Evaluation of Kaiser Function-Based Linear Array Performance in Suppressing SLL and Its Experimental Approach

The power-weighted distribution method is used to satisfy radiation pattern requirements at acertain targeted sidelobe level (SLL) suppression. This article reports a detailed discussion of theoreticaland experimental approaches for the application of the Kaiser function in power-weighted linear arrayprototypes. An exploration of the design and realization of a Kaiser function-based linear array waspresented. Furthermore, performance evaluations were performed for several important factors in theKaiser function-based linear array configuration. The performance evaluations include feeding networkvariations, number of element (N) variations, and inter-element distance (d) variations. The prototype ofKaiser function-based linear array was configured by a serial feeding type on the folded structure of aproximity-coupled feeding network. The Kaiser function parameter,beta, is used to determine the set ofweighting coefficients. In the application of beta value of 2, the SLL suppression is 34.63 dB - 34.78 dBfor simulation result, and 27.96 dB - 33.47 dB for measurement result. A performance comparison with auniform linear array and a Chebyshev function-based linear array in an equal configuration is also shown.The Kaiser function utilization as a weighting coefficient in a linear array design shows a significant increaseof 20 dB - 30 dB in SLL suppression compared to the one with a uniform distribution, and 5 dB - 8 dBin SLL suppression compared to the Chebyshev function-based linear array. The implementation of thepower-weighted distribution method with Kaiser functions resulted in good results for the development ofmore complex designs with a larger number of antenna array elements.