Antennas & Wave Propagation

(ELC 521)

Fall Semester 2021/2022

By

Dr. Hazem El-Banna

[email protected]

Electronics and Communication Eng. Dept.

ANTENNA ARRAYS
 Antenna Arrays Lecture 4

Suggested Readings
Most of the material in this lecture are based on:
 Chapter 6, Constantin Balanis“ Antenna Theory Analysis and
Design,” John Wiley, 4th ed., 2012.

 For more mathematical details

Chapter 3, Constantin Balanis“ Antenna Theory Analysis and

Design,” John Wiley, 3rd ed., 2005.

10/13/2022 3
 Contents Lecture 4

Today we are going to talk about:

Antenna Arrays
 Uniform Linear Array
 Feeding Network
 Non Uniform Linear Array
 Planar Array

4
 Antenna Arrays Lecture 4

Antenna Array
It is an assembly of radiating elements in an electrical or geometrical configuration

Linear array Planar circular array

 Antenna Arrays Lecture 4

The field radiated by the two elements assuming no coupling between

the elements is :
kIol  e  jk ( r1   / 2) e  jk ( r2   / 2) 
Et  E1  E2  aˆ j  cos1  cos 2 
4  r1 r2 
I1  I o e j / 2 , I 2  I o e  j / 2
where :
 ...is the differencein phase ecitation
between two elements
At far zone:
1 1 1
 
r1 r2 r
 Antenna Arrays Lecture 4

4.1. Two infinitesimal dipoles

Along z-axis and
parallel to y-axis

Radiated field

E (total) = [E (single element at origin as reference

point) X Array factor] This is referred to the pattern
multiplication for arrays of identical elements.
Antenna Arrays Lecture 4
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This is the ordinary array theory which neglecting the mutual

The radiation elements coupling between
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Examples
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1 1 1
 
r1 r2 r
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4.2 N-Element Array

Uniform Distribution Non-uniform Distribution

1-Broadside Array 1- Binomial Array

2- End fire Array 2- Tschebyscheff Array

3-Phased(Scanning) array

4-Hansen Woodyard array

5- Different array orientations

 Antenna Arrays Lecture 4

4.2 N-Elements linear arrays

7.2.1 Uniform amplitude and spacing
An array of identical elements fed with identical magnitude
and a progressive phase (β, 2β, 3β, 4β…). The array factor can
be obtained by considering the elements to be point sources
Then multiplied times the element pattern
AF  1  e j kd cos     e j 2kd cos     .....  e j ( N 1) kd cos   
N
AF   e j ( n 1) kd cos    Phase shift due to Phase shift
n 1 change length

which can be wrtitten as :

N
AF   e j ( n 1)
n 1

where   kd cos   

 Antenna Arrays Lecture 4

AF  1  e j  e j 2  .....  e j ( N 1) (1)

Multiplying both sides by e j ;
AFe j  e j  e j 2  e j 3  .....  e j ( N 1)  e jN ( 2)
Subtracting (1) ( 2);
AF (e j  1)  (1  e jN )

 N N
  N 
jN  N 1 
j    j  
 N 1   sin  
e  1 j
 2  e
   2
e  2
 j  
2 
AF   j   e  j  1    e  2 

 e  1 
1
 j     1 
 e   e   
2 2 sin 
    2  
If the reference point is the physical center of the array, the array
factor reduces to:  N 
 sin 2  
AF     
 sin 1  
   
2
 Antenna Arrays Lecture 4

for small value of ( ) the above epressioncan be approximated to :

 N 
 sin 2  
AF     
  1  
  2  

The maximum value of the array factor is equal to (N), to normalize

the array factor, so that the maximum value of each is equal to unity,
 N  
 sin 2   
AFn     
 N sin 1   
  
 2 
For small value of ψ it   N 
 sin 2   
is approximated by: AFn    
  N  
  2  
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Nulls
To find the nulls of the array : AF=0
N 
sin    0
2 
N
   n
2   n
   2n   n  1,2,3...
 n  cos 1
     
 2d  N  n  N ,2 N ,3N ...

