Proof of the density tapering concept of an unequally spaced array by electric field distributions of electromagnetic simulations

The design method of an unequally spaced array was based on the density tapering in the textbook “Antenna theory” in 1969. The effects on grating lobe reductions were shown by radiation pattern calculations. However, no proof for the achievement of density tapering was shown. In this paper, through direct comparisons of the objective amplitude distribution with electric field distributions by electromagnetic simulation, density tapering is examined. A log-periodic dipole antenna operating from 900MHz to 2500MHz is designed for the array element. The unequally spaced 31-element array antenna is used for calculation. At many kinds of density tapering and many frequencies, calculated electric field distributions in a near-field region of the array antenna agree with the given density tapering distributions. The paper results show that the density tapering is achieved from 900MHz to 2000MHz and the effects of grating lobe reductions are ensured from 900MHz to 2500MHz. © 2020, © 2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.