1328 PIERS Proceedings, Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA, March 27–30, 2012

Side Lobe Level Reduction of Linear Antenna Arrays Using a

Hybrid Approach Based on MoM/GA Algorithms
Amr H. Hussein1 , Haythem H. Abdullah2 , Salah Khamis1 ,
Ahmed M. Attiya2 , and Mohammed Nasr1
1
Faculty of Engineering, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
2
Electronics Research Institute, Cairo, Giza, Dokki, Egypt

Abstract— Side lobe level (SLL) reduction has a great importance in recent communication
systems. It is considered as one of the most important applications of digital beamforming since
it reduces the effect of interference arriving outside the main lobe. This interference reduction
increases the capacity of the communication systems. In this paper, our home made synthesis
scheme that is based on the Method of Moments and the Genetic Algorithm to synthesize linear
antenna arrays is utilized. The algorithm accepts a desired radiation pattern and provides the
excitation coefficients that realize the required pattern. If this pattern is applied to the synthesis
scheme, it results in the optimum element spacing and the excitation coefficients that lead to
maximum SLL reduction with a minimum number of array elements. The MoM/GA scheme
provides SLL reduction with exactly the same half power beamwidth (HPBW) as the original
array pattern.

1. INTRODUCTION
Many research efforts attempted to reduce the SLL of the linear antenna arrays by introducing
non-uniform spacing between the antenna array elements and position perturbation with the aid
of the GA algorithms [1–8]. An iterative method for SLL reduction by introducing non-uniform
spacing between the antenna elements was introduced in [1]. The amplitude of the excitation is
assumed to be constant. This iterative method suffers some drawbacks such as; the small reduction
in the SLL and the half power beamwidth broadening which corresponds to the reduction in the
SLL. More attempts in SLL reduction of linear antenna arrays by changing the spaces among array
elements in terms of GA was introduced in [6]. Unfortunately, this algorithm is limited for antenna
arrays of little number of antenna elements and the more the number of elements, the less the
benefit from non-uniform allocation.
Position perturbation of the array elements is used for reducing the SLL of phased antenna
arrays [7]. It results in a reduction in the SLL at the central part of the visible region but with
higher side lobes at both sides of the pattern, which requires special treatment by using directional
elements in the array structure. Other attempts for SLL reduction are presented in [8] using the real
coded genetic algorithm (RGA) optimization technique. The RGA results in a uniformly spaced
array structure with much larger array size than the original array structure.
In this paper, the MoM/GA algorithm [9] is utilized to synthesis the low SLL radiation pattern.
The input to the algorithm is the desired radiation pattern and the output is the excitation coef-
ficients and the element spacing. The key issue in the SLL reduction is the synthesis of a desired
pattern having smooth behavior that permits the array synthesis with minimum number of array
elements.
2. PROBLEM FORMULATION
The array factor of a linear antenna array consisting of M isotropic antenna elements positioned
symmetrically along the z-axis with uniform element spacing d is given by:
M
X µ µ ¶ ¶
M +1
AF (θ) = an exp j n − kd cos θ (1)
2
n=1

where an is the excitation coefficient of the nth element, d is the element spacing, and k = 2π/λ is
the free space wave number [1]. Recently, we presented a synthesis technique based on a combination
between the method of moments and the genetic algorithm (MoM/GA) [9]. The MoM/GA is
utilized to reconstruct new element locations and excitations that fulfill the required characteristics
in the desired pattern. This synthesis method has shown its ability of reducing the number of
Progress In Electromagnetics Research Symposium Proceedings, KL, MALAYSIA, March 27–30, 2012 1329

elements for linear arrays with pencil-beam patterns and shaped-beam patterns as mentioned in [9].
In this paper, the capabilities of this method are extended to synthesize the linear antenna arrays
with maximum SLL reduction with minimum number of antenna elements. The algorithm is based
on solving a system of linear equations which is written in a matrix form as
[Z]M ×M [I]M ×1 = [V ]M ×1 (2)

where [I]M ×1 = [a1 , a2 , a3 , . . . , aM ]T is the excitation coefficients vector to be determined. The

