Particle swarm optimization for antenna array synthesis, diagnosis and healing

Abstract

In modern wireless communication systems, the antenna array is an integral part to achieve the spatial diversity. The increased demand of these arrays, mostly in radars and space applications, has attracted a lot of researchers in Microwave Engineering in-general and Antenna Engineering in-particular, to put in their research efforts in this area. The outcome is, not only the innovative analysis techniques, but also a lot of flexibility in handling these arrays. The research focus is directed towards the development of self-healing arrays, where it can be possible to control the array placed in a space platform, find the faults, if any, in it, and automatically apply a suitable compensation for the fault. The present chapter focuses these aspects of antenna arrays as an application of particle swarm optimization (PSO). An approach with the use of PSO has been made by the authors for antenna array synthesis, fault diagnosis and a corresponding compensation. The chapter will start with a brief on antenna arrays, their analysis and synthesis techniques. Reason and suitability of PSO over other analytical and swarm intelligence based optimization techniques will be followed. Then the problem formulation, solution and results of the developed process using PSO will be discussed in length, which include the analysis of antenna arrays, fault finding and compensation procedure. The chapter will conclude with the overall analysis results and the future research directions.