Spatial density tapered sunflower antenna array

In order to keep the cost and the complexity of large direct radiating arrays limited, it is crucial to reduce the number of control points and to simplify the beamforming network. Aperiodic arrays with elements using only amplifiers working at the same, optimised, point represent an interesting solution especially when the array has to generate a pencil beam with a limited scanning range. In this paper a deterministic procedure for designing a non-periodic planar array radiating a rotationally symmetric pencil beam pattern with an adjustable sidelobe level is proposed. The procedure relies on modifying the typical locations of the sunflower seeds that are deployed on a particular Fermat spiral.