An optimal time modulated compact circular antenna array design using a stochastic optimization technique

This paper presents a time modulated far-field radiation pattern synthesis of a compact circular antenna array (CAA) by employing a stochastic optimization technique known as grey wolf optimization (GWO). The compactness of the antenna array is achieved by reducing the inter-element distances between the elements of the array which leads to the miniaturization of the antenna array size. On the other hand, an optimal far-field radiation characteristic is achieved by suppressing the side lobe level (SLL) as well as by narrowing the first null beamwidth (FNBW). A lower SLL value is necessary to avoid the interference with the system working in the same frequency, whereas, a narrow FNBW helps the antenna array to attain a high directivity. The performance of a time modulated antenna array (TMAA) depends on the rise on–off time, pulse shape as well as on the switching time duration of each element of the array which radiates at different harmonic frequencies. In this paper, the generation of radiation pattern at the fundamental/central frequency and its first two harmonic frequencies are considered for the design issue.