Drive multiple antenna elements in array

Hi Matlab,

I'm looking to drive elements and understand directivity using the following code.

I generate a small microstrip patch in antennaDesigner first, then turn it into an array for analysis.

But how do I drive multiple elements to understand the beam formed / directivity?

Thanks, Chris

load msp20G.mat;
msp20G.GroundPlaneWidth = inf;
plotFreq = 20e9;
arr = rectangularArray('Element', msp20G, 'Size', [3 3]);
arr.RowSpacing = 0.03;
arr.ColumnSpacing = 0.03;
arr.PhaseShift(1);
pattern(arr, plotFreq, 'ElementNumber', 1, 'Termination', 50);

Answer 1

[Shashank Kulkarni]

Hi Chris,

You can pass in avector to the AmplitudeTaper and PhaseShift proeprties.

For e.g.

arr.PhaseShift = [10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90]; for your 9 elemnt vector.

Similarly

ant.AmplitudeTaper = [1 0 0.1 0.2 1 1 1 1 0.1]

to model differnt voltage amplitude applied at the feed of each element of the array.

I hope this helps.

Regards,

Shashank

[Christopher Bridges]

Hi Shashank,

Thanks for the reply! I'm still not seeing 'a beam' being formed from your code.

How could I take my existing code for a basic beam form?

Perhaps I need to put dramatic phases and voltages on each array?

I'm still using for plotting:

pattern(arr, plotFreq, 'Termination', 50);

Best, Chris

Answer 2

[Shashank Kulkarni]

Hi Chris,

The code I wrote down was justa general idea. You would have to calculate the correct phaseshifts to make the beam form in a particular direction.

We have added functionality in 19a (should be avilable in a couple of weeks), to calculate the phaseShifts to perform beamscanning. In this case, the user will provide the antenna object, ferquency and the direction in which he wants to point the beam and we will calculate the phase shifts that the user needs to apply to the antenna elements in the array.

Regards,

Shashank

[Christopher Bridges]

Ah - understood. When will this 2019a be available?

Best, Chris