Synthesis of Flat-Top Antenna Array Radiation Patterns Based on Pencil Beam Smoothing and Element Pattern Compensation

This paper presents an analytic method for the synthesis of steerable flat-top radiation patterns using linear arrays with arbitrary antenna elements. The method is based on flattening a given pencil-beam pattern in a specified direction with simultaneous compensation of the element pattern. Flattening and compensation are performed using maximum flat criterion. The application of the method is illustrated with the design of arrays with specified beamwidth and minimum sidelobe level, where the Gegenbauer pencil beam is utilized. For this application, a simple method for obtaining array's excitation coefficients is provided.