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Phased Array Antenna Design Using Matlab and HFSS

Introduction
Phased array antennas are common in communications and radar and offer the benefit of far-field beam shaping and steering for specific, agile operational conditions. They are especially useful in modern adaptive radar systems where there is a trend toward active phased arrays and more advanced spacetime adaptive signal processing. The MathWorks provides simulation tools that are used broadly in the communications industry for mathematical algorithm development, digital signal processing (DSP), communication system analysis, and antenna design. ANSYS provides simulation tools that provide full-wave 3D electromagnetic field simulation coupled to linear and non-linear circuit simulation. The combination provides very broad coverage of applications needed for modern communications and radar. In this application note, we discuss how Matlab from The MathWorks and HFSS from ANSYS can be used together to simulate phased array antennas. A new Phased Array Toolbox for Matlab enables engineers and scientists to simulate essential applications for phased array antenna systems. Details of electromagnetic coupling at the physics level is simulated in HFSS and circuit tools to capture effects of mutual coupling and nonlinear behavior of power amplifiers and other circuit components.

Phased Array Antennas

The far-field radiation pattern of a phased array antenna naturally divides into two components: 1. Array factor, and 2. Element factor. The total radiation of the phased array is computed by multiplying one by the other:

r r ETotal ( , ) = EElement ( , ) Array _ Factor ( , ) .

The Array_Factor is computed by summing up the contribution from the individual elements:

(1.1)

Array _ Factor ( , ) =

A
m = M n = N

m,n

j m( kd x ( sin cos sin o cos o ) ) + n kd y ( sin sin sin o sin o )

(1.2)

where Amn is the complex amplitude of the m,n th element of the array, dx and dy are the interelement spacings, and o and o indicate the beam pointing direction. Engineers often use MathWorks products to compute and optimize the array factor and they use HFSS to compute the element factor and electromagnetic effects like mutual coupling. The array factor
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computation and optimization is essential for array system design and provides communication and radar system engineers critical metrics like gain, beam width, beam pointing accuracy and resolution, sidelobe level, and scanning performance. These metrics are often used in further signal processing applications by communications/radar designers using tools from The MathWorks. Element factor computation predicts the effects of mutual coupling, predicts polarization behavior, scan blindness, and other physical effects versus beam scan. Antenna designers with deep electromagnetics experience use HFSS for detailed element and aperture design.

Matlab Phased Array Toolbox

A new Phased Array Toolbox was released with Matlab version 2011a to aid engineers in developing phased array antennas and radar system simulation. The object-based toolbox is part of the overall DSP solution that allows users to evaluate algorithms for target detection, interference mitigation (adaptive nulling, active and ground clutter), noise immunity, and waveform development for target recognition. The toolbox allows users to define linear arrays, rectangular lattice planar arrays, conformal arrays, and arbitrary element position arrays specified by x, y, z coordinates. By providing the arbitrary element positions, users can also define a triangular array lattice as well as a cylindrical array. Rectangular arrays are created in Matlab using the phased.URA (Uniform Rectangular Array) object as shown in the following example:

This object allows users to specify the number of elements, the element spacing, and the embedded element pattern. The array lies in the y-z plane and radiates in the +x-direction. Figure 1 is an example of a four-element planar array declared using the phased.URA object.

Figure 1. Example four-element planar array declared using the phased.URA object.

The radiation pattern of the array is accomplished using the plotResponse object.
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The MathWorks and ANSYS Proprietary Use Pursuant to Company Policies

The array pattern can be plotted in one of several formats including Cartesian, Radiation Pattern, and 3D. Specific pattern cuts can be defined and user-defined array magnitude and amplitude weights can be applied if desired. Figure 2 provides two examples of the 3D radiation pattern plotting for a 50 x 50 element planar array, and Figure 3 provides examples of the 2D plotting.

(a)

(b)

Figure 2. Radiation patterns from a 50 x 50 element uniform array with quarter wavelength spacing. (a) Cartesian plot. (b) 3D plot.

