Abstract
The scanning performance of wide-angular scanning linear arrays is primarily degraded by the limited angular profile of the employed elements' patterns. This paper introduces an innovative strategy for compensating this degradation by using subarrays. Our design uses a uniform linear array with half-wavelength spaced elements, supplemented by subarrays that are symmetrically placed at its edges. The employed subarrays have controlled patterns, favoring some directions for effective scan-loss compensation (SLC) and suppressing other directions for lowering the sidelobes level (SLL). Two types of feeding configurations, making use of fixed power dividers in combination with 1-bit phase switch, are used for producing the desired patterns. The complete array design and physical validation, starting from the elements, continuing with the subarrays and ending with the system integration are also discussed in detail. The integration of the subarrays yields notable performance improvements at large scanning angles when compared with uniform linear arrays. The peak and first SLL of -14.1 dB, and the SLC of 2 dB are obtained when the array with CUP antennas as elements is scanned to the maximum scan angle direction.
Highlights
Modern radar applications are conditioned by the progress in the design and modular implementation of electronic beam scanning array antennas [1]
The peak and first sidelobes level (SLL) of −14.1 dB, and the scan-loss compensation (SLC) of 2 dB are obtained when the array with Cavity-backed U-slotted Patched (CUP) antennas as elements is scanned to the maximum scan angle direction
We focus on the scan-loss problem defined as the degradation of the array maximum gain with respect to that of the zero scan angle, which occurs due to the decaying pattern of the element at larger angles
Summary
Modern radar applications are conditioned by the progress in the design and modular implementation of electronic beam scanning array antennas [1]. Controlling SLL by using subarrays has been previously explored, examples being the sunflower concept [34], the overlapped arrays concept [35]–[37], or the approach in [38], [39] These designs do deliver superior SLL performance, their practical implementation is intricate (specific tiles in [34] or complicated beam-forming networks [35], [36], [38], [39]). Building up on [42] and [43], the present paper discusses a highly innovative strategy for simultaneously compensating the scan-loss and lowering the SLL in linear arrays This objective can be fulfilled by using subarrays with asymmetric patterns.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
