Phased Array Antenna Calibration Based on Autocorrelation Algorithm

The problem of calibrating phased array antennas in a noisy environment using an autocorrelation algorithm is investigated and a mathematical model of the autocorrelation calibration method is presented. The proposed calibration system is based on far-field scanning of the phased array antenna in an...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Xuan Luong Nguyen, Nguyen Trong Nhan, Thanh Thuy Dang Thi, Tran Van Thanh, Phung Bao Nguyen, Nguyen Duc Trien
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Sensors
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/24/23/7496
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Summary:The problem of calibrating phased array antennas in a noisy environment using an autocorrelation algorithm is investigated and a mathematical model of the autocorrelation calibration method is presented. The proposed calibration system is based on far-field scanning of the phased array antenna in an environment with internal noise and external interference. The proposed method is applied to a phased array antenna and compared with traditional rotating-element electric-field vector methods, which involve identifying the maximum and minimum vector–sum points (REVmax and REVmin, respectively). The proposed calibration system is verified for a phased array antenna at 3 GHz. Experimental verification of the mathematical model of the proposed method demonstrates that the autocorrelation method is more accurate than the rotating-element electric-field vector methods in determining the amplitude and phase shifts. The measured peak gain of the combined beam in the E-plane increased from 7.83 to 8.37 dB and 3.57 to 4.36 dB compared to the REVmax and REVmin methods, respectively, and the phase error improved from 47° to 55.48° and 19.43° to 29.16°, respectively. The proposed method can be considered an effective solution for large-scale phase calibration at both in-field and in-factory levels, even in the presence of external interference.
ISSN:1424-8220