A Fast Graph-Searching Algorithm Enabling the Efficient Synthesis of Sub-Arrayed Planar Monopulse Antennas

• Published in: IEEE transactions on antennas and propagation Vol. 57; no. 3; pp. 652 - 663
• Main Authors: Manica, L., Rocca, P., Benedetti, M., Massa, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.03.2009; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Aircraft; Algorithms; Antenna arrays; Antenna feeds; Antennas; Applied sciences; Azimuth; Combinatorial analysis; Direct acyclic graph; Electromagnetism; Engineering Sciences; Exact sciences and technology; Flexibility; Matching; Mathematical models; monopulse antennas; Optimization; Pattern matching; Planar arrays; Radiocommunications; Reflector antennas; Signal and Image processing; Solution space; Studies; sum and difference modes; Synthesis; Target tracking; Telecommunications; Telecommunications and information theory; Trajectory; Vehicles; Performance evaluation; Lateral lobe; Graph theory; sum and difference modes; Pattern recognition; Planar antenna arrays; Flexibility; Implementation; Optimization; Direct acyclic graph; Search algorithm; Combinatorial method; monopulse antennas; Algorithm performance; planar arrays; Fast algorithm; Plane antenna; Acyclic graph; Pattern matching; Directed graph
• ISSN: 0018-926X; 1558-2221
• DOI: 10.1109/TAP.2009.2013423

An innovative approach in its different implementations for the synthesis of compromise sum and difference patterns of monopulse planar arrays is presented. The synthesis method is based on a sub-arraying technique aimed at generating the compromise patterns through an optimal excitation matching procedure. By exploiting some properties of the solution space, the synthesis problem is reformulated as a combinatorial one to allow a considerable saving of computational resources. Thanks to a graph-based representation of the solution space, the use of an efficient path-searching algorithm is enabled to speed up the convergence to the compromise solution. In the numerical validation, a set of representative examples concerned with both pattern matching problems and pattern-feature optimization are reported in order to assess the effectiveness and flexibility of the proposed approach. Comparisons with previously published results and solutions obtained by a hybrid version of the approach customized to deal with the optimization of the sidelobe level (SLL) are reported and discussed, as well.