An Efficient Adaptive and Steep-Convergent Sidelobes Simultaneous Reduction Algorithm for Massive Linear Arrays

Abstract

Antenna arrays have become an essential part of most wireless communications systems. In this paper, the unwanted sidelobes in the symmetric linear array power pattern are reduced efficiently by utilizing a faster simultaneous sidelobes processing algorithm, which generates nulling sub-beams that are adapted to control and maintain steep convergence toward lower sidelobe levels. The proposed algorithm is performed using adaptive damping and heuristic factors which result in learning curve perturbations during the first few loops of the reduction process and is followed by a very steep convergence profile towards deep sidelobe levels. The numerical results show that, using the proposed adaptive sidelobes simultaneous reduction algorithm, a maximum sidelobe level of −50 dB can be achieved after only 10 iteration loops (especially for very large antenna arrays formed by 256 elements, wherein the processing time is reduced to approximately 25% of that required by the conventional fixed damping factor case). On the other hand, the generated array weights can be applied to practical linear antenna arrays under mutual coupling effects, which have shown very similar results to the radiation pattern of the isotropic antenna elements with very deep sidelobe levels and the same beamwidth.