Multibeam Single-Sideband Time-Modulated Arrays

The design of efficient time-modulated arrays (TMAs) for multi-beam steering purposes must be based on both a type of periodical sequences that guarantees an adequate windowing of exploited harmonics, and a feeding network capable of providing low hardware insertion losses. Compliance with these two requirements is not simple and is aggravated by the fact that, as the number of exploited harmonic beams increases, not only drastically decreases the antenna efficiency, but also the beam steering flexibility. In this work, we propose three different single sideband (SSB) feeding networks for multibeam TMAs constructed considering different combinations of single-pole multiple-throw (SPMT) basic modules. The proposed feeding networks simultaneously accomplish excellent levels of modulation efficiency, reasonable hardware insertion losses, and beam scanning flexibility. In addition, a comparison with standard phased arrays in terms of performance, phase sensitivity, complexity, and cost-effectiveness is carried out.