Simulation study for the distance, and phase difference between the elements

of planar Antenna Array.

Asma M. N El-ferjani(1), Ahmed Elbarsha(1),Alzaroog Saleh Abdulali(2)
(1) Dept. of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Benghazi, Benghazi, Libya.
(2) Dept. of Electrical Engineering, University of Bright star, Elbriga, Libya

Abstract — The aim of this paper is to make real dx=0.5;% the inter-element spacing in x-
observation by MATLAB codes, the first thing to do is find axis
radiation pattern with different excitation current way, and dy=0.5;% the inter-element spacing in y-
different technique to choice the phase; for planar array. axis
theta=pi/2;% or theta=pi/6
Index Terms —Antenna, Radiation pattern, planar phi=0 : 0.01 : 2*pi; % 0 < phi <
array. 2*pi
I. INTRODUCTION shix =
Antenna array is a configuration of multiple antennas alphax+(k*dx*cos(phi)*sin(theta));%
(elements) arranged to achieve a given radiation pattern. complex currents of the elements
Antenna arrays are important components of present day shiy = alphay+(k*dy*sin(phi)*sin(theta));
wireless communication systems. The current wireless Currents = [1,1.2,1.2,1];% current
standards include advanced antenna array concepts such as excitations
adaptive antenna arrays and MIMO (Multiple- Input and E = freqz2(Currents,shix,shiy);% E for
Multiple-Output) systems to improve the performance of the different shi values
communication system, as in wireless communication systems Enew=abs(E);
that having antenna arrays at both the base station and the En(1,:)=Enew(1,:)/max(Enew(1,:));
wireless terminal that will improve the spectral efficiency and Polar2(phi, En(1,:));% Generating the
quality of service (QoS). radiation pattern
title('d=0.5 &phase difference is zero
II. PLANAR ARRAY
"Broadside array"')
In addition to placing elements along a line (to form a linear
array), individual radiators can be positioned along a The resulting radiation pattern as Figure.1:
rectangular grid to form a rectangular or planar array. Planar
arrays provide additional variables, which can be used to
control and shape the pattern of the array. Planar arrays are
more versatile and can provide more symmetrical patterns with
lower side lobes. In addition, they can be used to scan the main
beam of the antenna toward any point in space.
This section will be discuses the radiation pattern of the planer
array of uniform excitation current, Binomial array and also
chebyshev array; in each case the different technique to choice
the phase difference had been discussed.
The different technique to choice the phase that will be
discussed in this section are end-fire array, Hansen woodyard
end fire array and broadside array. The following code#1 will
be used for planer array: Fig.1. dx=dy=0.5, 𝜃 = 𝑝𝑖/2, phase difference is zero
Code#1 "Broadside array
N=4;%Nx=Ny
When the spacing between the elements is equal or greater than
alphax=0;alphay=0;%alphax&alphay are
𝜆⁄2 (in this paper 𝜆 = 1), multiple maxima of equal magnitude
independent of each other
can be formed as we see in Figure.1. The principal maximum is
k=2*pi;% wave number
referred to as the major lobe and the remaining as the grating

1
lobes. A grating lobe is defined as "a lobe, other than the main
lobe, produced by an array antenna when the inter element
spacing is sufficiently large to permit the in –phase addition of
radiated fields in more than one direction." To form or avoid
grating lobes in a rectangular array, the same principles must be
satisfied as for a linear array. To avoid grating lobes in the x-z
and y-z planes, the spacing between the elements in the x- and
y-directions, respectively, must be less than λ/2 (dx < λ/2 and
dy < λ/2). If we put dx=dy=0.25λ the resulting radiation pattern
as Figure.2:

Fig.2. dx=dy=0.25, 𝜃 = 𝑝𝑖/2, phase difference is

zero "Broadside array"

To avoid grating lobes in a rectangular array with inter

element spacing in both direction x&y equal λ/2 we must Fig.4. dx=0.5, dy=0.25, phase difference is zero
work with 𝜃 = 𝑝𝑖/6, the resulting radiation pattern as "Broadside array"
Figure.3 and it's same result in Figure.2:
Now we will examine the pattern variation as a function of
the element spacing, with dx = λ/4 and dy = λ/2, the resulting
𝑝𝑖
radiation pattern at different value of 𝜃 (𝜃 = & 𝜃 = 𝑝𝑖/6) as
2
in Figure.5&6:

Fig.3. dx=dy=0.5, 𝜃 = 𝑝𝑖/6, phase difference is zero

"Broadside"

