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ANALYSIS OF DIFFERENT TAPERING TECHNIQUES FOR EFFICIENT

RADIATION PATTERN

Article · December 2013

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e-Περιοδικό Επιστήμης & Τεχνολογίας
e-Journal of Science & Technology (e-JST)

ANALYSIS OF DIFFERENT TAPERING TECHNIQUES FOR EFFICIENT

RADIATION PATTERN

N. Sayedu Khasim1, Y.Murali Krishna2, Jagadeesh Thati3

& M.Venkata Subbarao4
1
Department of Electronics and communications, NarasaraopetaEngg.
College, JNTU Kakinada(AP.), India
2
Department of Electronics and communications, NarasaraopetaEngg.
College, JNTU Kakinada (AP.), India
e-mail: 1sayedukhasim@gmail.com ,2yadavalli437@gmail.com,

Abstract
Array antennas offer a wide range of opportunities in the variation of their directivity
patterns through amplitude and phase control. Peak side lobe levels may be reduced
via amplitude control or weighting across the array aperture. Several authors have
made significant contributions in detailing processes for synthesizing these aperture
amplitude distributions for the purpose of side lobe level control. One of the basic
trades-offs when implementing amplitude weighting functions is that a trade between
low side lobe levels and a loss in main beam directivity always results. In this paper
we are implemented and compare the Binomial array, Dolph-Tchebyscheff array and
Taylor-Line Source array antennas. Descriptions of the amplitude tapers and their
utility will be presented.

Keywords: Tapering, Binomial array, Dolph-Tchebyscheff array, Taylor-Line Source

array, Side lobe level.

1. Introduction
Through the use of individual amplitude and phase control, array antennas offer a
wide range of directivity pattern shape implementations to the antenna designer. High
directivity antennas have defined main beams whose widths are inversely proportional
to their aperture extents. High directivity antennas also have side lobes, which are
often undesirable as they may permit reception of energy from undesired directions.
The energy from the undesired directions may contain interfering sources such as
multipath or even deliberate jammers.

Techniques for reducing the levels of the peak side lobes(those near the main lobe)
are well understood. Near-inside lobes may be reduced relative to the peak of the
main beam by simply tailoring the amplitude distribution across the array aperture.
The amplitude distribution is often referred to as the amplitude weighting. The
following section will present a review of techniques for synthesizing amplitude
weighting functions to achieve varied levels of side lobe reduction. Use of these
amplitude weighting functions have a well-known effect on the peak of the main
beam of the directivity pattern. The amplitude tapering for side lobe reduction reduces
the spatial efficiency (or aperture efficiency) of the antenna. Along with the reduction
of peak directivity, amplitude tapering also results in a broadening of the main beam.
Although not the focus of this discussion, the resultant change in beam width should
be taken into consideration in the design process. While reduced side lobes are usually

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desirable, reduced peak directivity is usually not, therefore an accurate understanding

of the aperture efficiency is a valuable design tool.

2. UNIFORMAMPLITUDE WEIGHTING FUNCTIONS

Equal illumination at every element in an array, referred to as uniform illumination as
shown in Figure 1, results in directivity patterns with three distinct features. Firstly,
uniform illumination gives the highest aperture efficiency possible of 100% or 0 dB,
for any given aperture area. Secondly, the first side lobes for alinear/rectangular
aperture have peaks of approximately –13.1 dB relative to the main beam peak; and
the first side lobes for a circular aperture have peaks of approximately –17.6 dB
relative to the main beam peak. Thirdly, uniform weighting results in a directivity
pattern with the familiar sinc(x) or sin(x)/x where x=sin(θ) angular distribution, as
shown in Figure 2.

Figure 1: Linear array with n isotropic point sources with equal amplitude and
spicing.

Figure 2: Radiation pattern forlinear array with n isotropic point sources with equal
amplitude and spicing

3. NON- UNIFORMAMPLITUDE WEIGHTING FUNCTIONS

3.1 Binomial Arrays
So far, the discussion was limited to the linear arrays of n isotropic sources of equal
amplitude but arrays of non- uniform amplitudes are also possible and binomial array
is one of them. In this, the amplitudes of the radiating sources are arranged according
to the coefficient of successive terms of the following binomial series and hence the
name.
(a+b) n-1= an-1+n-1an-2b+ (n-1)(n-2)an-3b2+ (n-1)(n-2)(n-3)an-4b3 (1)
1! 2! 3!
where n = number of radiating sources in the array

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Here the secondary or side lobes in the linear broadside arrays are to be eliminated
then the radiating sources must have current amplitudes proportional to the coefficient
of the above binomial series. This work can be accomplished by arranging the arrays
in such a way that radiating sources in the center of the broadside array radiated more
strongly than the radiating sources at the edges. The secondary lobes can be
eliminated entirely, if the following two conditions are satisfied.

