Optimal Synthesis of Sum and Difference Patterns with Arbitrary Sidelobes Subject to Common Excitations Constraints

An innovative and computationally effective approach to the synthesis of optimal sum and difference patterns via uniformly spaced arrays with a number of common excitations is presented and assessed. The proposed technique takes advantage from known results in the (separate) optimal synthesis of sum and difference patterns and allows one to manage arbitrary and different bounds concerning both the sidelobe level (SLL) and the beamwidth (BW) of the couple of patterns while sharing part of the feeding network. A set of examples is provided to support the underlying theory and to show potentialities and features of the arising procedure.