customArrayGeometry

Create array represented by 2-D custom geometry

Description

The customArrayGeometry object is an array represented by a 2-D custom geometry on the xy-plane. You can use the customArrayGeometry to import a 2-D custom geometry, define feeds to create an array element, and analyze the custom array.

Creation

Syntax

array = customArrayGeometry

array = customArrayGeometry(Name=Value)

Description

array = customArrayGeometry creates a custom array represented by 2-D geometry on the X-Y plane, based on the specified boundary.

array = customArrayGeometry(Name=Value) sets properties using one or more name-value arguments. Name is the property name and Value is the corresponding value. You can specify several name-value arguments in any order as Name1=Value1,...,NameN=ValueN. Properties that you do not specify, retain their default values.

For example, ca = customArrayGeometry(PhaseShift=10) applies a phase shift of 10 degrees to the elements in the custom geometry.

Output Arguments

array — Custom array geometry

customArrayGeometry object

Custom array geometry, returned as an customArrayGeometry object.

Properties

Boundary — Boundary information in Cartesian coordinates

cell array

Boundary information in Cartesian coordinates, specified as a cell array in meters.

Data Types: double

Operation — Boolean operation performed on boundary list

'P1' (default) | character vector

Boolean operation performed on the boundary list, specified as a character vector. operation set is; [+, -, *].

Example: 'P1-P2'

Data Types: char

FeedLocation — Array element feed location in Cartesian coordinates

[0 0 0] (default) | three-element vector

Array element feed location in Cartesian coordinates, specified as a three-element vector. The three elements represent the X, Y, and Z coordinates respectively.

Example: [0 0.2 0]

Data Types: double

FeedWidth — Width of feed for array elements

0.0100 (default) | scalar

Width of feed for array elements, specified as a scalar in meters.

Example: 0.05

Data Types: double

AmplitudeTaper — Excitation amplitude for array elements

1 (default) | positive scalar | positive vector

Excitation amplitude for array elements, specified as a positive scalar or vector. Set property value to 0 to model dead elements.

Example: 3

Data Types: double

PhaseShift — Phase shift for array elements

0 (default) | real scalar | real vector

Phase shift for array elements, specified as a real scalar or a real vector in degrees.

Example: [3 3 0 0] specifies the phase shift for custom array containing four elements.

Data Types: double

Tilt — Tilt angle of array

0 (default) | numeric scalar | numeric vector

Tilt angle of the array in degrees, specified as a scalar or vector. For more information, see Rotate Antennas and Arrays.

Example: 90

Example: Tilt=[90 90],TiltAxis=[0 1 0;0 1 1] tilts the array at 90 degrees about the two axes, defined by the vectors.

Data Types: double

TiltAxis — Tilt axis of array

[1 0 0] (default) | three-element vector | 2-by-3 matrix | "X" | "Y" | "Z"

Tilt axis of the array, specified as one of these values:

• Three-element vectors of Cartesian coordinates in meters. In this case, each vector starts at the origin and lies along the specified points on the x-, y-, and z-axes.

• Two points in space, specified as a 2-by-3 matrix corresponding to two three-element vectors of Cartesian coordinates. In this case, the array rotates around the line joining the two points.

• "x", "y", or "z" to describe a rotation about the x-, y-, or z-axis, respectively.

For more information, see Rotate Antennas and Arrays.

Example: [0 1 0]

Example: [0 0 0;0 1 0]

Example: "Z"

Data Types: double | string

Object Functions

axialRatio	Calculate and plot axial ratio of antenna or array
beamwidth	Beamwidth of antenna
charge	Charge distribution on antenna or array surface
correlation	Correlation coefficient between two antennas in array
current	Current distribution on antenna or array surface
efficiency	Calculate and plot radiation efficiency of antenna or array
EHfields	Electric and magnetic fields of antennas or embedded electric and magnetic fields of antenna element in arrays
feedCurrent	Calculate current at feed for antenna or array
impedance	Calculate and plot input impedance of antenna or scan impedance of array
info	Display information about antenna, array, or platform
layout	Display array or PCB stack layout
mesh	Mesh properties of metal, dielectric antenna, or array structure
meshconfig	Change meshing mode of antenna, array, custom antenna, custom array, or custom geometry
msiwrite	Write antenna or array analysis data to MSI planet file
pattern	Plot radiation pattern and phase of antenna or array or embedded pattern of antenna element in array
patternAzimuth	Azimuth plane radiation pattern of antenna or array
patternElevation	Elevation plane radiation pattern of antenna or array
peakRadiation	Calculate and mark maximum radiation points of antenna or array on radiation pattern
rcs	Calculate and plot monostatic and bistatic radar cross section (RCS) of platform, antenna, or array
returnLoss	Calculate and plot return loss of antenna or scan return loss of array
show	Display antenna, array structures, shapes, or platform
sparameters	Calculate S-parameters for antenna or array
stlwrite	Write mesh information to STL file
vswr	Calculate and plot voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) of antenna or array element

Examples

Create Custom Slot Antenna Array

Create and visualize a custom array using customArrayGeometry. Plot the impedance and current distribution of the array.

Create a ground plane with a length of 0.6 m and a width of 0.5 m.

Lp  = 0.6;
Wp  = 0.5;
p1  = antenna.Rectangle(Length=Lp, Width=Wp);

Create slots of length 0.05 m and width 0.4 m on the ground plane.

Add strips of length 0.05 m and width 0.01 m in between the slots for housing the feed point.

Ls  = 0.05;
Ws  = 0.4;
offset = 0.12;
p2 = antenna.Rectangle(Length=Ls, Width=Ws, Center=[-offset 0]);
p3 = antenna.Rectangle(Length=Ls, Width=Ws, Center=[offset 0]);
Wf  = 0.01;
p4   = antenna.Rectangle(Length=Ls, Width=Wf, Center=[-offset 0]);
p5   = antenna.Rectangle(Length=Ls, Width=Wf, Center=[offset 0]);

Create custom array using the slotted ground plane. Create a feed in between the slots on the ground plane.

b1 = getShapeVertices(p1);
b2 = getShapeVertices(p2);
b3 = getShapeVertices(p3);
b4 = getShapeVertices(p4);
b5 = getShapeVertices(p5);
carray = customArrayGeometry;
carray.Boundary = {b1,b2,b3,b4,b5}';
carray.Operation = 'P1-P2-P3+P4+P5';
carray.NumFeeds = 2;
carray.FeedLocation = [-offset 0 0; offset 0 0];
carray.FeedWidth = [Wf Wf];

Visualize the array.

figure
show(carray)

Calculate the impedance of the array using the frequency range of 350 MHz to 450 MHz.

figure
impedance(carray, 350e6:5e6:450e6)

Visualize the current distribution of the array at 410 MHz.

figure
current(carray, 410e6, Scale="log10")

References

[1] Balanis, C. A. Antenna Theory. Analysis and Design. 3rd Ed. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2005.

Version History

Introduced in R2017a