(i) Spacing between the two consecutive radiating sources does not exceed λ/2, and
(ii) The current amplitudes in radiating sources (from outer, towards center source)
are proportional to the coefficients of the successive terms of the binomial series.

These two conditions are necessarily satisfied in binomial arrays and the coefficients
which correspond to amplitudes of the sources are obtained by substitute n = 1, 2.....
In the eqn. (1), for example, relative amplitudes for the arrays of 1 to 5 radiating
sources are as follows:
No. Of Sources Relative amplitudes
n=1 1
n=2 1, 1
n=3 1, 2, 1
n=4 1, 3, 3, 1
n=5 1, 4, 6, 4, 1etc

3.2. Dolph- Tchebyscheff or Chebyshev Arrays

In defining the Tchebyscheff polynomial the first latter T is used as a symbol, as
Tschebyscheff being the older spelling. The Tschebyscheff polynomial is defined by
eqn.
Tm (x) = cos (m cos-1 x) for x < ± 1

and Tm(x) = cosh (m cosh-1 x) If x > ±1

where m is order of polynomial. For higher terms can be hadfrom the recursion
formula
Tm+1 (x) = 2 x Tm (x) – Tm-1 (x)

Steps to be followed while calculating Dolph- Tchebyscheffamplitude distribution

Step 1: Side lobe level below main lobe maximum in db = 20log10 r

where r = Main lobe maximum/side lobe level

Step 2: Now select the Tchebyscheffpolynomial Tm(x) of the same degree as array
polynomial. For, if m be the degree of Tchebyscheff polynomial then the degree of
array polynomial would be (n-1), where n is number of antennas. Symbolically
therefore
Tm(x0) =Tn-1(x0)

After having known the values of Tm(x0) and r, equate them and solve the equation

Tm(x0) =Tn-1(x0) = r, for x0

Step 3: Choose array polynomial E as n is even

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E=

If n is odd

where ψ = (ß d cos θ + α) radian.

Step 4: Finally, equate array polynomial E and Tchebyscheffpolynomial i.e.

E=Tn-1(x)

By solving the above equation the coefficient a0, a1, a2.......etc are calculated which
gives Dolph- Tchebyscheff optimum distribution for the specified side lobe level.

3.3. Taylor Line-Source (One-Parameter):

The Taylor design and its source distribution is given by

where m = ±1,±2, . . . ,±M, orm = 0,±1,±2, . . . ,±M, for even or odd number of
arrayelements, N = 2M or N = 2M + 1.
This window is based on Taylor’s one-parameter continuous line source, andis
obtained by setting = md with d = l/2M, so that 2 = m/M,

Thus, we note that the Kaiser Window shape parameter α is related to Taylor’s
parameterB by α = πB. The parameter B or α control the side lobe level. The
continuousline pattern

has a first null at uo = , and therefore, the first sidelobe will occur for u >uo.For
this range, we must use the sinc-form of F(u) and to find the maximum sidelobelevel,
we must find the maximum of the sinc function. The side lobe level (in absolute
units) is defined as the ratio of the pattern at u = 0to the maximum sidelobe level r0,
that is,

and in dB, R = 20

The 3-dBbeam width may be more accurately calculated by finding it in u-space, say
Δu, and then transforming it to ψ-space The width Δu is given by Δu =
2 , where is the solution of the half-power condition

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For small values of B, the right-hand side becomes less than one, and we must
switchthe left-hand side to its sinc form. This happens when B ≤ , where

The equation y = sinh(x)/x is solved for x by using the Taylor series expansion y =
sinh(x)/x = 1 + /6 + 120 .for larger x, it is solved by the iteration sinh( )/ =
y, or, xn = asi nh(y ), for n = 1, 2, . . . .Once the B-parameter is determined, the
array weights w(m) can be computed.In this case, to avoid grating lobes, the element
spacing must be less than the maximum:

in order for the visible region is ψ-space to cover at least one Nyquist period, the
element spacing d must be in the range:

4. RESULTS

In this paper we simulated antenna radiation patterns and observe the side lobe
variations in uniform amplitude distribution for linear arrays and non-uniform
amplitude distribution for Binomials, Chebyshev and Taylor –Line Source Arrays.

