Connected Arrays of Slots with Reduced Number of Active Controls: Efficiency, Matching and Radiation Pattern Agility

Sparse arrays attract a lot of interest due to their potential to significantly simplify phased arrays while maintaining their agile operation. However, the majority of studies concern numerical synthesis techniques and little attention is paid to the practical implication of such arrays. The present work analyzes finite×infinite sparse configurations of connected arrays by full-wave simulations to evaluate their performance in terms of array efficiency, optimal lattice and radiation pattern quality. The proposed study also takes into account the mutual coupling among the array elements and the appropriate termination of the inactive elements to boost the array performance.