Polarization-reconfigurable Phased Array Architecture with Optimally Polarized Elements

• Published in: IEEE transactions on antennas and propagation 2024-10, p.1-1
• Main Authors: Zhou, Jian, Wang, Zhanling, Wang, Yiqing, Zhu, Di, Pang, Chen, Li, Yongzhen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antenna arrays; Antennas and propagation; array architecture; Costs; low cost; Phase shifters; Phased arrays; Polarimetric phased array radar; Polarization; polarization radiation stability; Radar; Radar polarimetry; Radio frequency; Transmitting antennas
• ISSN: 0018-926X; 1558-2221
• DOI: 10.1109/TAP.2024.3465851

To reduce the cost of the polarimetric phased array radar, a novel array architecture conducive to horizontal (H) and vertical (V) polarization is proposed. The H/V polarization ports of each element are synthesized into a new port, of which the polarization is determined by the fixed phase shifter connected to its V polarization port. Then, different polarized elements are arranged properly within the aperture by designing the fixed phase shift of each element. The number of RF electronics is almost halved while the radiation performance can be maintained above 90% for H/V polarization. In this paper, the pattern synthesis model of the proposed architecture is formulated. Based on it, the evaluation function of the element polarization configuration (EPC) is established and optimized. By adopting the optimal EPC results into a 16×16 and a 32×32 planar array, the polarization radiation stability of the proposed architecture is demonstrated under sidelobe and cross-polarization constraints. By applying different quantization levels and phase deviations to the fixed phase shifters, the robustness of the proposed architecture is verified.