Abstract
In this work, synthesis of the linear array geometry is put forward as a constrained vector optimization problem whose components are to meet the minimum sidelobe level (SLL) and control of the wide/narrow null placement during beam scanning whose range can vary from zero to the wide bands. As these synthesis objectives generally conflict with each other, nondominated solutions are acquired using the Nondominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm- II (NSGA-II) as a fast nondominated genetic sorting algorithm. Then, the Pareto frontiers are obtained using these trade-off solution sets between the maximum SLL, null control, and scanning range to provide a view of all design options. Thus, the pattern features resulted from these Pareto frontiers are valid for any chosen main beam direction within its full prescribed beam scanning range. The same Pareto optimal synthesis procedure can be applied to a thinned linear antenna array. A thinned linear antenna array is obtained by a simple genetic optimization by rounding the excitation amplitudes either to 1 or 0 to minimize the maximum of side lobe level (MSLL) during the beam scanning within the prescribed region as stated in the multiobjective function. Finally, some typical Pareto optimal radiation patterns of the scanning arrays are synthesized with only perturbating the positions of the array elements, and their full electromagnetic wave simulations are also completed to examine the resulted mutual coupling effects between the elements of the arrays. It can be concluded that the Pareto optimal synthesis procedure gives the scanning linear antenna arrays with successful radiation performance. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE, 2010.