LECTURE 16: PLANAR ARRAYS AND CIRCULAR ARRAYS

1. Planar Arrays
Planar arrays provide directional beams, symmetrical patterns with low side
lobes, much higher directivity (narrow main beam) than that of their individual
element. In principle, they can point the main beam toward any direction.
Applications – tracking radars, remote sensing, communications, etc.

A. The array factor of a rectangular planar array in the xy plane

Fig. 6.23b, p. 310, Balanis

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 The AF of a linear array of M elements along the x-axis is
M
AFx1 =  I m1e j ( m −1)( kd x sin θ cos φ + β x ) (16.1)
m =1

where sin θ cos φ = cos γ x is the directional cosine with respect to the x-axis (γx is
the angle between r and the x axis). It is assumed that all elements are equispaced
with an interval of d x and a progressive shift β x . I m1 denotes the excitation
amplitude of the element at the point with coordinates x = ( m − 1) d x , y = 0 . In
the figure above, this is the element of the m-th row and the 1st column of the
array matrix. Note that the 1st row corresponds to x = 0.
If N such arrays are placed at even intervals along the y direction, a
rectangular array is formed. We assume again that they are equispaced at a
distance d y and there is a progressive phase shift β y along each row. We also
assume that the normalized current distribution along each of the x-directed
arrays is the same but the absolute values correspond to a factor of I1n
(n = 1,..., N ) . Then, the AF of the entire M × N array is
M N
AF =  I m1e j ( m −1)( kd x sin θ cos φ + β x )
×  I1n e j ( n −1)( kd y sin θ sin φ + β y ) , (16.2)
m =1 n =1

or
AF = S xM S yN , (16.3)
where
M
S xM = AFx1 =  I m1e j ( m −1)( kd x sin θ cos φ + β x ) , and
m =1
N
S yN = AF1 y =  I1n e j ( n −1)( kd y sin θ sin φ + β y ) .
n =1

In the array factors above,

sin θ cos φ = xˆ ⋅ rˆ = cos γ x ,
(16.4)
sin θ sin φ = yˆ ⋅ rˆ = cos γ y .
The pattern of a rectangular array is the product of the array factors of the linear
arrays in the x and y directions.

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 In the case of a uniform planar rectangular array, I m1 = I1n = I 0 for all m
and n, i.e., all elements have the same excitation amplitudes. Thus,
M N
AF = I 0  e j ( m −1)( kd x sin θ cos φ + β x )
×  e j ( n −1)( kd y sin θ sin φ + β y ) . (16.5)
m =1 n =1

The normalized array factor is obtained as

  ψx    sin  N ψ y 
 sin  M 2   
AFn (θ ,φ ) =     2  , (16.6)
 M sin  ψ x 
sin
ψ y 
  N  2 
  2      
where
ψ x = kd x sin θ cos φ + β x ,
ψ y = kd y sin θ sin φ + β y .
The major lobe (principal maximum) and grating lobes of the terms
 ψ 
sin  M x 
S xM =  2 
(16.7)
ψ 
M sin  x 
 2 
and
 ψy 
sin  N 
S yN =  2  (16.8)
ψ y 
N sin  
 2 
are located at angles such that
kd x sin θ m cos φm + β x = ±2mπ , m = 0,1,… , (16.9)
kd y sin θ n sin φn + β y = ±2nπ , n = 0,1,… . (16.10)
The principal maximum corresponds to m = 0 , n = 0 .

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 In general, β x and β y can be independent from each other. But, if it is
required that the main beams of S xM and S yN intersect (which is usually the
case), then the common main beam is in the direction:
θ = θ0 and φ = φ0 , m = n = 0 . (16.11)
With the principal maximum specified by (θ 0 ,φ0 ) , the progressive phase shifts
β x and β y must satisfy
β x = − kd x sin θ 0 cos φ0 , (16.12)
β y = −kd y sin θ 0 sin φ0 . (16.13)
If β x and β y are specified, then the direction of the main beam can be found by
solving (16.12) and (16.13) as a system of equations:
β ydx
tan φ0 = , (16.14)
βxd y
2 2
 β   βy 
sin θ 0 = ±  x  +   . (16.15)
 x  y
kd kd
The grating lobes can be located by substituting (16.12) and (16.13) in (16.9)
and (16.10):
sin θ 0 sin φ0 ± nλ
dy
tan φmn = , (16.16)
sin θ 0 cos φ0 ± mλ
dx
sin θ 0 cos φ0 ± mλ sin θ 0 sin φ0 ± nλ
dx = dy
sin θ mn = . (16.17)
cos φmn sin φmn
To avoid grating lobes, the spacing between the elements must be less than λ ,
i.e., d x < λ and d y < λ . In order a true grating lobe to occur, both equations
(16.16) and (16.17) must have a real solution (θ mn ,φmn ) .
The array factors of a 5 by 5 uniform array are shown below for two spacing
values: d = λ / 4 and d = λ / 2 . Notice the considerable decrease in the
beamwidth as the spacing is increased from λ / 4 to λ / 2 .

