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LECTURE 16: PLANAR ARRAYS AND CIRCULAR ARRAYS

1. Planar arrays
Planar arrays provide directional beams, symmetrical patterns with low side
lobes, much higher directivity (narrow main beam) than that of their individual
element. In principle, they can point the main beam toward any direction.
Applications tracking radars, remote sensing, communications, etc.

The array factor of a rectangular planar array


Fig. 6.23b, p. 310, Balanis

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The AF of a linear array of M elements along the x-axis is

( )( ) 1 sin cos
1 1
1
x x
M
j m kd
x m
m
AF I e
u | | +
=
=

(16.1)
where sin cos cos
x
u | = is the directional cosine with respect to the x-axis (
x

is the angle between r and the x axis). It is assumed that all elements are
equispaced with an interval of
x
d and a progressive shift
x
| .
1 m
I denotes the
excitation amplitude of the element at the point with coordinates: ( 1)
x
x m d = ,
0 y = . In the figure above, this is the element of the m-th row and the 1
st

column of the array matrix.
If N such arrays are placed at even intervals along the y direction, a
rectangular array is formed. We assume again that they are equispaced at a
distance
y
d and there is a progressive phase shift
y
| along each row. We also
assume that the normalized current distribution along each of the x-directed
arrays is the same but the absolute values correspond to a factor of
1n
I
( 1,..., ) n N = . Then, the AF of the entire MN array is

( )( ) ( )( )
1 sin sin 1 sin cos
1 1
1 1
y y x x
N M
j n kd j m kd
n m
n m
AF I I e e
u | | u | | + +
= =
(
=
(


, (16.2)
or

M N
x y
AF S S = , (16.3)
where
( )( ) 1 sin cos
1 1
1
x x
M
M
j m kd
x x m
m
S AF I e
u | | +
=
= =

, and
( )( )
1 sin sin
1 1
1
y y
N
N
j n kd
y y n
n
S AF I e
u | | +
=
= =

.
In the array factors above,

sin cos cos ,
sin sin cos .
x
y
u |
u |
= =
= =
x r
y r
(16.4)
The pattern of a rectangular array is the product of the array factors of the linear
arrays in the x and y directions.
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In the case of a uniform planar (rectangular) array,
1 1 0 m n
I I I = = for all m
and n, i.e., all elements have the same excitation amplitudes. Thus,

( )( ) ( )( )
1 sin sin 1 sin cos
0
1 1
y y x x
M N
j n kd j m kd
m n
AF I e e
u | | u | | + +
= =
=

. (16.5)
The normalized array factor is obtained as

sin sin
1 1 2 2
( , )
sin sin
2 2
y
x
n
x y
N M
AF
M N

u |

(
| | (
| |
| | (
(
\ . \ .
(
( =
| | | | (
(
|
|
(
(
\ .
\ .

, (16.6)
where
sin cos ,
sin sin .
x x x
y y y
kd
kd
u | |
u | |
= +
= +

The major lobe (principal maximum) and grating lobes of the terms

sin
1 2
sin
2
M
x
x
x
M
S
M

| |
|
\ .
=
| |
|
\ .
(16.7)
and

sin
1 2
sin
2
N
y
y
y
N
S
N

| |
|
\ .
=
| |
|
\ .
(16.8)
are located at angles such that
sin cos 2 , 0,1,
x m m x
kd m m u | | t + = = ! (16.9)
sin sin 2 , 0,1,
y n n y
kd n n u | | t + = = ! (16.10)
The principal maximum corresponds to 0 m = , 0 n = .
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In general,
x
| and
y
| are independent from each other. But, if it is required
that the main beams of
M
x
S and
N
y
S intersect (which is usually the case), then
the common main beam is in the direction:

0
u u = and
0
| | = , 0 m n = = . (16.11)
If the principal maximum is specified by
0 0
( , ) u | , then the progressive phases
x
| and
y
| must satisfy

