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    W1 Herd Basics

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    Ngoc Lan Nguyen
    Phased array radars use antenna arrays that can electronically steer beams to scan an area without having to move parts mechanically. They have evolved from passive arrays with phase shifters at each antenna element to active arrays with amplifiers and phase shifters at each element module. This allows for greater beam agility and more effective use of radar resources while maintaining performance even if some modules fail. Current trends are towards large active arrays with many distributed transmit/receive modules that are highly integrated to reduce costs. Phased arrays provide advantages over mechanically scanned dishes but require more complex electronics.

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    W1 Herd Basics

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    Ngoc Lan Nguyen
    107 views17 pages
    Phased array radars use antenna arrays that can electronically steer beams to scan an area without having to move parts mechanically. They have evolved from passive arrays with phase shifters at each antenna element to active arrays with amplifiers and phase shifters at each element module. This allows for greater beam agility and more effective use of radar resources while maintaining performance even if some modules fail. Current trends are towards large active arrays with many distributed transmit/receive modules that are highly integrated to reduce costs. Phased arrays provide advantages over mechanically scanned dishes but require more complex electronics.

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    Phased array radars use antenna arrays that can electronically steer beams to scan an area without having to move parts mechanically. They have evolved from passive arrays with phase shifters at each antenna element to active arrays with amplifiers and phase shifters at each element module. This allows for greater beam agility and more effective use of radar resources while maintaining performance even if some modules fail. Current trends are towards large active arrays with many distributed transmit/receive modules that are highly integrated to reduce costs. Phased arrays provide advantages over mechanically scanned dishes but require more complex electronics.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    107 views17 pages

    W1 Herd Basics

    Uploaded by

    Ngoc Lan Nguyen
    Phased array radars use antenna arrays that can electronically steer beams to scan an area without having to move parts mechanically. They have evolved from passive arrays with phase shifters at each antenna element to active arrays with amplifiers and phase shifters at each element module. This allows for greater beam agility and more effective use of radar resources while maintaining performance even if some modules fail. Current trends are towards large active arrays with many distributed transmit/receive modules that are highly integrated to reduce costs. Phased arrays provide advantages over mechanically scanned dishes but require more complex electronics.

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    Phased Array Radar Basics

    Jeffrey Herd MIT Lincoln Laboratory


    17 November 2009

    MIT Lincoln Laboratory


    Radar Course JSH -1

    Outline

    History and Evolution of Phased Arrays Phased Array Radar Fundamentals


    Array Beamforming Electronic Scanning Active Transmit-Receive Modules

    Summary

    Radar Course JSH -2

    MIT Lincoln Laboratory

    Radar Antenna Architectures


    Dish Antenna Passive Phased Array Active Phased Array

    Beamformer

    T/R Modules

    Very low cost Frequency diversity Slow scan rate High distribution loss Single point of failure

    Beam agility Effective radar resource management High distribution loss Higher cost

    Highest performance Effective radar resource management Low distribution loss Highest cost

    MILLSTONE
    Radar Course JSH -3

    SPY-1

    THAAD MIT Lincoln Laboratory

    Dish Radar Example


    MIT LL Millstone Radar
    2 Klystrons with 3 MW peak power 120 kW avg power Center Frequency of 1295 MHz 8 MHz bandwidth

    $400,000/tube 7 ft x 1ft 600 lbs 3% duty cycle 42 dB gain

    Millstone Klystron Tube

    Advantages
    High output power Low cost per watt Disadvantages Single point of failure Large size

    Radar Course JSH -4

    MIT Lincoln Laboratory

    Solid State Array Radar Example


    PAVE PAWS
    First all-solid-state array radar UHF Band 1800 active transceiver T/R modules, 340 W of peak power each
    Transmit and Receive Modules

    Advantages
    Electronic beam agility Low maintenance (no moving parts) Graceful degradation

    Disadvantages
    Higher cost per watt

    Radar Course JSH -5

    MIT Lincoln Laboratory

    Phased Array Radar Evolution


    Passive Arrays
    ( Phase Shifter at Element)

    Active Arrays
    (Amplifiers + Phase Shifter at Element)
    Increasing Beam Agility

    Airborne

    B-1B
    X-Band

    JSTARS
    X-Band

    F/A-22
    X-Band

    JSF
    X-Band

    MP-RTIP
    X-Band

    1985

    2005

    2010

    1975

    1980

    1990

    1995

    Surface

    Patriot
    C-Band

    SPY-1
    S-Band

    THAAD
    X-Band

    2000

    SBX
    X-Band

    SPY-3
    X-Band

    Radar Course JSH -6

    MIT Lincoln Laboratory

    2015

    Outline

    History and Evolution of Phased Arrays Phased Array Radar Fundamentals


    Array Beamforming Electronic Scanning Active Transmit-Receive Modules

    Summary

    Radar Course JSH -7

    MIT Lincoln Laboratory

    Array Beamforming
    Multiple antennas combined to enhance radiation and shape pattern
    Isotropic Element Array Array Phased Array

