Sidelobe suppression of planar microstrip arrays by simulation-based phase- and position-only adjustment

We consider simulation-based sidelobe suppression, for pencil-beam planar arrays comprising individually fed microstrip antennas, realized by phase-only and position-only adjustment. The adjustment is carried out through numerical optimization of a discrete electromagnetic (EM) simulation as a high-fidelity model with the aid of a properly corrected fast array factor. Enhancement of sidelobe suppression is done by adjusting antenna arrays of a quasi-Cartesian lattice. Adjusted designs are then compared in a phased antenna array operation mode. Example designs and comparison are demonstrated for 28-element planar microstrip antenna arrays. EM superposition models utilized to evaluate the obtained designs operating as phased antenna arrays allow studying both the radiation and reflection responses and account for possible interactions within the antenna arrays (e.g., coupling, proximity effects, surface waves, etc.) at the high-fidelity level of description.