This presentation describes an active antenna array architecture designed specifically for achieving low transmit and receive sidelobe levels without having to use attenuators to create the necessary aperture taper. An "irregular" subarray approach is used to eliminate the need for tapered-attenuation within the array's aperture, thereby drastically reducing the DC supply power consumption of the active phased array. On many UAVs, especially the smaller models, onboard DC power can be extremely limited. The so-called "irregular" subarray approach not only determines the exact locations of the T/R modules, but it also allows for all of the low-noise amplifiers to share the same part number and for all of the power amplifiers to also share the same part number. All of the LNAs are biased exactly in the same manner as are all of the PAs. By keeping the part numbers and bias conditions of the amplifiers the same, large instantaneous operational bandwidths can be obtained. Thus, this paper illustrates an active antenna array topology that can achieve wideband performance and low sidelobe levels with minimal DC power consumption.

Date Published: 3 May 2012
PDF: 14 pages
Proc. SPIE 8361, Radar Sensor Technology XVI, 83610Q (3 May 2012); doi: 10.1117/12.918423

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 8361:
Radar Sensor Technology XVI
Kenneth I. Ranney; Armin W. Doerry, Editor(s)