Module: 2 Linear & Planar Arrays

Two element array, N-element linear array - broadside array, End fire
array - Directivity, radiation pattern, pattern multiplication. Non-uniform
excitation - Binomial, Chebyshev distribution, Arrays: Planar array,
circular array, Phased Array antenna (Qualitative study)

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 Antenna Array

In many applications, it is necessary to design antennas with very directive

characteristics (very high gains) to meet the demands of long distance
communication. This can only be accomplished by increasing the electrical
size of the antenna.

Enlarging the dimensions of single elements often leads to more directive

characteristics.
Another way to enlarge the dimensions of the antenna, without necessarily
increasing the size of the individual elements, is to form an assembly of
radiating elements in an electrical and geometrical configuration.

This new antenna, formed by multi-elements, is referred to as an Array.

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 Linear Array
• Array: a set of antennas operating together to produce certain radiation pattern.
• Each antenna in an array is called an element antenna (or simply an element).
• The elements in an array can be the same or different. In most practical cases,
they are identical in construction (with different feedings).
• Configuration of arrays: Linear (1D), planar (2D), and conformal (3D).
• Array analysis: to obtain array factor (AF) given array configuration and
element feedings
• Array synthesis: To determine the array configuration and/or element feedings
to achieve desired array factor.
• For array made up of identical elements,
(Array pattern) = (Array factor) X (element pattern)

Pattern multiplication

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 Two Element Array
Let us assume that the antenna under investigation is an array of two infinitesimal horizontal
dipoles positioned along the z-axis

α is the phase difference between the two currents.

Single element (1)

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 Two Element Array

(2)

Comparing (1) and (2)

total field of an array is equal to the field of single element located at the origin multiplied
by an array factor given by

Pattern multiplication

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 Two Element Array

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Determination of Null and Maxima

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Pattern multiplication of Element, Array Factor, and Total array Patterns
of a 2-element Array of infinitesimal Horizontal dipoles with identical
phase excitationsc

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Element, Array Factor, and Total array Patterns of a 2-element Array of
infinitesimal Horizontal dipoles with

Identical phase excitations

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Example 1: Two isotropic sources, with spacing d between them, are placed along the z-
axis. The excitation coefficient of each is unity. For a spacing of d = λ/4 between the
elements, find the
(a) array factor,
(b) angles (in degrees) where the nulls of the pattern occur (0◦ ≤ θ ≤ 180◦) ,
(c) angles (in degrees) where the maxima of the pattern occur (0◦ ≤ θ ≤ 180◦)

Solution 1

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   d cos   

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   d cos   

  90,   0 when   0

  0,   0 when    d

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 Broadside Array – N elements
Sidelobe Maxima directions

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 Broadside Array – N elements
Null directions

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 Broadside Array – N elements
Half power point direction

First Null beamwidth and Half power beamwidth

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 Radiation Pattern of Broadside Array – N elements
E(φ)
Main beam
N
Side lobes

π/2

-π φ π

Nulls First Null

  angle between first null and max imum of major lobe

BWFN  2  2 x angle between first null and max imum of major lobe

1
HPBW  BWFN
2

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 Radiation Pattern of Broadside Array – N elements

 n 
 null  cos 1   
 Nd 
 n 
90    cos 1   
 Nd 
n
cos(90   )  
Nd
n n
sin    ,  
Nd Nd
2n 2
BWFN  2    (n  1 for first null )
Nd Nd
2 2  57.3  
BWFN  radian   114.6
L L L

HPBW  57.3
L

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 Directivity of Broadside Array – N elements

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 Broadside Array – N elements

Radiation Pattern Parameters

Length of the array L = (N-1)d = Nd

when N is large
Directivity = 2Nd / λ = 2L / λ

BWFN = 2λ / Nd radian = 114.6 oλ / L degree

HPBW = ½ BWFN = 57.3o λ / L degree

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 Endfire Array – N elements

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 End Array – N elements
Sidelobe Maxima directions

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 End Array – N elements
Null directions

