2D/3D Shaped Radiation Patterns of Sunflower and Conformal Antenna Arrays Using Phase Synthesis

Abstract

2D and 3D beam synthesis from different antenna array arrangements are investigated in this paper. Planar sunflower, conformal cylinderical and spherical helical array arrangements are studied. The particle swarm optimization (PSO) technique is used to predict the phase distribution on the array elements. The beam synthesis is achieved by comparing the array factor with a predetermined mask with both upper and lower limits according to the intented application requirements. Different 2D and 3D masks are used in beam synthesis as pencil, flat-top, and cosecant single beam are predicted. The planar sunflower antenna array is investigated due to its high gain, low side-lobe level (SLL) below − 20 dB and its compact size. The phase distribution of sunflower array is estimated using PSO to radiate dual-beams in different planes. Dual-beam with pencil, flat-top, and cosecant beams are obtained with different half-power beam widths. 3D conformal antenna arrays of cylindrical and spherical helical arrangements are studied. Each 3D conformal array consists of four arms shifted in position by 90° orintation angle. Each arm is designed to radiate single beam in a specific direction. Four-beams are considered to radiate in the directions of θ1,2,3,4 = 30°, and ϕ1 = 0°, ϕ2 = 90°, ϕ3 = 180°, and ϕ4 = 270° with SLL optimized below − 17 dB. The array arrangements analysis is based on the array theory formulation, through the implemention of the estimiated equation using a home programmed MATLAB code.