(a) (b) (c)

Figure 3.(a) Linear Arrays radiation pattern for n=3, (b) Linear Arrays radiation
pattern for n=6, Linear Arrays radiation pattern for n=9

First we are increasing the n values, observe the radiation pattern and number of side
lobes for uniform amplitude distribution as shown in Figures 3.(a),(b),(c). As for
observation number of antennas n increasing the number of side lobes are also
increasing. This is undesired.
In order to reduce the side lobes we are implemented another method is non-uniform
amplitude distribution. In binomial array we observed as n values are increasing
number of side lobes are decreasing but beam width is increasing with the cost of
directivity. In binomial array main drawback is as n increasing, directivity is
decreases as shown in Figures 4(a),(b),(c).

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We are considered side lobe level ratio is -19.1db and implemented chebyshev arrays
as n increasing corresponding beam width decreasing as shown in Figures 5(a),(b),(c).

(a) (b) (c)

Figure:4(a)Binomial array radiation pattern for n=3, (b)Binomial array radiation
pattern for n=6, (c) Binomial array radiation pattern for n=9

(a) (b) (c)

Figure:5(a) Chebyshev Arrays radiation pattern for n=3, (b) Chebyshev Arrays
radiation pattern for n=6, (c) Chebyshev Arrays radiation pattern for n=9

The Dolph- Tchebyscheff array design yields minor lobes of equal intensity while the
Taylor produces a pattern whose inner minor lobes are maintained at constant level
and remaining ones decrease monotonically which is shown in Figures 6(a),(b),(c).
For some applications, such as radar and low-noise systems, it is desirable to sacrifice
some beam width and low inner minor lobes to have all the minor lobes decay as the
angle increases on either side of the main beam. In radar applications this is preferable
because interfering signals would be reduced further when they try to enter through
the decaying minor lobes

(a) (b) (c)

Figure:6 (a)Taylor-Line Source Arrays radiation pattern for n=6, (b) Taylor-Line
Source Arrays radiation pattern for n=9, (c) Taylor-Line Source Arrays radiation
pattern for n=12

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5. Conclusion

By using Uniform arrays we get the desired radiation pattern by changing the phase,
but we get the side lobes due to equal amplitudes. Where as in case of Binomial
arrays, we can reduce or eliminate minor lobes by giving non uniform amplitudes to
radiating sources but it leads to cost of directivity. Dolph – Tschebyshev array
provides optimum beam width for a specified side lobe level but, it is efficient for
limited number of elements only and it causes some errors in radar applications.
Taylor produces a pattern whose inner minor lobes are maintained at constant level
and remaining ones decrease monotonically which is preferable in radar applications
by scarifying the beam width.

References

[1] R.E. Collins, Antennas and Radio wave Propagation, New York, McGraw-Hill
Book Co.,1985.
[2] J.D. Kraus, Antennas, Second Edition, New York, MacGraw-Hill Book Co.,1988.
[3] K.D Prasad, Antennas and wave Propagation, New Delhi, Satya Prakashan Book
Co..1995.
[4] Glenn D. Hopkins, Justin Ratner, Anya Traille, Vic Tripp, "Aperture Efficiency of
Amplitude Weighting Distribution for Array Antennas",1-4244-0525-4/07/$20.00
©2007 IEEE.IEEEAC paper #1163, Version 2, Updated Dec 19, 2006.
[5] C.A. Balanis, Antenna Theory- Analysis & Design, Second edition, New York,
John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1997.
[6] Excitations of Antenna Arrays with MATLAB,” IEEE Antennas and Propagation
Magazine, 46, 2, April 2004, pp.108-112.
[7] M. Venkata Subbarao, N.Sayedu. Khasim, Jagadeesh Thati and M.H.H. Sastry,
”Tapering of antenna array for efficient radiation pattern”. e-Journal of Science &
Technology (e-JST), (2), 8, 2013

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