Performance analysis of distributed transmit beamforming in presence of oscillator phase noise

Abstract

This paper analyses the performance of distributed transmit beamforming in presence of oscillator phase noise. Average beampattern of arbitrary array is adopted here as performance index. In the analysis, the phase noise process of each node oscillator is described by a stationary model taking into account 1/f3 and 1/f2 shape single-sideband (SSB) spectrum. By using non-parametric kernel method, the average beampattern in presence of phase noise is derived and corresponding beampattern characteristics are evaluated. Theoretical analysis and simulation results show that the accumulated PN can result in the degradation of DTBF performance, which are also reflected in the change of beampattern characteristics, such as 3db width, 3db sidelobe region and average directivity. With the increase of time duration, the cumulative phase noise becomes greater and the degradation is more obvious.