Research Journal of Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology 9(3): 201-204, 2015

DOI:10.19026/rjaset.9.1395
ISSN: 2040-7459; e-ISSN: 2040-7467
© 2015 Maxwell Scientific Publication Corp.
Submitted: July 01, 2014 Accepted: August 26, 2014 Published: January 25, 2015

Research Article
Design of Phase Array Antenna Using Least Mean Square Algorithm: The Use of Point
Sources and Micro-strip Patch Antennas
1
A. Abubakar Mas’ud and 2A.V. Wirba
1
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technology,
2
Department of Management and Information Technology, Jubail Industrial College, Saudi Arabia

Abstract: In this study, a phased array antenna was designed using modified Least Mean Square algorithm, to
adaptively track incident signals from satellite. The algorithms would form the beam perfectly and the main beam
will be centered at the location of the desired signal and the nulls will be located at exactly the direction of the
unwanted signals. The main beam and nulls would be steered toward incident signals automatically during
adaptation process. The phased linear array using both point sources and micro-strip rectangular patch was designed.
8-elements with 0.5 wavelength separation were used. It was found that with micro-strip antenna sources placed
along one of the axis, the algorithm gives a lower side lobe which gives best cancellation of interferers from other
satellites with higher directivity and lower half-power beam widths.

Keywords: Phase array antenna, satellite

INTRODUCTION from one aperture. The reflector antennas are usually

applied for earth station antennas.
Phased array antennas have wide applications in The essential thing in satellite communications is
business and other services such as radars, base to make sure that satellite is in perfect contact with
transceiver stations and anti-collision radars (Liu et al., ground antenna. Dish reflector antennas as widely
2009). Electronically scanned phased array antennas applied are bulky and their performance deteriorate
has several advantages when compared to the with age. There is need for antenna with simpler
conventional ones such as fast scanning, wider installation mechanism having less degradation to wind.
operating bandwidth and the ability to host multiple
Phased array antennas are definitely the solution.
antenna beams on the same array and eliminating
mechanical complexity and reliability issues (Ali, The phase array antennas have several merits and
2005). The scanning advantage of a phased array demerits (Garg et al., 2001; Pozar, 1996). The beam
antenna is usually realized using ‘forced excitation’, in can be adjusted using digital signal where no physical
which the antenna elements are energized with signals movement is needed. They have small size and weight.
of the same amplitude other than the progressive phase, They can be used with computers to cancel unwanted
needed to steer the antenna beam within certain beam for satellites. Their major disadvantage is that
directions (Balanis, 2006). This study presents a their look angles may be narrowed to certain areas
comparative analysis of the use of both point sources when compared with conventional scanning.
and microstrip antennas for phased arrays. The essential
desired characteristics were considered in both cases BEAM-FORMING ALGORITHMS
and therefore this study considers the use of the system
for satellite communication. The literature has proposed certain beam forming
algorithms based on stability and cost of
Antennas for satellite communication: Antenna implementation (Balanis, 2006; Dawoud et al., 1993).
subsystem is an important parameter of a satellite These are the Direct Null Steering techniques, Indirect
system. Four basic antennas are identified (Balanis, Null steering Methods (or the search algorithms), Least
2005). These are the monopoles/dipoles, horn antennas, Mean Square algorithm. The later is the easiest and
array antennas and reflector antennas. The dipoles are more reliable search algorithm i.e. by knowing the
applied for high frequency communications while the desired signal, the algorithm can modify its complex
horn antennas and suitable for microwave frequencies. weightings of single elements to get the best radiation
The array antennas sometimes called the phased array pattern. They also don’t need prior direction
antennas are applied on satellites to make several beams information.

Corresponding Author: A. Abubakar Mas’ud, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Technology, Jubail
Industrial College, Saudi Arabia
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (URL: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
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 Res. J. App. Sci. Eng. Technol., 9(3): 201-204, 2015

This study considers varying the number of

elements in both the two axis and changing the phase
excitations and evaluating the radiation pattern. In
phase array antennas, the radiating elements are
electronically excited from the same source such that
the vector components are constructively added in one
direction to form the main beam and destructively
cancelling in other direction to form the nulls ( ). This
has advantage in tracking satellites where the desired
signal is directed towards the main beam and the
interferers towards the nulls.

