Efficiency Improvement of Time Modulated Array With Reconfigurable Power Divider/Combiner

Time modulated array (TMA) suffers from relatively low efficiencies due to the power absorption in switches during off state. In this paper, we present the design of a novel TMA by using a reconfigurable power divider/combiner (RPDC) for improving the array's efficiency, where the power absorbed during off state can evenly be transferred to other array elements during on state. An improved pulse sequence strategy is developed to control the radiation pattern of the TMA with RPDC. The impact of the RPDC on radiation features of the TMA is further discussed. To experimentally verify the feasibility of the proposed design, a six-element TMA with RPDC is constructed and characterized. Compared with a six-element conventional TMA with single-pole single-throw switches, the TMA with RPDC shows a significant enhancement of gain by 0.98, 1.27, and 1.65 dB when the sidelobe levels are -20, -25, and -30 dB, respectively.