Sparse antenna array design methodologies: A review

Abstract

Designing a sparse array with reduced transmit/receive modules (TRMs) is vital for some applications where the antenna system's size, weight, allowed operating space, and cost are limited. Sparse arrays exhibit distinct architectures, roughly classified into three categories: Thinned arrays, nonuniformly spaced arrays, and clustered arrays. While numerous advanced synthesis methods have been presented for the three types of sparse arrays in recent years, a comprehensive review of the latest development in sparse array synthesis is lacking. This work aims to fill this gap by thoroughly summarizing these techniques. The study includes synthesis examples to facilitate a comparative analysis of different techniques in terms of both accuracy and efficiency. Thus, this review is intended to assist researchers and engineers in related fields, offering a clear understanding of the development and distinctions among sparse array synthesis techniques.

Keywords

Clustered array / Nonuniformly spaced array / Sparse antenna array / Synthesis method / Thinned array

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. U2341208.

Declaration of competing interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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