Efficient finite-element computation of far-fields of phased arrays by order reduction

Abstract

Purpose – The article aims to present an efficient numerical method for computing the far-fields of phased antenna arrays over broad frequency bands as well as wide ranges of steering and look angles. Design/methodology/approach – The suggested approach combines finite-element analysis, projection-based model-order reduction, and empirical interpolation. Findings – The reduced-order models are highly accurate but significantly smaller than the underlying finite-element models. Thus, they enable a highly efficient numerical far-field computation of phased antenna arrays. The frequency-slicing greedy method proposed in this paper greatly reduces the computational costs for constructing the reduced-order models, compared to state-of-the-art methods. Research limitations/implications – The frequency-slicing greedy method is intended for use with matrix factorization methods. It is not applicable when the underlying finite-element system is solved by iterative methods. Practical implications – In contrast to conventional finite-element models of phased antenna arrays, reduced-order models are very cheap to evaluate. Hence, they provide an enabling technology for computing radiation patterns over broad frequency bands and wide ranges of steering angles. Originality/value – The paper presents a two-step model-order reduction method for efficiently computing the far-field patterns of phased antenna arrays. The suggested frequency-slicing greedy method constructs the reduced-order models in a systematic fashion and improves computing times, compared to existing methods.