BECE305L - Antenna and Microwave Engineering
Module: 2 Linear & Planar Arrays
CAT Portion
Two element array, N-element linear array - broadside array, End fire
array - Directivity, radiation pattern, pattern multiplication.
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Radiation Pattern – 2D Polar plot
planar angle is measured in radians/degrees
solid angle is measured in steradians (sr)
Figure: Radiation lobes and beamwidths of an antenna amplitude pattern in polar form
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Example: 1 A uniform array of 3 elements is designed so that its maximum is directed toward
broadside. The spacing between the elements is λ/2. Find the array factor of the antenna.
Determine
(a) all the angles (in degrees) where the nulls will occur.
(b) all the angles (in degrees) where all the maxima will occur.
(c) the half-power beamwidth (in degrees).
(d) directivity (dimensionless and in dB).
(e) Array factor
Solution:
N = 3, d = λ/2
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Array Factor
N
sin
2 where d cos d cos
AF n
1
N or
sin
2 kd cos
N 3 2
sin sin cos max 0
2 2
2
AF n
N 3 2
cos max 0
2 2 2
3
sin cos
AF n
2
3
cos
2
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Example:2 Design a four-element ordinary end-fire array with the elements placed along the
z-axis a distance d apart. For a spacing of d = λ∕2 between the elements find the
(a) progressive phase excitation between the elements to accomplish this
(b) angles (in degrees) where the nulls of the array factor occur
(c) angles (in degrees) where the maximum of the array factor occur
(d) beamwidth (in degrees) between the first nulls of the array factor
(e) directivity (in dB) of the array factor.
(f) angles (in degrees) where the minor lobes of the array factor occur
(g) Array Factor
d cos
Solution: N = 4, d = λ/2
or
kd cos
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(f ) max min or cos 1 2n 1
2 Nd
1 2n 1 1 3
max min or cos
cos
41 . 41
n 1
2 N / 2 4
1 2n 1 1 5
max min or cos
cos doesnot exist
n2
2 N / 2 4
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(g) Array Factor
N 4 2 2
sin sin cos
2
2 2 2
AF n N 4 2 2
cos
2 2 2 2
0o
AF n sin (cos 1)
(cos 1)
270o 90o
180o
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Example3: Design an ordinary end-fire uniform linear array with only one maximum so that its
directivity is 20 dB (above isotropic). The spacing between the elements is λ∕4, and its length is
much greater than the spacing. Determine the
(a) number of elements
(b) overall length of the array (in wavelengths)
(c) approximate half-power beamwidth (in degrees)
(d) amplitude level (compared to the maximum of the major lobe) of the first minor lobe in dB
(e) progressive phase shift between the elements (in degrees).
Solution 3:
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Example 4: Design a two-element uniform array of isotropic sources, positioned along the
z-axis a distance λ∕4 apart, so that its only maximum occurs along 𝜃0 = 0◦. Assuming
ordinary end-fire conditions, find the
(a) relative phase excitation of each element
(b) array factor of the array
(c) directivity
Solution 4:
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