Main Beam Controlling Planar Antenna Array Design and Synthesis for Square Kilometre Array and Satellite Applications

Abstract

Antenna arrays are currently being used for ultra sensitive radio observations in the project called Square Kilometre Array (SKA). In this paper, a planar array has been proposed to match high spatial resolution and high sensitivity requirements of the SKA, and satellite applications. The proposed design offers a well-controlled and elliptically shaped main beam. In addition, optimized thinned configuration provides minimum side lobe peaks and high directivity by applying modified binary Genetic Algorithm (GA). Design-induced modification in GA with a double-stage uniform crossover operation has been proposed. Array factor, forming the cost function with the constraint of uniform side lobe pattern, has been derived. At first, the design has been examined for side lobe peaks, side lobe pattern, and directivity in the orthogonal planes (φ = 0 and φ = π/2). For direction-specific optimization, design offers a directivity of 32 dB and a peak side lobe level of −25 dB. A comprehensive investigation involving optimization in all the planes (φ from 0 to π) has been carried out, giving a side lobe peak of −20 dB and a directivity of 30 dB. The achievable 3-dB beam width is 0.088, evidently fulfilling the high-resolution requirement of SKA applications. A performance comparison with several state-of-the-art synthesis methods shows that the proposed design in combination with the modified heuristic approach can provide high directivity and low beam width, well-controlled main beam, and a radiation pattern with quite competitive side lobe peaks.

KEYWORDS:

• Aperture synthesis
• Array antennas
• Genetic algorithm
• Low side lobes
• Optimization
• Planar antenna array geometry

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Vinay Kanungo

Vinay Kanungo received his B.Tech degree in electronics and communication engineering from the University of Rajasthan in 2009, and M.Tech degree in communication from Malaviya National Institute of Technology Jaipur in 2012. He is currently working towards his Ph.D degree. His areas of interest are antennas, optimization techniques, fibre optics, photonic crystal fibres, non-linear optics, and plasmonics.

E-mail: [email protected]

Mohammad Salim

Mohammad Salim received his B.E. degree in electrical engineering from M.R. Engineering College, Jaipur, in 1982 and his M.Tech degree in electrical engineering from IIT Kanpur in 1991. He received his Ph.D degree in 2012 from MNIT Jaipur. He is currently serving as an associate professor at the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering MNIT Jaipur. His areas of interest include error control codes, wireless communications, mobile communication, EMI/EMC, wireless sensor networks, electromagnetic radiation hazards, and RF power harvesting.

E-mail: [email protected]