PLoS ONE (Jan 2024)

A Wild Horse Optimization algorithm with chaotic inertia weights and its application in linear antenna array synthesis.

  • WanRu Zhao,
  • Yan Liu,
  • JianHui Li,
  • TianNing Zhu,
  • KunXia Zhao,
  • Kui Hu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0304971
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 19, no. 7
p. e0304971

Abstract

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Antennas play a crucial role in designing an efficient communication system. However, reducing the maximum sidelobe level (SLL) of the beam pattern is a crucial challenge in antenna arrays. Pattern synthesis in smart antennas is a major area of research because of its widespread application across various radar and communication systems. This paper presents an effective technique to minimize the SLL and thus improve the radiation pattern of the linear antenna array (LAA) using the chaotic inertia-weighted Wild Horse optimization (IERWHO) algorithm. The wild horse optimizer (WHO) is a new metaheuristic algorithm based on the social behavior of wild horses. The IERWHO algorithm is an improved Wild Horse optimization (WHO) algorithm that combines the concepts of chaotic sequence factor, nonlinear factor, and inertia weights factor. In this paper, the method is applied for the first time in antenna array synthesis by optimizing parameters such as inter-element spacing and excitation to minimize the SLL while keeping other constraints within the boundary limits, while ensuring that the performance is not affected. For performance evaluation, the simulation tests include 12 benchmark test functions and 12 test functions to verify the effectiveness of the improvement strategies. According to the encouraging research results in this paper, the IERWHO algorithm proposed has a place in the field of optimization.