Effects on phased arrays radiation pattern due to phase error distribution in the phase shifter operation

Abstract

A comprehensive study on the role of the phase errors distribution on the performances of the phased array systems has been produced. The analysis is brought out using a complete and behavioural model for radiation-pattern characteristics. The study has shown how the phase errors distribution actually affects the performances demonstrating that the rms phase error is a valuable figure of merit of phased array systems but it is not sufficient to completely describe the behaviour of a real system. The paper demonstrates that the antennas array beam shape is depending by the actual error phase distribution and that a good phase shifter has to have the phase errors as constant as possible and with a low rms value.