Codesign of Characteristic Mode and Coupling Matrix for Frequency-Scanning Coupled-Patch Arrays

A codesign approach is proposed in this communication for an efficient design of frequency-scanning coupled-patch arrays (CPAs) with wide scanning range and high scanning rate. It combines characteristic mode analysis (CMA) and coupling matrix analysis, where the former is employed for radiation pattern synthesis, while the latter tunes the feeding reflection and mode excitation based on a coupled-resonator network model. With this systematic approach, it becomes efficient to control both beam scanning properties and feeding reflection. Third-order and sixth-order design examples are provided to validate the proposed method. The sixth-order CPA achieves a wide scanning range of 73° (from −45° to 28° across broadside) and a high scanning rate of 26.1°/1%. Both are higher than other reported CPAs.