Reconfigurable sum–difference pattern by means of parasitic elements for forward‐looking monopulse radar. Issue 7 (1st August 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rocca, Paolo; Donelli, Massimo; Oliveri, Giacomo; Viani, Federico; Massa, Andrea
• Is Part Of: IET radar, sonar & navigation. Volume 7:Issue 7(2013)
• Page Start: 747
• Page End: 754
• Publication Date: 2013-08-01
• Subjects: antenna radiation patterns -- dipole antenna arrays -- electronic switching systems -- passive radar -- radar antennas -- switches; reconfigurable sum‐difference pattern -- parasitic element -- forward looking monopulse radar -- forward looking monopulse array -- antenna radiation pattern -- electronic switching -- parasitic dipole -- antenna architecture -- geometric parameter -- passive element -- difference beam generation -- phase displacement -- parasitic array -- switches; Signal processing -- Periodicals; Radar -- Periodicals; Sonar -- Periodicals; Electronics in navigation -- Periodicals; Navigation -- Periodicals; 621.3848
• DOI: 10.1049/iet-rsn.2012.0300
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1751-8784

Abstract

Abstract : This study describes the design of forward‐looking monopulse arrays able to reconfigure the radiation pattern from the sum mode to the difference one by electronically switching a set of parasitic dipoles placed in front of a driven array of radiating dipoles. The antenna architecture is synthesised by optimising the geometric parameters of the passive elements, namely their positions and lengths. The generation of the difference beam is yielded by imposing a phase displacement of π to the excitations of half active array and activating the parasitic array by turning‐on the switches that partition their lengths. As for the sum pattern, the effect of the parasitic dipoles is made negligible by turning‐off the switches. A set of representative results is reported and discussed to show the effectiveness of the proposed approach.