Directional patterns of transducer array

Abstract

The historical development of directional beam patterns of planar transducer arrays consisting of a relatively large number of electroacoustic transducing elements is outlined. Special attention is given to the Dolph-Chebyshev method of shading (tapering) the array elements to achieve minor lobe reduction. This method originally considered an array of uniformly spaced, co-planar elements that were all driven in phase; thus, giving a farfield directional beam normal to the plane of the array. When the constant phase requirement is relinquished, super directive, difference, and tilted beams including endfire arrays are achieved. Some attention is also given to the practical aspects of achieving the desired results.