Hybridization of Efficient Modeling Techniques for Fast Analysis of Large-Scale Antenna Structures in the Context of the Square Kilometre Array Project

We provide an overview of the modeling techniques that have been combined to solve large-scale antenna problems within the framework of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project. These numerically efficient techniques have been integrated into a software tool named CAESAR
¹
, which enables us to solve large antenna problems, both at antenna, and at system level. The latter is essential in determining the receiver sensitivity of the entire instrument, which is the main figure of merit. In the present paper we summarize how the conventional method of moments (MoM) has been enhanced using a hybridization of the characteristic basis function method (CBFM) in conjunction with a number of acceleration techniques so as to greatly reduce the overall execution time without compromising the accuracy. Representative examples are shown of realistically large and complex antenna systems that have been examined only recently.