Time modulation based unconventional phased antenna arrays for monopulse and multifunction radar systems

Abstract

AbstractThe development of novel and innovative phased array designs toward affordable and performance‐oriented solutions has become the dire need of modern‐age wireless communication technologies. This paper proposed an unconventional method to design phased array antennas by eliminating the need of phase shifters. A cost‐effective alternative is presented by using “time‐modulation” based arrays capable of beam steering and electronic scanning. Controlling the high‐speed absorptive switches connected with each radiating elements in a periodic manner to generate the desired amplitude and phase tapering is the main purpose of these time‐domain arrays. So, the need for expensive phase shifters and erroneous attenuators can be avoided. This article explored the idea of “time‐modulation” to design innovative and efficient phased arrays for monopulse and multifunction radar systems. Suitable switching sequences are designed to produce simultaneous sum‐difference radiation patterns for monopulse tracking radars, and simultaneous scanned beam patterns for multifunction radars. To achieve the desired objectives, time‐modulated linear arrays of 10, 20, and 30 elements are proposed with appropriate switching sequences. The parameters of the arrays such as switch‐ON instants, switch‐ON periods, and switch‐OFF instants are controlled by employing the crow search optimization (CSO) algorithm. Representative results for both the applications are elaborated and compared with recently published counterpart designs to present the potentialities of the proposed concept for electronic steering and beam scanning applications.