Full-wave simulations of focal-line wideband arrays combined with cylindrical reflectors

A method is presented for the full-wave simulation of cylindrical reflectors illuminated by phased-array line feeds. This method is based on the method of moments, and it assumes that the structure is infinitely long along its axis. The element patterns associated with each feed point in the phased array are obtained, while accounting for the effects of mutual coupling, coupling with the reflector and scattering by the edges of the reflector. Those patterns are the quantities needed to optimize the weights of the array, in order to achieve a specified signal-to-noise level.