UTD representation of surface field produced by a conformal array on a convex metallic surface

Abstract

A uniform geometrical theory of diffraction (UTD) ray solution is obtained for describing the surface fields produced by an aperture formed by a large phased array antenna mounted conformally on a locally convex, but otherwise relatively arbitrary large metallic platform. The electromagnetic equivalence theorem is employed to obtain the equivalent sources over the array aperture. The fields on the same convex surface produced by these equivalent sources are represented collectively by the present UTD solution in terms of just a few rays emanating from specific points on the edges and the corners of the array aperture boundary. These surface rays once launched from the array aperture then interact with the rest of the platform via the UTD method. This UTD solution can be used to efficiently calculate mutual coupling between two conformal array antennas installed on the same platform.