Capacity Based Design of Slot Array Antennas

TL;DR

This paper introduces an information theoretic approach to antenna array design, utilizing statistical models and Shannon capacity metrics, demonstrated on slot antennas with a new numerical impedance calculation method.

Contribution

It presents a novel integration of Shannon theory into antenna array design, including a statistical model and a spectral impedance computation technique.

Findings

The approach accurately predicts SNR and capacity for slot antenna arrays.

The spectral impedance method matches well with full wave simulations.

The method enables optimized power allocation based on information theory.

Abstract

Historically, the design of antenna arrays has evolved separately from Shannon theory. Shannon theory adopts a probabilistic approach in the design of communication systems, while antenna design approaches have relied on deterministic Maxwell theory alone. In this paper, we introduce a new approach to the design of antenna arrays based on information theoretic metrics. To this end, we develop a statistical model suitable for the numerical optimization of antenna systems. The model is utilized to obtain the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), find the optimal power allocation scheme, and establish the associated Shannon capacity. We demonstrate the utility of the new approach on a connected array of slot antennas. To find the impedance matrix of the slot array, we further develop a fast numerical technique based on the analytical form of the spectrum of magnetic current. The utilized spectral approach, albeit its simplicity, shows good match compared with full wave electromagnetic simulation.