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 DIRECTIVITY PATTERNS OF A 5-ELEMENT SQUARE PLANAR UNIFORM ARRAY
WITHOUT GRATING LOBES β x = β y = 0 : (a) d = λ / 4 , (b) d = λ / 2

D0 = 10.0287 (10.0125 dB) D0 = 33.2458 (15.2174 dB)

(a) (b)

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 B. The beamwidth of a planar array

θh

φh

θ0
y

φ0
x

φh

A simple procedure, proposed by R.S. Elliot1 is outlined below. It is based on

the use of the beamwidths of the linear arrays building the planar array.
For a large array, the maximum of which is near the broad side, the elevation
plane HPBW is approximately
1
θh ≈ (16.18)
cosθ 0 ∆θ x−2 cos 2 φ0 + ∆θ y−2 sin 2 φ0
where

1
“Beamwidth and directivity of large scanning arrays”, The Microwave Journal, Jan. 1964, pp.74-82.

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 (θ 0 ,φ0 ) specifies the main-beam direction;
∆θ x is the HPBW of a linear BSA of M elements and an amplitude
distribution which is the same as that of the x-axis linear arrays
building the planar array;
∆θ y is the HPBW of a linear BSA of N elements and amplitude
distribution which is the same as that of the y-axis linear arrays
building the planar array.

The azimuth HPBW is the HPBW in the plane orthogonal to the elevation
plane and contains the maximum. It is
1
φh ≈ . (16.19)
∆θ x−2 sin 2 φ0 + ∆θ y−2 cos 2 φ0
For a square array ( M = N ) with the same amplitude distributions along the x
and y axes, equations (16.18) and (16.19) reduce to
∆θ x ∆θ y
θh = = , (16.20)
cosθ0 cosθ 0
φh = ∆θ x = ∆θ y . (16.21)
From (16.20), it is obvious that the HPBW in the elevation plane depends on the
elevation angle θ 0 of the main beam whereas the HPBW in the azimuthal plane
φh does not.
The antenna solid angle of the planar array can be approximated by
Ω A ≈ θ h φh , (16.22)
where θ h and φh are in radians. Substituting (16.18) and (16.19), yields
∆θ x ∆θ y
ΩA = . (16.23)
 ∆θ y2  ∆θ x2 
cosθ 0 sin 2 φ0 + cos 2 φ0  sin 2 φ0 + cos 2 φ0 
 ∆θ x2  ∆θ y2 

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 C. Directivity of planar rectangular array
The general expression for the calculation of the directivity of an array is
| AF (θ 0 ,φ0 ) |2
D0 = 4π 2π π
. (16.24)
  | AF (θ ,φ ) |2 sin θ dθ dφ
0 0

For large planar arrays, which are nearly broadside, (16.24) reduces to
D0 = π Dx Dy cos θ 0 (16.25)
where
Dx is the directivity of the respective linear BSA, x-axis;
Dy is the directivity of the respective linear BSA, y-axis.
We can also use the array solid angle Ω A in (16.23) to calculate the
approximate directivity of a nearly broadside planar array:
π2 32400 2
D0 ≈ ≈ . (16.26)
Ω A[rad 2 ] Ω A[deg2 ]

Remember:
1) The main beam direction is controlled through the phase shifts, β x and β y .
2) The beamwidth and side-lobe levels are controlled through the amplitude
distribution.

