Evaluation Method and Design Guidance for Direction-Finding Antenna Systems

authored by: Lukas Grundmann, Dirk Manteuffel
Abstract: A deterministic evaluation procedure for multiport direction-finding (DF) antennas is proposed. It is based on a DF uncertainty parameter, which describes how well different directions of arrival and polarizations are distinguishable. By investigating a simple antenna array, it is shown that the proposed parameter provides additional insights into the behavior of an antenna system when compared to established methods. Moreover, since the uncertainty parameter is calculated from a set of far fields, it is applicable to port far fields as well as Characteristic Modes (CMs). This finding is utilized to derive design guidance: starting with a set of CM far fields, the angular distribution of the uncertainty is investigated to verify that no ambiguities are present. Different sets of far fields are compared, and the differences regarding their DF behavior are visualized and explained using the uncertainty in conjunction with an estimate of the incident field. To quantify these differences, a key performance indicator (KPI) is introduced that summarizes the DF capabilities over a selected angular region. To demonstrate the design process, a multimode multiport antenna (M3PA) with three uncorrelated ports is developed, manufactured, and measured.
Organisation(s): Institute of Microwave and Wireless Systems
Type: Article
Journal: IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation
Volume: 71
Pages: 7146-7157
No. of pages: 12
ISSN: 0018-926X
Publication date: 06.09.2023
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2303.01317 (Access: Open)
https://doi.org/10.1109/TAP.2023.3291424 (Access: Closed)
: Details in the research portal "Research@Leibniz University"

BibTeX

@article{8beaf99ff890480d84675046e5d5aaff,
title = "Evaluation Method and Design Guidance for Direction-Finding Antenna Systems",
abstract = "A deterministic evaluation procedure for multiport direction-finding (DF) antennas is proposed. It is based on a DF uncertainty parameter, which describes how well different directions of arrival and polarizations are distinguishable. By investigating a simple antenna array, it is shown that the proposed parameter provides additional insights into the behavior of an antenna system when compared to established methods. Moreover, since the uncertainty parameter is calculated from a set of far fields, it is applicable to port far fields as well as Characteristic Modes (CMs). This finding is utilized to derive design guidance: starting with a set of CM far fields, the angular distribution of the uncertainty is investigated to verify that no ambiguities are present. Different sets of far fields are compared, and the differences regarding their DF behavior are visualized and explained using the uncertainty in conjunction with an estimate of the incident field. To quantify these differences, a key performance indicator (KPI) is introduced that summarizes the DF capabilities over a selected angular region. To demonstrate the design process, a multimode multiport antenna (M3PA) with three uncorrelated ports is developed, manufactured, and measured.",
keywords = "Characteristic modes (CMs), direction finding (DF) antennas, direction of arrival (DoA), multiport antennas",
author = "Lukas Grundmann and Dirk Manteuffel",
note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action within the Luftfahrtforschungsprogramm (LuFo) through Project Master360 under Grant 20D1905C.",
year = "2023",
month = sep,
day = "6",
doi = "10.48550/arXiv.2303.01317",
language = "English",
volume = "71",
pages = "7146--7157",
journal = "IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation",
issn = "0018-926X",
publisher = "Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.",
number = "9",
}