0 0
sin cos
x x
kd | u | = , (16.12)

0 0
sin sin
y y
kd | u | = . (16.13)
When
x
| and
y
| are specified, the direction of the main beam can be found by
simultaneously solving (16.12) and (16.13):

0
tan
y x
x y
d
d
|
|
|
= , (16.14)

2
2
0
sin
y x
x y
kd kd
| |
u
| |
| |
= +
|
|
\ .
\ .
. (16.15)
The grating lobes can be located by substituting (16.12) and (16.13) in (16.9)
and (16.10):

0 0
0 0
sin sin
tan
sin cos
y
mn
x
n
d
m
d

u |
|

u |

, (16.16)

0 0
0 0
sin sin
sin cos
sin
cos sin
y
x
mn
mn mn
n
m
d
d

u |
u |
u
| |

= = . (16.17)
To avoid grating lobes, the spacing between the elements must be less than
(
y
d < and
y
d < ). In order a true grating lobe to occur, both equations
(16.16) and (16.17) must have a real solution ( , )
mn mn
u | .
The array factors of a 5 by 5 uniform array are shown below for two
spacings, / 4 d = and / 2 d = . Notice the considerable decrease in the
beamwidth as the spacing is increased from / 4 to / 2 .
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DIRECTIVITY PATTERNS OF A 5-ELEMENT SQUARE PLANAR UNIFORM ARRAY
WITHOUT GRATING LOBES 0
x y
| | = = : (a) / 4 d = , (b) / 2 d =

0
10.0287 (10.0125 dB) D =
0
33.2458 (15.2174 dB) D =
(a) (b)
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The beamwidth of a planar array

x
y
z
h
|
h
u
0
u
0
|
h
|


A simple procedure, proposed by R.S. Elliot
1
is outlined below. It is based
on the use of the beamwidths of the linear arrays building the planar array.
For a large array, whose maximum is near the broad side, the elevation
plane HPBW is approximately

( )
2 2 2 2 2
0 0 0
1
cos cos sin
h
x y
u
u u | u |

=
A + A
(16.18)
where

1
Beamwidth and directivity of large scanning arrays, The Microwave Journal, Jan. 1964, pp.74-82.
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0 0
( , ) u | specifies the main-beam direction;

x
u A is the HPBW of a linear broadside array whose number of
elements M and amplitude distribution is the same as that of
the x-axis linear arrays building the planar array;

y
u A is the HPBW of a linear BSA whose number of elements N
and amplitude distribution is the same as those of the y-axis
linear arrays building the planar array.

The HPBW in the plane, which is orthogonal to the
0
| | = plane and
contains the maximum, is

2 2 2 2
0 0
1
sin cos
h
x y
|
u | u |

=
A + A
. (16.19)
For a square array ( ) M N = with amplitude distributions of the same type
along the x and y axes, equations (16.18) and (16.19) reduce to

0 0
cos cos
y x
h
u u
u
u u
A A
= = , (16.20)

h x y
| u u = A = A . (16.21)
From (16.20), it is obvious that the HPBW in the elevation plane very much
depends on the elevation angle
0
u of the main beam. The HPBW in the
azimuthal plane
h
| does not depend on the elevation angle
0
u .
The beam solid angle of the planar array can be approximated by

A h h
u | O = , (16.22)
or

2 2
2 2 2 2 2
0 0 0 0 0
2 2
cos sin cos sin cos
x y
A
y x
x y
u u
u u
u | | | |
u u
A A
O =
(
A ( A
+ +
(
(
A A


. (16.23)
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Directivity of planar rectangular array
The general expression for the calculation of the directivity of an array is

2
0 0
0
2
2
0 0
| ( , ) |
4
| ( , ) | sin
AF
D
AF d d
t t
u |
t
u | u u |
=
} }
. (16.24)
For large planar arrays, which are nearly broadside, (16.24) reduces to

