Design of Compromise Sum-Difference Patterns through the Iterative Contiguous Partition Method

In this paper, an innovative approach for the synthesis of sub-arrayed monopulse linear arrays is presented. A compromise difference pattern is obtained through an optimal excitations matching method based on the contiguous partition technique integrated in an iterative procedure ensuring, at the same time, the optimization of the sidelobe level (or other beam pattern features). The flexibility of such an approach allows one to synthesize various difference patterns characterized by different trade-off between angular resolution and noise/interferences rejection in order to match the user-defined requirements. On the other hand, thanks to its computational efficiency, synthesis problems concerned with large arrays are easily managed, as well. An exhaustive numerical validation assesses the reliability and accuracy of the method pointing out the improvements upon state-of-the-art sub-arraying techniques. This paper is a postprint of a paper submitted to and accepted for publication in Microwaves, Antennas & Propagation and is subject to Institution of Engineering and Technology Copyright. The copy of record is available at IET Digital Library.