Beam steering with segmented annular arrays.

Area of Science:

• Phased Array Antennas
• Electromagnetics
• Signal Processing

Background:

• Traditional 2-D squared matrix arrays necessitate half-wavelength spacing to mitigate grating lobes, leading to numerous small elements and associated challenges.
• Curvilinear 2-D arrays, specifically segmented annular phased arrays, can achieve lower grating lobes.
• This characteristic permits the use of larger elements, exceeding half-wavelength spacing.

Discussion:

• This study theoretically analyzes the beamforming properties of segmented annular phased arrays.
• The analysis compares these properties against equivalent squared matrix arrays.
• Both point-like elements and the impact of element size on steered beam characteristics are investigated.

Key Insights:

• Segmented annular arrays exhibit significantly lower grating lobes compared to equivalent squared matrix arrays.
• Larger interelement distances, greater than lambda, are feasible with segmented annular arrays.
• The beam characteristics remain valid for volumetric imaging applications even with increased element spacing.

Outlook:

• Further research could explore optimized element designs for segmented annular arrays.
• Investigating the practical implementation and performance in real-world volumetric imaging systems is warranted.
• Exploring adaptive beamforming techniques for these arrays could enhance their capabilities.