(a)

(b)

Figure 3. Radiation pattern azimuth cut for a 50 x 50 element uniform array with quarter wavelength spacing. (a) Polar plot. (b) Rectangular plot.

It is also possible to steer the beam to specified directions and to apply specific array weighting functions to provide specific radiation pattern features. Using the Phased Array Toolbox it is possible to calculate the element weights needed to steer the beam to a specified location using the phased.SteeringVector object as shown in the following example:
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The MathWorks and ANSYS Proprietary Use Pursuant to Company Policies

Once Matlab has calculated the weights they can be applied to the array using:

The resulting plot for beam steered to 30 degrees off boresite is depicted in Figure 4.

Figure 4. Plot of the elevation cut of a 50 x 50 element array steered to 30 degrees off boresite.

HFSS for Element Factor Computation

HFSS is commonly used to analyze antennas and phased array antenna elements. It is possible to predict the effects of mutual coupling by performing an electromagnetic simulation of the array's antenna elements. A collection of elements can be placed together and simulations performed to compute the S-parameter coupling among the antenna element input ports. Likewise, radiation and reception properties of the array can be predicted by utilizing the appropriate model set-up. The element factor is computed by various methods including the embedded element pattern whereby a single element is excited while the others are match terminated. Generally the element factor is a very broad and wide pattern often following a cosq function where q is between 1 and 3. This element factor diminishes the peak of the mainbeam as it is scanned. Figure 5 depicts a 144 element array along with a linearly polarized and dual polarized single element. The array is constructed by interleaving 16 dielectric boards with several vivaldi notches etched on both sides. Each notch is fed with a stripline feed that cross the slotline throat of the notch. This array is particularly interesting as the mutual coupling among elements causes the array to have an undesirable blind zone under certain scan conditions. A blind zone occurs whenever the mutual coupling among elements combines to force total reflection of the excitation at the input port(s) or equivalently a null in the radiation pattern of the element factor.

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HFSS has a periodic boundary condition feature that allows engineers to simulate an equivalent infinitely-large array by analyzing a single unit cell. The so-called infinite array is very useful for predicting behavior of large phased arrays because all mutual coupling between elements is taken into account without the need to solve the full array. Analysis of radiation properties under various scan conditions can be performed by adjusting the phase shift between parallel, periodic boundaries. Such an analysis was performed for the unit cell of Figure 5(c). The results of the analysis are shown in Figure 6. Figure 6 is a plot of the element gain versus scan angle and frequency. As can be seen in the plot, blind zones are clearly predicted at around 5.6GHz and 6.8GHz.

(a)

(b)

(c)

Figure 5. 144 Element dual polarized array using broadband Vivaldi elements. (a) 144 element finite array. (b) Linearly polarized element. (c) Dual polarized element.

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The MathWorks and ANSYS Proprietary Use Pursuant to Company Policies

Figure 6. Element factor gain as a function of scan angle and frequency. Scan blindness is predicted at around 5.6GHz and 6.8GHz.

Array Pattern With Element Factor

The total radiation of the phased array antenna may be computed by combining the array factor computed within the Phased Array Toolbox with the element factor computed by HFSS. The embedded element pattern is applied to the array using the phased.CustomAntennaElement object as follows:

In Figure 7 (a), we see the results of the radiation properties of a phased array for the broadside and scanned condition. Included in the plots are the element pattern, the array pattern with an isotropic element, and the array pattern with the Vivaldi Element described in Figure 5 and Figure 6. These patterns are taken at 6GHz and have a -40dB Taylor distribution applied to reduce the array's sidelobe levels. As can be seen in the plots, the radiation pattern with the element factor has higher peak gain and near-in sidelobe level gain compared to the isotropic array pattern. This increased gain is directly due to the element's gain which is greater than 0dB. The pattern also rolls off at larger scan angles corresponding to the element pattern's rolls off. Figure 7 (b) shows the same array with the same Taylor distribution. Instead of being steered to broadside this pattern is steered to 50 degrees in the azimuth plane. The pattern that includes the element still shows additional gain over the isotropic array pattern. However, the difference between the main beam gains is less pronounced due to the weaker element performance at the large scan angles.

