Abstract
One of the advantages of arrays with aperiodic distributed elements is their ability to mitigate the detrimental mutual coupling effects on the radiation pattern. However, we show that the mutual coupling inside a random array can still generate undesired structures in the frequency response although the single antenna features a spectral smooth response. For small subsets (a couple of SKALA4.1 antennas and a 16-element array) of a low-frequency instrument station of the Square Kilometre Array, the combination of large mutual coupling and antenna geometry creates systematic distortions in the element frequency responses. This phenomenon compromises the station spectral smoothness response versus frequency. However, we demonstrate that it is possible to partially mitigate these frequency structures by reconfiguring the antenna distribution based on exclusion zones.
Highlights
The spectral smoothness of the station directivity response is a key feature of the low-frequency instrument of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA1-Low).[1]
SKA1-Low is an interferometer of 512 stations operating between 50 and 350 MHz that is currently under construction in Western Australia
The SKALA4.1 antenna, selected as the reference antenna for the SKA1-Low project, consists of a 50-ohm active dual-polarized log-periodic antenna with 20 dipoles for each polarization.[3]. Despite this antenna being designed to reach a smooth variation of the directivity response across frequencies, the mutual coupling partially deteriorates this characteristic
Summary
The spectral smoothness of the station directivity response is a key feature of the low-frequency instrument of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA1-Low).[1]. The SKALA4.1 antenna, selected as the reference antenna for the SKA1-Low project, consists of a 50-ohm active dual-polarized log-periodic antenna with 20 dipoles for each polarization.[3] Despite this antenna being designed to reach a smooth variation of the directivity response across frequencies, the mutual coupling partially deteriorates this characteristic.
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