2n
d (cos  min  1)  
N
2n n
(cos  min  1)   
dN Nd
 2  n  
1  2 sin min  1   n
 2  Nd  min min or 1

 2 sin   

 2 Nd 
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 Radiation Pattern of Broadside Array – N elements
E(φ)
Main beam
N
Side lobes

0

-π φ π

Nulls First Null

  angle between first null and max imum of major lobe

BWFN  2  2 x angle between first null and max imum of major lobe

1
HPBW  BWFN
2

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 End Array – N elements
First Null beamwidth and Half power beamwidth

BWFN  2 x angle between first null and max imum of major lobe  21 min
 n 
 min min or  2 sin  
1


 2 Nd 
 n   4n 

sin  min   min  2     
2 Nd   2 Nd 
   
 2n 

 min    
 Nd 
 2   2  2
BWFN  21 min 
 2  
  2  rad  114.6 deg ree
 
 Nd   L  L

2
HPBW  57.3 deg ree
L
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 Directivity of Endfire Array – N elements

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 Radiation Pattern of Endfire Array – N elements

Length of the array L = (N-1)d = Nd

when N is large
Directivity = 4Nd / λ = 4L / λ

BWFN = 2 degree
114.6
L
HPBW = ½ BWFN
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Example 2: 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   
 AF n 
1  2  where   d cos   
N  
sin  
2

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 3: 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

Solution: N = 4, d = λ/2

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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
n2
 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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 Example 4: A uniform linear array consists of 4 isotropic point sources with a
spacing of λ /2. If the phase difference is 0o , Determine Array factor, Half power
beam width, beamwidth between first null and draw theradiation pattern

No of isotropic sources N = 4 , d = λ/2, β = 0o

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Non-uniform Array
• Binomial distribution
• Chebyshev distribution

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 Non – Uniform N – Element Array
Let us consider N – Element arrays with equal spacing and phase
excitation (Broadside) but unequal amplitudes

z z rN
rN
aM aM+1
r2
r2

a2 r1
 r1
a2
d d
a1
r’1 2a1 y
d cos
a1 d/2 cos d r’2
d r’2 a2
a2 r’N r’N

aM aM+1
Even Number of Elements Odd Number of Elements
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 Non – Uniform N – Element Array
Let us now consider N – Element arrays with equal spacing and phase
excitation (Broadside) but unequal amplitudes

 AF 2 M  a1e j 1/ 2 d cos  a2 e j 3 / 2 d cos  .....  aM e j 2 M 1/ 2 d cos
 a1e  j 1/ 2 d cos  a2 e  j 3 / 2 d cos  ........  aM e  j 2 M 1/ 2 d cos
M M
 AF 2 M  2 an cos2n  1u    an cos2n  1u 
n 1 n 1

 AF 2 M 1  2a1  a2e jd cos  a3e 2 jd cos  .....  aM 1e jMd cos
 a2 e  jd cos  a3e  2 jd cos  ......  aM 1e  jMd cos
M 1 M 1
 AF 2 M 1  2  an cos2n  1u    an cos2n  1u 
n 1 n 1

d
Where u  cos 

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 Non – Uniform N – Element Array

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Binomial Array Pattern

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 Binomial Array Design
To determine the excitation coefficients of a binomial array, J. S. Stone suggested
that the function (1 + x)m−1 be written in a series, using the binomial expansion, as

1  x m 1  1  m  1x  m  1m  2 x 2  m  1m  2m  3 x 3  .......

2! 3!

The positive coefficients of the series expansion for different values of m are

The above represents Pascal’s triangle. If the values of m are used to represent the number
of elements of the array, then the coefficients of the expansion represent the relative
amplitudes of the elements. Since the coefficients are determined from a binomial series
expansion, the array is known as a binomial array.

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 Binomial / Butterworth / Maximally Flat
No of elements = 5 (odd)

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 from Pascal’s triangle

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Question 5. Design a broadside binomial array of eight elements placed along the z-axis
separated by a distance d = λ/2.
(a) Find the amplitude excitation coefficients
(b) What is the progressive phase excitation between the elements?
(c) Write the array factor.
(d) Find Half Power beam width and directivity.
Solution 5.