elements of the [Z]M ×M matrix take the form
Zπ
zmn = ej(n−m)kd cos(Θ) dΘ (3)
0

The aim of this paper is to introduce a scheme for filling the matrix [V ]M ×1 in order to achieve
the minimum side lobe level that corresponds to a specific number of array elements. The matrix
[V ]M ×1 has the complete information about the desired radiation pattern.
The procedure starts by generating a pattern AF (Θ), original pattern, of a known linear antenna
array that achieves the required beamwidth. This pattern is multiplied by a rectangular function
shaping function of the same beamwidth in order to remove the side lobes. The shaping function
is designed as follows µ ¶
Θ − φo
fshaping (Θ) = rect (4)
w
where φo is the main beam direction with respect to the array line and w is the width of the
rectangular pulse which equals the main lobe widest beamwidth. Multiplying the original pattern
by the appropriate shaping function, we get the shaped pattern as follows
AF shaped (Θ) = AF (Θ) × fshaping (Θ) (5)
The resulting shaped pattern AF shaped (Θ) will be raised by a certain level h allowing the smooth
extension of the pattern slightly above the zero level. The raised AF sh raised (Θ) pattern is given
by µ ¶
Θ − φo
AF sh raised (Θ) = AF shaped (Θ) + h × rect (6)
w
where h is the amplitude of the rectangular function that represents the raising level of the shaped
pattern.The raised pattern AF sh raised (Θ) values will be raised to an exponent n in order to keep
the desired beamwidth that is changed slightly by raising the pattern by the level h. This process
contributes greatly in smoothing the desired pattern in such a way that it prevents the appearance
of the undesired harmonics that affect the SLL.The resultant pattern is applied as the desired
pattern within the synthesis scheme presented in [9] such that AF d (Θ) = [AF sh raised (Θ)]n . In this
case, the elements of the vector [V ]M ×1 are given by
Zπ
n −j (m− M2+1 )kd cos(Θ)
Vm = [AF sh raised (Θ)] e dΘ (7)
0

In addition to the use of GA to optimize the spacing between elements, it is also utilized to get
the optimum n and h that achieves the minimum SLL. The Cost Function (CF) to be minimized
is given by
|SLLo − SLLs |
CF = 1 − (8)
|SLLo |
where SLLo and SLLs are the side lobe levels of the original and synthesized patterns respectively.
The GA optimization tool in Matlab is used to estimate the optimum values of d, n, and h while
the corresponding excitation coefficients are determined using Eq. (2) applying the MoMFor λ/2
arrays the initial value of d is set to d = 0.5λ and theGA optimization process for d, n, and h is
performed within the ranges 0.5λ ≤ d ≤ 0.95λ ,1 ≤ n ≤ 2 and L− ≤ h ≤ L− + 5 where L− is the
height of the negative portion of the shaped pattern. The optimization process is done under the
constraint that the HPBW does not change its value.
1330 PIERS Proceedings, Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA, March 27–30, 2012