    S Combiner

    Phase Shifter

    Response

    Response

    Response

    Direction

    Direction

    Direction

    Response

    Direction MIT Lincoln Laboratory

    Radar Course JSH -8

    Array Beamforming (Beam Collimation)


    Want fields to interfere constructively (add) in desired directions,
    and interfere destructively (cancel) in the remaining space Broadside Beam Scan To 30 deg

    Radar Course JSH -9

    MIT Lincoln Laboratory

    Broadside Uniform Linear Array


    Design Goal
    Maximum at

    Required Phase

    z
    L = (N-1) d N = 10 Elements

    q = 90

    b =0

    y = k d cos q + b q =90 = 0
    d = l/4 separation
    20

    d = l/2 separation
    10 dBi

    d = l separation
    Grating Lobes 10 dBi

    7 dBi
    10

    Directivity (dBi)

    -10

    -20

    -30 0

    30

    Angle off Array q (deg)

    60

    90

    120

    150

    180 0

    30

    Angle off Array q (deg)

    60

    90

    120

    150

    180 0

    30

    Angle off Array q (deg)

    60

    90

    120

    150

    180

    Limit element separation to d < l to prevent grating lobes for broadside array
    Radar Course JSH -10

    MIT Lincoln Laboratory

    Increasing Broadside Linear Array Size by Adding Elements


    z

    Element Separation d = l/2

    L = (N-1) d

    N = 10 Elements
    20

    N = 20 Elements
    13 dBi

    N = 40 Elements
    16 dBi

    10 dBi
    10

    Directivity (dBi)

    -10

    -20

    -30 0

    30

    60

    90

    120

    150

    180 0

    30

    60

    90

    120

    150

    180 0

    30

    60

    90

    120

    150

    180

    Angle off Array q (deg)

    Angle off Array q (deg)

    Angle off Array q (deg)

    Gain ~ 2N(d / l) ~ 2L / l for long broadside array without grating lobes*


    Radar Course JSH -11

    *d<l

    MIT Lincoln Laboratory

    Excitation Amplitudes
    Tapers Across 10 Element Linear Array
    Uniform Amplitude 26 dB Dolph-Tschebyscheff
    3 2 1 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 0 -5 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 0 -5 -10 -15 -20 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 150 100 50

    Binomial

    3 2 1

    0 -5 -10 -15 -20 -25 -30 -35 -40 0 30 60 90 120 150 180

    13 dB SLL

    -10 -15 -20 -25 -30 -35 -40 0 30 60 90 120 150 180

    26 dB SLL

    -25 -30 -35 -40 0

    No Sidelobes Theoretical Result!


    30 60 90 120 150 180

    Amplitude & Phase Errors Limit the Sidelobe Level (SLL) That Can Be Achieved in Practice: > 40 dB is Challenging
    Radar Course JSH -12

    MIT Lincoln Laboratory

    Polarization
    Defined by behavior of the electric field vector as it propagates
    in time
    q

    Electromagnetic Wave

    Electric Field

    f
    Magnetic Field

    Vertical Linear (with respect to Earth)

    Horizontal Linear (with respect to Earth)


    r

    Radar Course JSH -13

    MIT Lincoln Laboratory

    Active Array T/R Module

    Radar Course JSH -14

    MIT Lincoln Laboratory

    T/R Module / Subarray Integration

    64 Element Tile


    Radar Course JSH -15

    High levels of integration reduce unit cost Automated assembly and test reduces touch labor cost
    MIT Lincoln Laboratory

    Summary
    Phased array provides improvements in radar functionality
    and performance
    Beam agility Effective radar resource management Graceful degradation with module failures

    Current trend is towards active arrays with distributed T/R


    modules
    Large number of distributed active components and control High levels of integration required to achieve low cost

    Radar Course JSH -16

    MIT Lincoln Laboratory

    References

    General Antenna Theory and Design:


    Balanis, C.A., Antenna Theory: Analysis and Design, 2nd ed. New York: Wiley, 1997.* Elliot, R. S., Antenna Theory and Design. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1981. Kraus, J.D., Antennas 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1993. Stutzman W. L., Thiele, G. A., Antenna Theory and Design, 2nd ed. New York: Wiley, 1998. Hansen, R. C., Microwave Scanning Antennas. California: Peninsula Publishing, 1985. Pozar, D. M., Schaubert, D. H. eds., Microstrip Antennas: The Analysis and Design of Microstrip Antennas and Arrays. New York: IEEE, 1995. Lo, Y.T. and Lee S.W. eds., Antenna Handbook, Theory, Applications, and Design. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1993. Mailloux, R. J., Phased Array Antenna Handbook. Artech House, 1994.

    Special Topics:

    Handbooks:

    Radar Course JSH -17

    MIT Lincoln Laboratory

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