2
A steradian relates to square degrees as 1 sr = (180/π)2 ≈ 3282.80635 deg. Note that this formula is only approximate and the
relationship between the exact values of D0 and ΩA is D0 = 4π/ΩA.

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2. Circular Array

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 A. Array factor of circular array
The normalized field can be written as
N
e− jkRn
E (r ,θ ,φ ) =  an , (16.27)
n =1 R n

where
Rn = r 2 + a 2 − 2ar cosψ n . (16.28)
For r ≫ a , (16.28) reduces to
Rn ≈ r − a cosψ n = r − a (aˆ ρ ,n ⋅ rˆ ) . (16.29)
In a rectangular coordinate system,
aˆ ρ ,n = xˆ cos φn + yˆ sin φn
rˆ = xˆ sin θ cos φ + yˆ sin θ sin φ + zˆ cos θ .
Therefore,
Rn ≈ r − a sin θ ( cos φn cos φ + sin φn sin φ ) , (16.30)
or
Rn ≈ r − a sin θ cos (φ − φn ) . (16.31)
For the amplitude term, the far-zone approximation
1 1
≈ , all n (16.32)
Rn r
is made.
With the approximations in (16.31) and (16.32), the far-zone array field is
obtained as:
N
e − jkr
E ( r ,θ , φ ) =
r
 ane jka sin θ cos(φ −φ ) ,
n (16.33)
n =1

where
an is the complex excitation coefficient (amplitude and phase);
φn = 2π n / N is the angular position of the n-th element.

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 In general, the excitation coefficient can be represented as
an = I n e jα n , (16.34)
where I n is the amplitude and α n is the phase of the excitation of the n-th element
relative to a chosen array element of zero phase. Substituting (16.34) into (16.33)
leads to:
N
e− jkr
 E ( r ,θ , φ ) =
r
 I ne j ka sin θ cos(φ −φ )+α  .
n n
(16.35)
n =1

The AF is then
N
AF (θ ,φ ) =  I n e j ka sin θ cos(φ −φn ) +α n  . (16.36)
n =1

Expression (16.36) represents the AF of a circular array of N equispaced

elements. The maximum of the AF occurs when all exponential terms in (16.36)
equal unity, or,
ka sin θ cos (φ − φn ) + α n = 2mπ , m = 0, ±1, ±2, all n . (16.37)
The principal maximum ( m = 0 ) is defined by the direction (θ 0 ,φ0 ) , for which
α n = − ka sin θ 0 ⋅ cos (φ0 − φn ) , n = 1, 2,..., N . (16.38)
For example, for maximum radiation along θ 0 = 0°,180° (along the axis of the
circular array), all elements must be fed in-phase, i.e., α n = 0 for all n. For
maximum radiation along θ 0 = 90° and φ0 = 0 (along the x axis in the array’s
plane), α n = −ka cos (φn ) , n = 1, 2,..., N .
If a circular array is required to have maximum radiation along (θ 0 ,φ0 ) , then
the phases of its excitations have to fulfil (16.38). Substituting (16.38) into
(16.36) shows that the AF of such an array is
N
AF (θ ,φ ) =  I n e jka[sin θ cos(φ −φn ) −sin θ0 cos(φ0 −φn )] , (16.39)
n =1
N
 AF (θ ,φ ) =  I n e jka (cosψ n −cosψ 0 n ) . (16.40)
n =1

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Here, ψ n = arccos [sin θ cos(φ − φn ) ] is the angle between r̂ and aˆ ρ ,n whereas
ψ 0,n = arccos [sin θ 0 cos(φ0 − φn ) ] is the angle between aˆ ρ ,n and r̂0 , where r̂0
points in the direction of maximum radiation.
As the radius of the array a becomes large compared to λ, the directivity of
the uniform circular array ( I n = I 0 , all n ) approaches the value of N.
UNIFORM CIRCULAR ARRAY 3-D PATTERN (N = 10, ka = 2π a / λ = 10 ):
MAXIMUM AT θ = 0°,180° ( α n = 0 for all n)

D0 = 11.6881 (10.6775 dB)

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 UNIFORM CIRCULAR ARRAY 3-D PATTERN (N = 10, ka = 2π a / λ = 10 ):
MAXIMUM AT θ = 90°,φ = 0°

D0 = 10.589 (10.2485 dB)

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