Effects of coupling accumulation in antenna arrays

Mutual coupling between antenna elements in a phased array causes array performance to vary with scan angle. Large impedance mismatch and radiation loss can occur in certain critical directions for which the steering phase advances match the antenna coupling delays. At these critical scan angles, many coupling contributions add inphase to produce a large impedance mismatch and minimum radiation from the array. Several different phased arrays have exhibited scanning "blind" regions that appear to be a consequence of coupling accumulation. A large, flat, homogeneous antenna array is analyzed, and a relationship is found between the critical scan angles and phase of the mutual coupling coefficients. Extensive measurements on arrays of horn antennas have shown radiation minima that correlate with coupling phase measurements and with theory.