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Azimuth Cut
Azimuth Cut
40 30 20 Array Pattern with Element Isotropic Array Pattern Element Pattern

40 30 20 Gain (dB) 10 0 -10 -20 -30 -80 -70 -60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 Azimuth Angle (Deg) Array Pattern with Element Isotropic Array Pattern Element Pattern

Gain (dB)

10 0 -10 -20 -30 -80 -70 -60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 Azimuth Angle (Deg)

30

40

50

60

70

80

30

40

50

60

70

80

(a)

(b)

Figure 7. Phased array radiation pattern including the effects of the element factor. (a) Broadside scan. (b) Scan to 50 degrees off boresite in the azimuth plane.

At this frequency the array is performing as expected free of blind zones. However, that is not the case at 5.541GHz where the element does exhibits a blind zone at 50 degree scan. Figure 8 (a) shows the impact this blind zone has on the array's performance when scanned to boresite and 50 degrees. The pattern at broadside looks similar to the pattern at 6GHz except for the observation angles greater that +/- 40 degrees. At these angles the element pattern significantly rolls off as the blind zone begins to take effect. This results in a corresponding roll-off in the sidelobe level performance compared to the isotropic array pattern. Scanning to 50 degrees shows where the blind zone has a more significant impact on the array's performance. This impact is illustrated in Figure 8 (b). At this scan condition the main beam is steered to the same angle the blind zone appears in the element pattern. As a result, a sharp null shows up in the main beam which has the effect of reducing the main beam's gain by 7dB.
Azimuth Cut
40 30 20 Gain (dB) 10 0 -10 -20 -30 -80 -70 -60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 Azimuth Angle (Deg) Gain (dB) Array Pattern with Element Isotropic Array Pattern Element Pattern 40 30 20 10 0 -10 -20 -30 -80 -70 -60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 Azimuth Angle (Deg) Array Pattern with Element Isotropic Array Pattern Element Pattern

Azimuth Cut

30

40

50

60

70

80

30

40

50

60

70

80

(a)

(b)

Figure 8: Phased array radiation pattern including the effects of an element pattern that contains a scan blindness. (a) Broadside scan, (b) Scan to 50 degree off boresite in the azimuth plane

Incorporating high fidelity electromagnetic solutions from ANSYS HFSS with an array's signal processing analysis from Matlab allows engineers to better quantify the system's overall performance.
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The MathWorks and ANSYS Proprietary Use Pursuant to Company Policies

Discussion and Conclusion

Combining tools from The MathWorks and ANSYS provides a complete solution for phased array antenna design. True radiation performance requires both array factor (The MathWorks) and element factor (ANSYS). The design flow is already common in communications and radar design hence the cosimulation enhances an already popular simulation use model. Phased array antenna design demonstrates a meet in the middle application of products from The MathWorks and ANSYS. As mentioned above, the radiation properties are analyzed by multiplying the array factor by the element factor. The MathWorks tools and ANSYS tools are used together at this middle. Above this middle in the hierarchy is the domain of The MathWorks with further numerical optimization and behavioral system simulation, digital signal processing, beamsteering, beam shaping, and communications channel analysis. Below this middle in the hierarchy is the domain of ANSYS where engineers can look deeper into physical design for analysis of antenna matching networks, feed networks, nonlinear circuit analysis, finite-sized array analysis, radome interaction, and possible multiphysics simulation (thermal, mechanical, fluid dynamics). Of course antenna metrics that are affected by further physical analysis can be delivered up in the hierarchy for further system analysis in The MathWorks products.

Figure 9. For phased array design, The MathWorks and ANSYS tools meet in the middle for simulation. Tools from The MathWorks and ANSYS are used together at the middle to compute the phased array radiation pattern. Above in the hierarchy engineers perform further numerical optimization and system analysis; below in the hierarchy engineers look deeper into physical design.

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