Hybrid Irregular Tiled Arrays for Wide-Angle and Low-Sidelobe Scanning With Mixed Integer Linear Programming

Abstract

The segmentation of phased array apertures into distinct sets of tile modules, referred to as irregular tiled arrays, is highly appealing in scenarios requiring cost efficiency. However, the limited scanning abilities restrict broader applications. To mitigate this limitation, we propose a hybrid subarray architecture that enhances flexibility by utilizing the diverse scanning advantages offered by various subarray sizes and shapes. A mixed integer linear programming model is developed to optimize the tiling configuration to adapt the array design to meet different sidelobe level (SLL) and maximum scanning angle requirements. Benders decomposition is employed to efficiently decouple and solve both integer and continuous variables. The proposed array structure exhibits network complexity that falls between traditional irregular arrays and nonadjacent arrays. Compared to traditional arrays, it achieves more than 4 dB sidelobe suppression and a 1.1 dB gain improvement. Compared with nonadjacent arrays, the proposed array not only extends the scanning angle but also achieves significantly lower SLLs, offering superior performance for wide-angle scanning applications.