A conjugate gradient based algorithm to minimize the peak sidelobe level of planar arrays with element failures

An attempt is made to determine the extent to which the sidelobe increase caused by element failures in a space-based antenna array system can be reduced by changing the excitation distribution. The algorithm presented provides a very stable minimization scheme. This is important because the function to minimize will always change, depending on the element failure pattern. The random element failures produce a thinned-array-type pattern with grating lobes but negligible beam broadening. Clustered element failures produce a general increase in sidelobe level and beamwidth.<>