Physical Knowledge Based Scalable Phased Array Antenna Modeling for Radar Systems

Abstract

The development of a large-scale phased array radar system such as the future MPAR will need a cost-effective tool for predicting electromagnetic characteristics of antennas. Simulating and optimizing of large finite phased array antennas using commercially available solvers are time-consuming and memory-extensive even though they are highly capable of solving general electromagnetic problems with acceptable accuracy. In this work, a full-wave electromagnetic solver based on finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method has been developed for simulating phased array antennas. The planar array or array element can be simulated, optimized, or analyzed using FDTD theory based on an orthogonal, regular Cartesian lattice. The FDTD updating equation for diagonally anisotropic material was obtained for periodic structure based on the cylindrical coordinate system. This FDTD algorithm can be used to simulate active element patterns of conformally cylindrical array antennas. The simulation of active element patterns in an infinite faceted-cylindrical array was accomplished with a nonorthogonal and unstructured grid. The derivation of FDTD theory and periodic boundary condition for a structure based on the nonorthogonal and unstructured grid is presented. In this work, two simulation schemes, which are based on computed near-field current density information and the physical knowledge of finite array antennas, were presented for predicting broadside array radiation characteristics with the consumption of relatively low computational resources. The validation of the simulation program and schemes was fulfilled by comparing simulation results with measurements taken by near-field and far-field techniques.