Development of antenna arrays for terrestrial and satellite applications: Feasibility study of different solutions to monitoring the atmospheric pollution, determination of electromagnetic fields in urban scenario and calculation of their dosimetry in small animals

The present work can be summarized as it follows: First of all, it will be held theoretical and numerical studies to improve the performance of antenna arrays by focusing on the isophoric case. Then, different antenna designs are shown and discussed, in order to be integrated within the urban environment. Some of these designs are experimentally tested. On the other hand, a study on the characterization of the electromagnetic fields through urban areas based on an equivalent planar circuit model is highlighted. Moreover and lastly, the influence of the electromagnetic fields in small animals is discussed by using two methods for the SAR level determination

Robust Hybrid Algorithm of PSO and SOCP for Grating Lobe Suppression and against Array Manifold Mismatch

Based on Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Second-Order Cone Programming (SOCP) algorithm, this paper proposes a hybrid optimization method to suppress the grating lobes of sparse arrays and improve the robustness of array layout. With the peak side-lobe level (PSLL) as the objective function, the paper adopts the particle swarm optimization as a global optimization algorithm to optimize the elements’ positions, the convex optimization as a local optimization algorithm to optimize the elements’ weights. The effectiveness of the grating lobes suppression (as low as -32.13 dB) by this method is illustrated through its application to the sparse linear array when the actual steering vector is known. To enhance the robustness of the optimized array, a rebuilt robust convex optimization model is adopted in the optimization of both array excitations and layout. When the array manifold mismatch error is 1cm, the PSLL by the robust algorithm can be compressed to -27dB, compared to that of -24dB by the ordinary optimization. Results of a set of representative numerical experiments show that the algorithm proposed in this paper can obtain a more robust array layout and matched elements’ weight coefficients to avoid the huge degradation of the array pattern performance in the presence of array manifold mismatch errors. The good performance of pattern synthesis demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed robust algorithm

Analysis and design of smart antenna arrays (SAAs) for improved directivity at GHz range for wireless communication systems.

Doctor of Philosophy in Electronic Engineering. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2018.Abstract available in PDF file

Phased array-fed antenna configuration study: Technology assessment

Spacecraft array fed reflector antenna systems were assessed for particular application to a multiple fixed spot beam/multiple scanning spot beam system. Reflector optics systems are reviewed in addition to an investigation of the feasibility of the use of monolithic microwave integrated circuit power amplifiers and phase shifters in each element of the array feed

Anti-Jam GPS Controlled Reception Pattern Antennas for Man-Portable Applications

Military GPS receivers provide crucial information to soldiers in the field, however, the performance of these devices is degraded by in band RF interference, making GPS susceptible to jamming. Anti-jam techniques for aircraft and vehicular platforms have been developed, but at present there is no system for dismounted soldiers. There is a need for an anti-jam system which meets the demands of a dismounted soldier and conforms to the size, weight, and power requirements of a portable device. A controlled reception pattern antenna, or CRPA, is a potential solution for jammer mitigation. These devices work by steering reception pattern nulls toward the jammer direction, reducing the jammer power which reaches the GPS receiver. Prior CRPA realizations have been designed for use on vehicular and aircraft applications, however, these platforms do not suffer from the same limitations as a man-portable CRPA. Three considerations which are more pertinent for man-portable designs than prior work are (i) distributed antenna element positions and orientations dynamically change during use changing the reception pattern characteristics, (ii) the user is lower to the ground and moves through the environment meaning that multipath propagation can have a greater effect on CRPA performance, and (iii) the size weight and power constraints for a portable system limit the number of antenna elements reducing the degrees of freedom that can be used for cancellation. To address these challenges, a framework for man-portable CRPA modeling is presented. This includes development of efficient modeling methods which enable investigations into element perturbations to address the dynamic orientation problem. These and other methods are presented in Chapter 3, along with a discussion of the relative strengths and weaknesses of each. Additionally, a mixed scattering channel model is applied to the CRPA reception patterns, combining diffuse and specular reflection in Chapter 4. Discussion of this model centers around the eigenvalues of the signal covariance matrix and the effect of coherence between multipath components. Following this, Chapter 5 examines the performance of polarimetric CRPAs and space-time adaptive processing for man-portable CRPAs with limited degrees of freedom

Multiple Solutions Starting from Real Shaped Beams in Equispaced Linear Arrays

In the present work, the theoretical basis of the multiplicity of solutions obtained from an initial real symmetric distribution is derived. This initial solution is devoted to generating an equivalent pure real shaped-beam pattern for a concrete synthesis scenario. However, these new solutions are not based on real symmetric distributions; hence, not based on the generation of pure real patterns. The bandwidth performances and tolerance to errors provided by the multiple solutions in the array design are analyzed by considering different architectures, also including mutual coupling models and element factor expressions due to accuracy purposes. In addition, a technique to obtain efficient linear arrays by designing resonant structures is addressed. Examples involving both standard linear arrays of half-wavelength cylindrical dipoles and resonant linear arrays generating flat-top beam patterns are reported and discussed. Additionally, an extension to planar arrays performed by means of a generalisation of the Baklanov transformation through collapsed distribution techniques inspired in the well-known method devised by Tseng and Cheng is performed. In such a way, an analysis of the quality of solutions for generating circular and elliptical footprints with controlled both SLL and ripple which are highly interesting in the framework of space vehicle applicationsThis work was supported in part by the FEDER/Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades-Agencia Estatal de Investigación under Project TEC2017-86110-R. The work of A.Á.S.-S. is supported by the Xunta de Galicia Postdoctoral Fellowship with reference ED481B 2018/008S

Applications of Antenna Technology in Sensors

During the past few decades, information technologies have been evolving at a tremendous rate, causing profound changes to our world and to our ways of living. Emerging applications have opened u[ new routes and set new trends for antenna sensors. With the advent of the Internet of Things (IoT), the adaptation of antenna technologies for sensor and sensing applications has become more important. Now, the antennas must be reconfigurable, flexible, low profile, and low-cost, for applications from airborne and vehicles, to machine-to-machine, IoT, 5G, etc. This reprint aims to introduce and treat a series of advanced and emerging topics in the field of antenna sensors

Analytical and experimental investigation of sidelobe suppression techniques for reflector type spacecraft antenna Final technical report

Near axis sidelobe suppression techniques for circularly polarized reflector type spacecraft antenna