An iterative FFT based flat-top footprint pattern synthesis method with planar array.

A pattern synthesis technique for the flat-top pattern with an arbitrary footprint is proposed in this paper. This technique is based on an iterative fast Fourier transform (FFT) method and the Elliott-Stern method. Due to the Fourier transformation-pair relationship between the array excitations and the array factor, the iterative FFT method is used to adjust the array factor iteratively to obtain the desired pattern. To accelerate this method and to make this method more robust, the initial element excitations are obtained by applying Fourier transform to a pattern designed by the Elliott-Stern method. Several numerical simulations are applied to validate the effectiveness of this technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]