire Array