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

3.1. SLL Reduction of Broadside λ/2 Uniform Antenna Array Pattern Using the Same Number
of Elements
Consider the twenty four elements λ/2 Uniform array reported in [8]. It’s SLL = −13.21 dB,
HPBW=4.14◦ , and the main lobe bottom beamwidth w=13◦ . Using the same number of antenna
elements, SLL reduction is performed by adjusting the shaping function parameters of Eq. (4) such
◦ ◦
that φo = 90 , and w = 13 . Fig. 1(a) shows the shaping function, and the original array pattern.
Multiplying the original pattern by the shaping function the shaped pattern is obtained as shown
in Fig. 1(b). Applying the GA algorithm, the optimized values of d, n, and h are obtained after
51 GA iteration cycles such that d = 0.886λ, n= 1.35, and h= 7. Raising the shaped pattern by
h= 7 gives the final shaped pattern shown in Fig. 1(c). The final shaped pattern is used as the
desired pattern in the proposed scheme. The synthesized pattern has a very low side lobe level
of SLL = −65.7557 dB with the same HPBW = 4.14◦ as the original pattern as shown in Fig. 2
compared to the analytical Uniform array pattern and the synthesized pattern using the RGA
method of Fig. 4 presented in [8].
In comparison with the RGA method, the proposed scheme provides much lower side lobe
level than the RGA algorithm which has a value of SLL = −54.94 dB with a difference of about
10.8175 dB. Also the proposed scheme provides smaller element spacing of d = 0.886λ, while the
RGA algorithm provides element spacing of d = 0.8999λ. In this case the synthesized array size
is 0.3336λ less than the RGA algorithm.In point of view of the computation time, the proposed
MoM/GA scheme takes only 51 iterations while the RGA takes 400 iterations. The excitation
coefficients, the element spacing and the HPBW of the synthesized pattern are listed in Table 1
compared to the analytical Uniform array.
3.2. SLL Reduction of Broadside λ/2 Uniform Antenna Array Pattern with Reduced Number
of Elements
The previous example is repeated with reduced number of antenna elements. The final shaped
pattern of Fig. 1(c) is used as the desired pattern without any changes in the values of n and
h. For a specific number of antenna elements M , the GA is used to determine only the optimum
element spacing d. The corresponding excitation coefficients are determined analytically using the
MoM procedure. As test examples, SLL reduction is performed at M = 20, 18, and 16 antenna
elements. The synthesized patterns have much lower SLL than the original pattern with exactly the

Table 1: Element spacing, SLL, and HPBW of the synthesized arrays with 24, 20, 18, and 16 antenna
elements, compared to the analytical 24-elements λ/2 uniform array.

Uniform array Synthesized arrays using the MoM/GA algorithm

M = 24 M = 24 M = 20 M = 18 M = 16
d = 0.5λ d = 0.886λ d = 0.896λ d = 0.912λ d = 0.922λ
a1 1 a1 0.0928 0.5546 1.1415 2.4465
a2 1 a2 0.2826 1.0983 2.0003 3.412
a3 1 a3 0.6364 1.9232 3.133 4.6158
a4 1 a4 1.2057 3.0133 4.4535 5.8881
a5 1 a5 2.0227 4.3159 5.8571 7.1039
a6 1 a6 3.0862 5.7337 7.2156 8.1447
a7 1 a7 4.3516 7.1337 8.392 8.9054
a8 1 a8 5.7293 8.3648 9.2591 9.3071
a9 1 a9 7.0924 9.2824 9.7192
a10 1 a10 8.294 9.7725
a11 1 a11 9.1915
a12 1 a12 9.6716
HPBW= 4.14◦ HPBW= 4.14◦ HPBW= 4.14◦ HPBW= 4.14◦ HPBW= 4.14◦
SLL = −13.21 dB SLL = −65.7557 dB SLL = −46 dB SLL = −30 dB SLL = −21.6 dB
Reduction of Reduction of Reduction of
elements = 16.66% elements = 25% elements = 33.33%
Progress In Electromagnetics Research Symposium Proceedings, KL, MALAYSIA, March 27–30, 2012 1331

(a) (b) (c)

Figure 1: (a) Shaping function. (b) Shaped pattern. (c) Shaped pattern with positive offset.

Figure 2: The synthesized radiation pattern with 24 Figure 3: Synthesized radiation pattern with 20 el-
elements. ements, and d = 0.896λ element spacing.

same HPBW. The excitation coefficients, the element spacing, and the HPBW of the synthesized
patterns are listed in Table 1 compared to the analytical Uniform array. For clarity, the synthesized
pattern at M = 20 is shown in Fig. 3.
4. CONCLUSION
In this paper, a new scheme based on a combination between the MoM, and the GA is presented for
linear antenna arrays synthesis with maximum side lobe level reduction. The MoM/GA scheme aims
to determine the optimum uniform element spacing and the excitation coefficients that guarantee
maximum SLL reduction without affecting the main lobe beamwidth. In addition, SLL reduction
is performed with a reduced number of antenna elements. The MoM/GA algorithm results in
extremely low SLLs using only a few tens of GA iterations. It is characterized by a fast convergence,
and a less computational complexity compared to other methods such as the RGA algorithm and
the position perturbation algorithm.
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