Comparative Analysis of Planar Phased Arrays, Evenly Distributed and Uniformly Excited, with Square Aperture and Circular Aperture

This paper presents a comparative analysis of planar phased arrays, uniformly excited and evenly distributed in rows and columns, based on data obtained by means of a software program for the calculation and graphical representation of the sum and difference patterns (mono pulse). The program provides the possibility to calculate and graph the patterns for a planar phased array (half-wavelength dipoles), in the absence of mutual coupling between the antennas in the array. Calculations and graphs, performed for both an array with a square planar aperture and an array with a circular planar aperture, show that, at similar results (opening, gain), there are at least two net advantages of the circular planar array respectively, the number of antenna elements is lower (which implies a lower cost price) and lower levels of side lobes to the patterns.