Geometry optimization of a finite array of microstrip patches using Matlab

An inviting feature of the Matlab^® package (Matlab 6 and later) is automatic mesh generation for planar antenna structures (strips, patches, slots, etc.) and a great simplicity of the basic mesh operations. These operations offer a way to optimize the antenna geometry of patch antennas and patch antenna arrays. The paper reports a Matlab-based geometry optimization procedure for a linear scatterer array of equally spaced rectangular patches. The incident plane wave is linearly polarized in the transverse direction. The patch size is fixed at λ/2×λ/2; the ground plane width is λ/2. However, the number of patches, N, and the array height, H, may vary. The optimization task is to obtain the "end-fire" array, i.e. to maximize the scattered field in the transverse direction (the y-direction) or, which is the same, to maximize the zy-bistatic RCS. The optimization is done for several frequencies within the band, assuming 30% bandwidth.