A Rotman Lens Fed Antenna Array Analysis for Radar Applications

This study demonstrates an effective method of designing a Rotman lens, a flexible microwave lens structure that allows many beams to be scanned simultaneously in array antennas. By leveraging progressive phase shifts via time delays, this cost-effective solution achieves electronic scanning, making it an attractive option for various radar and communications applications. Rotman lenses have proven to be as effective as a broadband MIMO beamformer network in both the military and commercial spheres. From a military perspective, we investigate the design and integration of a Rotman lens with a linear array and circular array utilizing RF PCB Toolbox™ and Antenna Toolbox™ from MATLAB ® to analyze beam tilts at X-band frequencies. This design offers a promising solution for advanced radar systems, enhancing their capabilities and performance.