A new approach to antenna array synthesis

A method of synthesizing linear antenna arrays from a complex far-field radiation pattern is proposed. A unique feature of this method is that it utilizes the far-field phase as a design parameter and considers the possibility of an equiphase far-field radiation pattern only as a special case. Two cases are examined. In the first case, a complex far-field radiation pattern is considered with its real and imaginary parts properly formulated and synthesized separately. In the second case, the far-field radiation pattern is reduced to one of constant phase, but it is expressed as the sum of two continuous, real functions; as in the first case, each of the two functions is separately synthesized. Both cases yield antenna arrays with side-lobe levels considerably lower than those of comparable arrays designed by using conventional techniques. Although broadside arrays are considered only, the method can be extended to other types of arrays as well.