A Novel Low Noise Active Circuit Replacement Criteria for Parallel FED Large Scale Active Antenna Arrays

In this work noise analysis of parallel feed structures for active antenna arrays are presented. Signal and noise behaviour of the feed structures are signified by the newly introduced concepts of "coherent" and "incoherent" impedance match of power combining structures. It is also shown that a feed structure can be re-designed for low noise operation without affecting its radiation characteristics. Optimum design of parallel feed structures for low noise operation is explained. Also an optimum use of active elements in such structures is investigated to have a low overall noise temperature of the antenna array with miniimum number of active elements. In the analysis a new method is introduced where a "noise equivalent line lenigth" is defined. This definition which unifies the contribution of noise from different array elements, is used in the design of a parallel feed structure and as an active circuit replacement criteria in passive arrays.