Designing steerable antenna arrays using simulation
- Antenna arrays are one possibility to design a steerable antenna. Designing an antenna array is a challenging task, where simulation can help to reduce the design complexity. Simulating a complete array can be computational expensive, therefore designing the array is often broken in several task. The first goal is to design and optimize a single antenna element followed by an optimization of thisAntenna arrays are one possibility to design a steerable antenna. Designing an antenna array is a challenging task, where simulation can help to reduce the design complexity. Simulating a complete array can be computational expensive, therefore designing the array is often broken in several task. The first goal is to design and optimize a single antenna element followed by an optimization of this antenna element while considering the vicinity of further equal elements. A unit cell approach is a feasible and easy way to accomplish this task. This approach already considers parameter such as active element pattern and radiation pattern angles. As soon as the unit cell optimization, emulating an infinite array, is finished, the real array with a finite size is simulated, especially considering edge elements and parameters such as excitation patterns or active and passive elements. Due to the high simulation effort at this stage optimization should be kept to a minimum and high performance computing might be required. Finally, a feeding network and different excitations for various beam patterns can be investigated using combined methods to reduce the simulation effort.…