0 0
cos
x y
D D D t u = (16.25)
where

x
D is the directivity of the respective linear BSA, x-axis;

y
D is the directivity of the respective linear BSA, y-axis.
We can also use the array solid beam angle
A
O in (16.23) to calculate the
approximate directivity of a nearly broadside planar array:

2
0
[Sr]
[deg ]
4 32400
A
A
D
t
=
O O
. (16.26)

Remember:
1) The main beam direction is controlled through the phase shifts,
x
| and
y
| .
2) The beamwidth and side-lobe levels are controlled through the amplitude
distribution.
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2. Circular array


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Array factor of circular array
The normalized field can be written as

1
( , , )
n
N
jkR
n
n
n
e
E r a
R
u |

=
=

, (16.27)
where

2 2
2 cos
n n
R r a ar = + . (16.28)
For r a , (16.28) reduces to

cos ( )
n
n n
R r a r a

a r . (16.29)
In a rectangular coordinate system,

cos sin
sin cos sin sin cos
n
n n
| |
u | u | u
= +
= + +
a x y
r x y z

Therefore,

( )
sin cos cos sin sin
n n n
R r a u | | | | + , (16.30)
or

( )
sin cos
n n
R r a u | | . (16.31)
For the amplitude term, the approximation

1 1
, all
n
n
R r
(16.32)
is made.
Assuming the approximations (16.31) and (16.32) are valid, the far-zone
array field is reduced to

sin cos( )
1
( , , )
n
N
jkr
jka
n
n
e
E r a e
r
u | |
u |

=
=

, (16.33)
where

n
a is the complex excitation coefficient (amplitude and phase);
2 /
n
n N | t = is the angular position of the n-th element.
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In general, the excitation coefficient can be represented as

n
j
n n
a I e
o
= , (16.34)
where
n
I is the amplitude term, and
n
o is the phase of the excitation of the n-th
element relative to a chosen array element of zero phase,

( )
( ) sin cos
1
, ,
n n
N
jkr
j ka
n
n
e
E r I e
r
u | | o
u |

+ (

=
=

. (16.35)
The AF is obtained as

( ) sin cos
1
( , )
n n
N
j ka
n
n
AF I e
u | | o
u |
+ (

=
=

. (16.36)
Expression (16.36) represents the AF of a circular array of N equispaced
elements. The maximum of the AF occurs when all the phase terms in (16.36)
equal unity, or,

( )
sin cos 2 , 0, 1, 2, all
n n
ka m m n u | | o t + = = . (16.37)
The principal maximum ( 0 m = ) is defined by the direction
0 0
( , ) u | , for which

( )
0 0
sin cos , 1, 2,...,
n n
ka n N o u | | = = . (16.38)
If a circular array is required to have maximum radiation in the direction
0 0
( , ) u | , then the phases of its excitations have to fulfil (16.38). The AF of such
an array is

| | 0 0
sin cos( ) sin cos( )
1
( , )
n n
N
jka
n
n
AF I e
u | | u | |
u |

=
=

, (16.39)

0
(cos cos )
1
( , )
n n
N
jka
n
n
AF I e

u |

=
=

. (16.40)
Here,
| |
arccos sin cos( )
n n
u | | = is the angle between

r and
n

a ;
| |
0 0 0
arccos sin cos( )
n
n
u | | = is the angle between
n

a and
max

r
pointing in the direction of maximum radiation.

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As the radius of the array a becomes large compared to , the directivity of
the uniform circular array (
0
, all
n
I I n = ) approaches the value of N.
UNIFORM CIRCULAR ARRAY 3-D PATTERN (N=10, 2 / 10 ka a t = = ):
MAXIMUM AT 0 ,180 u =

0
11.6881 (10.6775 dB) D =
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UNIFORM CIRCULAR ARRAY 3-D PATTERN (N=10, 2 / 10 ka a t = = ):
MAXIMUM AT 90 , 0 u | = =

0
10.589 (10.2485 dB) D =