To examine the pattern variation as a function of the element

spacing, the two dimensional pattern of the same 4 × 4 element
array of isotropic sources with dx = λ/2 and dy = λ/4 and βx =
βy = 0 (equal amplitude and phase excitations) and 𝜃 = Fig.5. dx=0.25, dy=0.5, 𝜃 = 𝑝𝑖/2 , phase difference
𝑝𝑖 is zero "Broadside array"
2
& 𝜃 = 𝑝𝑖/6 is displayed in Figure.4 by using code#1:

2
 Fig.6. dx=0.25, dy=0.5, 𝜃 = 𝑝𝑖/6 , phase difference
is zero "Broadside array"
For
dx=0.5, dy=0.25 𝜃 = 𝑝𝑖/2 of Figure.4 is same the radiation
pattern as in Figure.1 (equal spacing dx=dy=0.5 𝜃 = 𝑝𝑖/2)
which have narrow of major lobe and more directive but there
is grating lobes. The radiation pattern for dx=0.5,dy=0.25, 𝜃 =
𝑝𝑖/6 as Figure.4 is same the radiation pattern of dx=0.25,
dy=0.5 𝜃 = 𝑝𝑖/2 Figure.5 and also same main lobe of case
dx=dy=0.5 𝜃 = 𝑝𝑖/6 as Figure.3 but in the last case the side
lobes is smallest than other. Finally for dx=0.25,dy=0.5 𝜃 =
𝑝𝑖/6 as in Figure.7 the radiation pattern is less than all cases
that discussed in this observation.
In this section we will discuss planar array of isotropic 4x4
Fig.7. phase difference is zero & equal excitation
element with dx=dy=0.25λ & dx=dy=0.5λ and 𝜃 = 𝑝𝑖/2 current
& 𝜃 = 𝑝𝑖/6 respectively for different excitation current
technique and different excitation phase in each case of For End-fire array the phase difference (alphax=alphay=-k*d
excitation current. and alphax=alphay=k*d) use code#1 with excitation current
Before we discusses this part we need to define some concepts: [1,1,1,1], and the resulting radiation pattern as Figure.8&.9:
Main Lobe (major lobe, main beam) - radiation lobe in the
direction of maximum radiation. And Side Lobe - a radiation
lobe in any direction other than the direction(s) of intended
radiation, also we need to define the Back Lobe – as the
radiation lobe opposite to the main lobe.
The power of back lobes is reflected and add to the power of
main lobe by the reflector.
For equal excitation current (uniform arrays) [1,1,1,1] the
code #1 will be used, but replace line 10 with the following line:
Currents=[1,1,1,1]; % current excitation
and test for different value of 𝜃 (𝜃 =pi/2 or 𝜃 =pi/6), The
radiation pattern of equal excitation current with broadside
array is shown in Figure.7:

Fig.8. d=0.5, phase difference End-fire array & equal

excitation current

3
 For Hansen-Woodyard end-fire array the code#1 will be
used and use code#3 for inter element spacing and phase
difference and the excitation current [1,1,1,1], and the resulting
radiation pattern as Figure.10:

Fig.11. Binomial array excitation current &

broadside array
we noted that the resulting radiation pattern of binomial array
with d=0.25 is same Figure.11.
For End-fire array the phase difference (alphax=alphay=-k*d
and alphax=alphay=k*d) use code#1 with excitation current
[1,3,3,1], and the resulting radiation pattern as Figure.12:

Fig.9. d=0.25, phase difference End-fire array &

equal excitation current

Fig.10. Hansen woodyard end-fire array & equal

excitation
Now we want to test the excitation current for binomial
array, From Pascal’s triangle for number of element N=4 the
Fig.12. End-fire array & Binomial array excitation
excitation coefficient for the binomial array is [1,3,3,1] To current
plot radiation patterns of excitation current [1,3,3,1], with
broadside array the code#1 will be used and the resulting
radiation pattern as Figure.11:

4
For Hansen-Woodyard end-fire array the code#1 will be
used and use code#3 for inter element spacing and phase
difference and the excitation current [1,3,3,1], and the resulting
radiation pattern as Figure.13:
Fig.13. phase difference Hansen woodyard end fire
array& equal excitation current
Now we want to test the excitation current for Dolph-
chebyshev array that is compromise between the uniform and
binomial array, Using properties of the Chebyshev
polynomials, we may design arrays with specific side lobe
characteristics. Namely, we may design arrays with all side
lobes at some prescribed level. the required main lobe to side
Fig.14. excitation current [-0.5902 - 0.8072i 0.3626 + 1.6974i
0.3626 - 1.6974i -0.5902 + 0.8072i] & Broadside array
5
lobe ratio (Ro) that used in this paper for this section is -20dB.
To get the polar plot of broadside array the code#1 will be
used with excitation currents chebyshev array (Currents =
dolph(d, 𝜃, N, Ro)),and the resulting radiation pattern as
Figures.14&15.
Fig.15. excitation current [1.0000 1.7357 1.7357 1.0000]
&Broadside array
For End-fire array the phase difference (alphax=alphay=-k*d
and alphax=alphay=k*d) use code#1 with excitation current as
(currents= dolph(d,𝜃,N,Ro)) and the resulting radiation pattern
as Figure.16&17.
Fig.16. excitation current [-0.5902 - 0.8072i 0.3626 + 1.6974i
0.3626 - 1.6974i -0.5902 + 0.8072i] & End-fire array
Fig.17. excitation current [1.0000 1.7357 1.7357 1.0000]
& End-Fire array
For Hansen-Woodyard end-fire array the code#1 will be ph0, N, R), and resulting radiation pattern of 4x4 isotropic
used and use d=0.25 for inter element spacing and phase antenna array as Figures.21&22.
difference and the excitation current as (currents=
dolph(d,𝜃,N,Ro)), and the resulting radiation as Figure.18:

Fig.18. excitation current [1.0000 1.7357 1.7357 1.0000]

& Hansen woodyard End-Fire array Fig.20. excitation current [1 2.2752 2.2752 1] &Broadside array

For Taylor array, Using properties of the Taylor-Kaiser

window array weights, we may design arrays with specific side
lobe characteristics. Namely, we may design arrays with all side
lobes at some prescribed level. the relative side lobe level that
used in this part is -20dB. To get the polar plot of broadside
array the code#1 will be used with excitation currents Taylor
array Current = taylor(d, ph0, N, R) This
function returns a Taylor window of N-points with side lobe
level of R dB and d is an inter element spacing The window
values are the current excitations of the array elements. N=4and
the resulting radiation pattern for different cases (d=0.5 𝜃 =
𝑝𝑖/6 and for d=0.25 𝜃 = 𝑝𝑖/2 ) as Figures. 19&20.
Fig.21. excitation current [-0.5902 - 0.8072i 0.4753 + 2.2250i
0.4753 - 2.2250i -0.5902 + 0.8072i] &End-fire array

Fig.19. excitation current [-0.5902 - 0.8072i 0.4753 + 2.2250i

0.4753 - 2.2250i -0.5902 + 0.8072i] &Broadside array

Fig.22. excitation current [1 2.2752 2.2752 1 ] &

For End-fire array with excitation coefficients of Taylor End-fire array
array code#1 wil be used with Current = taylor(d,

6
For Hansen-Woodyard end-fire array with excitation shiy=sin(ph).*sin(the);
coefficients of Taylor array code#5 wil be used with Current E =freqz2(Current,shix,shiy); % E for
different
= taylor(d, ph0, N, R), and resulting radiation pattern
z =En.*cos(the);
of 4x4 isotropic antenna array as Figure.23: mesh(x,y,z) % 3-D plotting
xlabel('x');ylabel('y');zlabel('z')
title('The radiation pattern of a 4x4 uniform
rectangular array')

Fig.23. excitation current [1 2.2752 2.2752 1] &

Hansen- Woodyard End-fire array
The
image-processing toolbox of MATLAB has the function freqz2
for finding the frequency response of three-dimensional filters. Fig.24. The radiation pattern of a 4 x 4 uniform
The same could be effectively used to evaluate the radiation rectangular
pattern of the three-dimensional arrays. For example, the
code#6 as shown below generates the radiation pattern of a 4x
4 uniform rectangular array (equal excitation current) and phase
difference zero. The radiation pattern of the array on the x-y-z From this section we observe that Planar arrays are a natural
plane is shown in Figure 24 extension of linear arrays. Planar arrays can take on many
configurations, depending on the element spacing and
shix and shiy En=abs(E)/max(max(abs(E))); distribution.
x =En.*sin(the).*cos(ph); % Converting the
spherical coordinates
y=En.*sin(the).*sin(ph); % into rectangular
coordinatesCode#6
III. REFERENCES
Current=ones(4);% Relative currents to the [1] C.A. Balanis," antenna theory: analysis and design" 3rd
elements
theta=0:0.04:pi;phi=0:0.04:2*pi;%0<theta<pi,0<
edition, wiley interscience, 2005.
phi<2pi [2] Lecture notes .
[the,ph]=ndgrid(theta,phi);%Making grid of [3] Msc thesis, "chapter 3",Frage legame.
points [4] WWW.ECE.RUTGERS.EDU/~ORFANIDI/EWA
shix=cos(ph).*sin(the);% Normalized shix and
shiy