ECE 697L Phased Arrays Daniel H. Schaubert

Course Description

Course Requirements Prerequisites Texts Home

This course will provide a working knowledge of the key parameters of modern phased array antenna systems.  Phased arrays are a key components in radars, wireless and satellite communications, remote sensing and imaging systems, and in scientific instruments such as radio telescopes.  Students will learn to critically evaluate the performance of phased array antenna systems with emphasis on factors that are important for high-performance radar and communication systems such as scanning, sidelobe levels, gain, bandwidth, etc.  Concepts will be emphasized and theory will be developed to support key concepts.  Students will learn to perform quantitative analyses of array parameters.  The effects of scanning on antenna input impedance will be analyzed and array blindness will be demonstrated.  The course will utilize the text, but much material will be drawn from other sources.

Topics Include: Introductory Material: mutual impedance effects (patterns, [Z], [S], scan element pattern).  Finite Arrays: architectures (elements, feed networks, bandwidth, scan, grid patterns, planar, cylindrical, conformal, using depth), multiple beam arrays (Rotman Lens, Butler matrix BFN’s), phase steered arrays (quantization, beam granularity, low side lobes, random errors, photonic time-delay, subarrays, limited scan).  Infinite Arrays: comparison to finite arrays, parallel-plate E-plane array (Floquet modes, formulation and analysis for scan reflection coefficient, dielectric layer, dielectric plugs), planar array analysis (waveguides, dipole, patches, blindness, simulators, current sheet models, linear arrays).  Signal Processing Arrays: digital beamforming (architecture, A/D, I/Q, calibration), adaptive beamforming (sidelobe canceler, jammer nulling, mainbeam jamming, adaptive imaging arrays).