Maximum

The maximum values occur when: AF=1

 1
 kd cos      ±m
2 2 n

 
m  cos  1
  ± 2m  m  0,1,2... Main maximum at m=0
 2d 
 Antenna Arrays Lecture 4

HPBW
The 3 dB point for the array factor occurs when:
N
1
sin 
2  1
N  2
2
 N
N  kd cos        1.391
2 2 h

1    2.782 
 h  cos     
 2d  N 

   2.782 
or  h   sin  1
   
2  2d  N 
for d  
    2.782 
h       
2  2d  N 
The half power beamwidth, for symmetrical pattern :
HPBW  2  m   h
Antenna Arrays Lecture 4
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Maxima of minor lobes

They occur approximately when:

N
sin   1
2
 2s  1 
or
N
kd cos      s   
2  2 
    2 s  1  
 s  cos  1
       s  1,2,3..
 2d   2  
    2 s  1  
or  s   sin      
1
  s  1,2,3..
2  2d   2  
for d  
    2 s  1  
s          
2  2d   2  
 Antenna Arrays Lecture 4

Maxima of the first minor lobe occurs approximately when:

 3 
  kd cos        
N N
2 2 s
 2 
    3  
 s  cos 
1
      
 2d   2  
at that po int
N 
sin  
AFn   2 

2
 0.212
N
 3
2   s

In dB :
AFn  20 log0.212  13.46dB
 Antenna Arrays Lecture 4

1-Broadside array

The maximum radiation of any array is directed normal to the axis

of the array (broadside θ=90o). This occurs when:

  kd cos    0 put   90o

    0 ;d 
 can be of any value

The separation is an important constraint you have to

mind to avoid the onset of the grating lobes in
broadside arrays
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Directivity of broadside array

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2-Ordinary end fire array

The maximum radiation of any array is directed along to the axis

of the array (θ=0o or θ=180o).This occurs when:

  kd cos    0  kd    0   
o    kd
  kd cos    180  kd    0 
o    kd
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Directivity of ordinary end fire array

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3-Phased(Scanning) array
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Feeding network of scanning array

Series feed Parallel corporate feed

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4-Hansen Woodyard array

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β=-kd=-∏ / 2
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Directivity of Hansen Woodyard end fire array

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5- Different array orientations

Linear array oriented along z-axis

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Linear array oriented along x-axis

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Linear array oriented along y-axis

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4.2.2 Nonuniform amplitude and uniform spacing

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1-Binomial array
The excitation coefficients of a binomial array are determined from
the binomial expansion as:
( m  1)(m  1) 2 ( m  1)(m  1)(m  3) 3
1  x  m 1
 1  ( m  1) x  x  x  ......
2! 3!
The positive coefficients of the series expansion for different value of
(m) are shown in the Pascal’s Triangle.
 Antenna Arrays Lecture 4

If (m) represents the number of elements of the array, then the

coefficients of expansion represent the relative amplitude of the
elements.
•Two elements: (2M=2) a1 = 1
•Three elements: (2M+1=3) 2a1=2 so a1=1 & a2=1
•Four elements: (2M=4) a1=3 , a2=1
•Five elements: (2M+1=5) 2a1=6 so a1=3 & a2=4 & a3=1
Antenna Arrays Lecture 4

N=10; even
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Radiation pattern

It’s observed that there are no minor lobes for the arrays with spacing of λ/4 and λ/2
between the elements.
Binomial arrays have very low level minor lobes, but they exhibit large beamwidth
(compared to uniform and Dolph-Tschebysceff designs).
A major disadvantage of binomial arrays is the wider variation between the amplitudes
of the different elements of an array.
 Antenna Arrays Lecture 4

Directivity of Binomial array of d=λ/2

Approximate directivity and HPBW

(rad.)
Antenna Arrays Lecture 4
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Example: Design a binomial array of 5 elements with spacing λ/2.

