Abstract

Background: This article presents a 12-element Dipole Linear Array Antenna (DLAA) optimization using Gravitational Search Algorithm (GSA) to find optimal design parameters such as lengths corresponding to each dipole and spacing corresponding to separation between two neighbor dipoles.

Methods: GSA optimizes the design parameters to offer the desired performance parameters such as high Directivity (DR), high Front to Back Ratio (FBR), high Front-to-Maximum-Side-Lobe-Level (FSL), and low Half-Power-Beam-Width (HBW) using a simple weighted sum type multi-objective function.

Results: After optimization, the performance parameter DR is improved further by placing a large perfect reflecting surface (PRS) close to one side that is perpendicular to the axis of the array to achieve a Super-Directive DLAA (SDLAA).

Conclusion: While analysing the DLAA, mutual coupling is taken into account for numerical analysis using Method of Moment (MoM).

Keywords: Gravitational search algorithm, multi-objective optimization, method of moment, perfectly reflecting surface, super-directive.

Graphical Abstract