Null Steering in Linear Array Antennas With Electronically Displaced Phase Center Dual-Mode Antenna Elements

The potential of dynamically steering the null locations in equally spaced linear scanning array antennas using the electronically displaced phase center antenna (E-DPCA) technique is investigated for the first time in this communication. The relative coordinates, and thus, the element spacing, of the equally spaced linear array antennas are electronically varied using the E-DPCA technique to adaptively steer the null locations without any physical displacement while maintaining the same overall array length. The versatility of the proposed technique is further explored by: 1) generating consecutive nulls with a minimum resolution of 1 degrees between them and 2) simultaneously steering the null locations and scanning the main beam.

Automated summary

The potential of dynamically steering the null locations in equally spaced linear scanning array antennas using the E-DPCA technique is investigated for the first time in this study. The E-DPCA technique allows for electronic variation of the relative coordinates and element spacing of the array antennas, enabling adaptive null location steering without physical displacement while maintaining the same overall array length. The versatility of the proposed technique is further demonstrated by generating consecutive nulls with a minimum resolution of 1 degree and simultaneously steering the null locations and scanning the main beam.