Computing return loss for arbitrary scan directions using limited scan codes for infinite phased arrays

Abstract

Analysing infinite phased array antennas using time domain codes is favourable when looking into wideband solutions. Unfortunately, unit cell-based time domain codes using time shifts between cell boundaries have a disadvantage of only being able to analyse phase shifts corresponding to a beam scanned in the visible space. However, to fully characterise the infinite array antenna it is sometimes necessary to compute the active reflection coefficient for scan directions corresponding to invisible space. Presented is a simple new approach on how to do this. By extending the size of the computational domain, and including more than one element, phase shifts corresponding to invisible space are included.