1. Excitation Coefficients are a1  35, a2  21, a3  7, a4  1

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 2. Progressive phase excitation between the elements is zero

M
3. AF 2M   a cos2n  1u
n 1
n

4
  a cos2n  1u  a cos u  a cos 3u  a cos 5u  a cos 7u
n 1
n 1 2 3 4

4. = 0.4006 radian = 22.96o

= 5 = 6.995 dB

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Question 6. Design a three-element binomial array of isotropic elements positioned along
the z-axis a
distance d apart. Find the
(a) normalized excitation coefficients
(b) array factor
(c) nulls of the array factor for d = λ
(d) maxima of the array factor for d = λ

Solution 6.
(a) The excitation coefficients for a 3-element array are 1, 2, 1.

2a1  2,  a1  1, a2  1

M
(b) AF 2M 1   an cos2(n  1u 
n 1
2
  a cos2(n  1u  a  a cos 2u  1  cos 2u
n 1
n 1 2

 d 
 2 cos 2 u  2 cos 2  cos  
  

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(c) The nulls of the pattern

(d) The maxima of the pattern

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 Chebyshev Array
The Dolph-Tschebyschev array is an optimum array design to achieve
a better trade-off between ‘beam width’ and ‘side-lobe level’

Let us now consider N – Element array with equal spacing and phase
excitation (Broadside) but unequal amplitudes. The array factors are
M
 AF 2 M   an cos2n  1u 
n 1
M 1
d
 AF 2 M 1   an cos2n  1u  where u

cos 
n 1

The above array factors are nothing but a series expansion of cosine
terms, that are multiples (or harmonics) of a fundamental frequency
Hence the expansion of the above summation can be equated to
Tschebyschev polynomials to obtain the excitation coefficients

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 Chebyshev Array Pattern

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 Chebyshev Array

Expanding the cosine terms with the help of Euler’s formula and
trigonometric identity sin2 = 1 - cos2

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 Chebyshev Array
By letting cosu = z, we can write the corresponding Tschebyschev
polynomials as

These relations between cosine functions and Tschebyschev polynomials

are valid in the range -1  z  +1 since | cos(mu)|  1. If the value of |z| >
1, then the polynomials are related to hyperbolic cosine functions

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 N Element linear Array: Uniform spacing, Non uniform
amplitude

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 Chebyshev Polynomial

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 Chebyshev Polynomial Array Pattern

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 Dolph - Chebyshev Array Design
Voltage ratio Ro which is the ratio of main lobe voltage to side lobe
voltage. This is also referred as side-lobe level below main lobe
maximum,
Main lobe voltage
R0 
Side lobe voltage

z0 (max. value of z) is

1  
1/ P
 
1/ P

z 0   R0  R0  1    R0  R0  1  P  N  1
2 2

2     

where N is number of elements

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 Dolph - Chebyshev Array Design
Beamwidth and Directivity

beam broadening factor

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 Chebyshev Array Design
Design Procedure
Step 1 : First write down the array factor and expand the cosine terms
in terms of cosu

Step 2 : Find the dimensionless value of voltage ratio R0, from which
compute z0

Step 3 : Substitute the value of z/z0 in the place of cosu

Step 4 : Compare the cosine expansion to the Tschebyschev polynomial

Tm(z), where m is one less than the number of elements

Step 5 : Find the coefficients a1, a2, a3 …etc

Step 6 : Normalize the coefficients with end element values

Step 7 : Write down the normalized array factor.

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Question 7: Design a three-element, −40 dB side lobe level Dolph-Tschebyscheff
array of isotropic elements placed symmetrically along the z-axis. Find the
(a) amplitude excitation coefficients
(b) array factor
Solution

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Step 7 : Write down the normalized array factor.

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Question 8: Design a five-element, −40 dB side lobe level Dolph-Tschebyscheff array of
isotropic elements. The elements are placed along the x-axis with a spacing of λ∕4 between
them. Determine the:
(a) normalized amplitude coefficients
(b) array factor
Solution

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