Antenna-Array Network Model

Abstract

An antenna can be modeled as a two-port network using S-parameters. However, having individual antenna Sparameters is not sufficient for modeling an array of antennas as antennas exhibit mutual coupling. This article proposes a network model to represent an antenna array with mutual coupling. Using the proposed model, an N-element antenna array is modeled as a combination of two-port networks representing each element and an N-port network representing mutual coupling. Two techniques to calculate mutual coupling S-parameters are presented: a primary method using numerical solutions and an approximate method using approximate expressions. The proposed model was validated using four monopole arrays having different interelement spacings, the number of elements, and non-identical antennas.