Structural-electromagnetic coupling based least squares compensation method for active phased array antenna

The complex operating environment could entail a significant degradation on electromagnetic properties of active phased array antenna (APAA), which has been proven as a barrier to improve the capability of APAA. Thus an effective compensation method is essential to ensure the antenna's properties. Based on the structural-electromagnetic coupling model, combined with the least squares method, the adjustment quantity of RF phase and amplitude excitation are obtained, which shall be implemented to recover a high quality pattern from a distorted antenna. A linear array of elements is analyzed based on this method to compensate the degradation of system performance resulting from mechanical vibrations. Numerical results show this technique permits to restore the steering direction, decrease the side lobes and eventually recover high quality patterns in all directions.