Phased array using micros trip antenna sources:

Micro strip Antennas are similar to parallel plate
Fig. 1: Phased array antenna using point sources (Balanis, capacitors, with dielectric in between them (Saunders
2005) and Aragón-Zavala, 2007). It has radiating patch one
side while a ground plane on the other. It radiates
because of the fringing fields between patch edge and
ground plane. For large bandwidth and better radiation,
thick substrate with large dielectric constant provides
better efficiency with better radiation. In this study, the
rectangular micro strip antenna is applied as shown in
Fig. 2 above.
The E-plane (principal) is given by, θ = 90, 0 ≤Ф≤
90, 270 ≤Ф≤360, which is the x-y plane. The E-field
radiation is given by the equation (Balanis, 2006):

 k h 
sin( o cos φ ) 
Fig. 2: Directions of radiations for both E-plane and H-plane hk o wE o e − jko r  2  ko L
Eφ = + j sin φ )
e
 k h  cos(
πr   2

o
cos φ 
In this study, the modified Least Mean Square 2 (2)
Algorithm (LMS) will be applied adaptively with the
phased array to get the required radiation patterns. The H-plane (principal) is given by, Ф = 0, 0≤θ≤
Using these techniques, this study compares the phase 180, which is the x-z plane:
array antennas using point sources and micro-strip The H-field radiation is given by the equation
antennas. (Balanis, 2006):
Phased array using point sources: Here the radiators hk o wE o e − jk o r
Eφ = + j
h
(point sources) are situated along rectangular lattice, πr
thereby providing more parameters to monitor the  ko h k w 
pattern of the radiation (Lin et al., 2012). This is  sin( sin θ ) sin( o cos θ ) 
2 2
important to give more symmetrical patterns with low sin θ k h k w 
 ( o sin θ )( o cos θ ) 
side lobes and is more suitable for tracking moving  2 2  (3)
objects e.g., satellite (Fig. 1).
The array factor of N-elements array is given as ( ):
In this study, it is assumed that the rectangular
N
patch elements are placed along the z-axis and the
AF = ∑ an e j ( n −1)ψ (1) following parameters are considered in the design:
n =1
Frequency = 10GHz
where, Dielectric constant of the substrate = 2.2
Length (L) = 0.45λ
2π d Width (W) = 0.25λ
ψ = kd cos (θ ) + β = cos (θ ) + β
λ Height (H) = 0.005λ
λ represent the wavelength.
where,
K = A wave number RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
d = The distance between the elements
θ = The angle of the main beam of the array It can be observed from Fig. 3 to 6 that using
β = The progressive phase shift rectangular a patch antenna as the radiating sources
a = The amplitude of each of the individual elements gives lower side lobes than applying point sources
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 Res. J. App. Sci. Eng. Technol., 9(3): 201-204, 2015

Fig. 3: Array factor for linear array with 8 elements, dx = 0.5 λ, desired signal at = 0, while the interferer is at = 30°

Fig. 4: Array factor for linear array with 8 elements, dx = 0.5 λ, desired signal at = 0, while one interferer is at -30°and the other
at = 0

Fig. 5: Array factor for linear array with 8 elements, dx = 0.5 λ, desired signal at = 0, while one interferer is at = -30°and the
other at = 30°
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 Res. J. App. Sci. Eng. Technol., 9(3): 201-204, 2015

Fig. 6: Array factor for linear array with 8 elements, dx = 0.5 λ, desired signal at = 10, while one interferer is at = -30° and the
other at = 30°

which is good for cancelling interfering satellites. This Balanis, C.A., 2006. Smart antennas for future
is because micro patch radiates better in only the E and reconfigurable wireless communication networks.
H-planes and the rectangular patch is designed to give Proceeding of IEEE Tropical Conference on
radiation vertical to the patch elements. Wireless Communication Technology, pp:
181-182.
CONCLUSION Dawoud, M.M., T.O. Halawani and R.T. Al-
Mushcab, 1993. Design of adaptive arrays based on
In this study, phased array antenna was designed element position perturbations. Proceeding of 8th
using the LMS Algorithm to adaptively track incident International Conference on Antennas and
signals from satellite. The algorithms would form the Propagation (ICAP, 1993). Edinburgh, U.K.,
beam perfectly and the main beam will be centered at pp: 504-507.
the location of the desired signal and the nulls located at Garg, R., P. Bhartia, I. Bahl and A. Ittipioon, 2001.
exactly the direction of the unwanted signals. The main Microstrip Antenna Design Handbook. Artech
beam and nulls would be steered toward incident House Inc., MA, England.
signals automatically during the adaptation process. Lin, Z., Y. Minli and S. Xiaowei, 2012. Side lobe
The phased array using both point sources and micro reduction of the low profile multi-subarray antenna
strip rectangular patch were designed. It was found that by genetic algorithm. Int. J. Electron. Commun.,
with micro strip antenna sources placed along one of 66(2): 133-139.
the axis, the algorithm gives a lower side lobe for better Liu, D., B. Gaucher, U. Pfeiffer and J. Grzyb, 2009.
to cancellation of interferers from other satellites. Advanced Millimeter-wave Technologies:
Antennas, Packaging and Circuits. Wiley and Sons
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