Time-Range FDA Beampattern Characteristics

TL;DR

This paper investigates the time-range characteristics of frequency diverse array (FDA) beampatterns, developing models and analyzing their auto-scanning capabilities, and establishing relationships with MIMO beampatterns through simulations.

Contribution

It introduces new FDA transmit beampattern models that demonstrate auto-scanning and explores their relationship with MIMO patterns, enhancing understanding of FDA behavior.

Findings

FDA beampatterns exhibit auto-scanning capability.

The models show the relationship between FDA and MIMO beampatterns.

Simulation results confirm the theoretical analysis.

Abstract

Current literature show that frequency diverse arrays (FDAs) are able of producing range-angle-dependent and time-variant transmit beampatterns, but the resulting time and range dependencies and their characteristics are still not well understood. This paper examines the FDA transmission model and the model for the FDA array factor, considering their time-range relationship. We develop two FDA transmit beampatterns, both yielding the auto-scanning capability of the FDA transmit beams. The scan speed, scan volume, and initial mainlobe direction of the beams are also analyzed. In addition, the equivalent conditions for the FDA integral transmit beampattern and the multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) beampattern are investigated. Various numerical simulations illustrate the auto-scanning property of the FDA beampattern and the proposed equivalent relationship with the MIMO beampattern, providing the basis for an improved understanding and design of the FDA transmit beampattern.