M 1
d 
( AF ) n  a cos2n  1u , u cos   cos 

n
n 1 2
2M  1  5  M  2
 aa1=3 1, a 2  4, a 3  1
AF  3  4 cos 2u  cos 4u  8 cos4 u
1.06 1.06
HPBW    0.53  30.37 o
N 1 2
SLL  
Do  1.77 N  3.958
   
FNBW  cos cos  n   0  cos  n 
2  2 2
 n  0o  FNBW  180o
 Antenna Arrays Lecture 4

2-Dolph Tschebyscheff array

Since the array factor of an even or odd number of

elements is a summation of cosine terms, whose form
is a polynomial, the same as the Dolph-Tschebyscheff
polynomials then the unknown coefficients of the
array factor can be determined by equating the series
representing the cosine terms of the array factor to
the appropriate Tschebyscheff polynomial.

The order of the polynomial should be one less than

the total number of elements of the array.
let Z=cosu, Tm(z) is the Tschebyscheff polynomial
 Antenna Arrays Lecture 4

Tschebyschev polynomial

Tm(z) = cos[m.cos-1(z)] for -1≤z≤1

Tm(z) = cosh[m.cosh-1(z)] for z<-1, z>1
The recursion formula for Tschebyscheff polynomial is:
Tm(z)= 2ZTm-1(z)- Tm-2(z)

 
Note:
cosh-1 (y)  ln y  y 2  1
 Antenna Arrays Lecture 4

1- All polynomial pass through the point (1,1).

2- For -1≤z≤1, Tm(z) have values within -1 to +1.
3- All roots occur within -1≤z≤1 , all maxima and minima have values +1 and
-1 respectively
 Antenna Arrays Lecture 4

Design Tschebyschev Array

1- Select the appropriate array factor (even or odd)

2- Expand the array factor {cosmu=…..}
3- Determine the point zo, such that Tm(zo)=Ro
* The order (m) of the Tschebyscheff polynomial is always
one less than the total number of the element

4- Substitute cos u=z/zo

5- Equate the array factor to Tm(z)

6- Determine an.
 Antenna Arrays Lecture 4
Example:
Design a broadside Tschebyscheff array of 10 elements with spacing (d)
between the elements. The major to minor lobe level is 26 dB. Find the
excitation coefficients and form the array factor.
Solution:
5
d
1   AF 2 M   an cos2n  1u  ,u  cos
n 1 
2   AF 10  a1 cos u  a2 cos 3u  a3 cos 5u  a4 cos 7u  a5 cos 9u
substitute for cos u, cos 3u, cos 5u, cos 7u, cos 9u by series exp ansion
3  Ro dB  26  20 log Ro  Ro  20

T9 ( zo )  20  cosh 9 cosh1  zo  
1 
 zo  cosh cosh 20  1.0851
1

9 
 1 1

zo   Ro  Ro  1    Ro  Ro  1  
1  2 9 2 9
or
2     
 
 Antenna Arrays Lecture 4
z z
4  Subistute cos u   in the AF ( step2)
zo 1.0851
5  Compare ( step4) with T9 ( z )
3
 z 
 AF 10  a1  3a2  5a3  7 a4  9a5     4a2  20a3  55a4  120a5  
z
zo  zo 
5 7 9
 z   z   z 
  16a3  112a4  432a5     64a4  57a5    256a5 
 zo   zo   zo 
 9 z  120z 3  432z 5  576z 7  256z 9
 a5  2.086 a4  2.8308 a3  4.1184 a2  5.2073 a1  5.8377
in normalized form :
a5  1 a4  1.357 a3  1.974 a2  2.496 a1  2.798
or
a5  0.357 a4  0.485 a3  0.706 a2  0.89 a1  1
then  AF 10  2.798cos u  2.496 cos 3u  1.974 cos 5u  1.357 cos 7u  cos 9u
 Antenna Arrays Lecture 4

Directivity and HPBW of Tschebyschev array

The directivity of large Dolph-Tschebyscheff arrays, scanned near

broadside, with SLL from -20dB to -60dB;
2
2 Ro
Do 

1  Ro  1 . f .
2
 
ld
and

Do 
101.5
 for any broadsidelinear array
HPBW

 
where 2
2 2 
f  1  0.636 cosh (cosh Ro )   
1 2

 Ro 
Antenna Arrays Lecture 4

4.3 Planner arrays

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Airborne early warning and control
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