Antennas and Propagation

Chapter 5b: Mutual Coupling in

Antenna Arrays
Definition

IEEE Standard Definitions and Terms for Antennas

Defines mutual coupling as follows:

2.244 mutual coupling effect (A) (on the radiation pattern of an array antenna). For array antennas, the
change in antenna pattern from the case when a particular feeding structure is attached to the array and
mutual impedances among elements are ignored in deducing the excitation to the case when the same feeding
structure is attached to the array and mutual impedances among elements are included in deducing the
excitation.
(B) (on input impedance of an array element). For array antennas, the change in input impedance of an
array element from the case when all other elements are present but open-circuited to the case when all other
elements are present and excited.

(A) Radiation patterns are modified by nearby antennas.

(B) Input characteristics (like impedance) modified

In this lecture we will study this effect in detail.

Antennas and Propagation Slide 2 Chapter 5b

Mutual Coupling Effect

From Standpoint of Radiation Integrals

What does placing an antenna nearby do?
Change the boundary condition of the problem
Will affect both radiation and terminal properties

Two scenarios
Different function of
antennas

But, can be analyzed

using same
equations (a) Transmit Mode (b) Receive Mode

Antennas and Propagation Slide 3 Chapter 5b

Transmit Mode

Intuitive Explanation of Modified Radiation

Drive element m
Radiated field intercepted by n
Causes radiation from n
Total radiation is combination of m and n
Effective radiation when we drive m
is thus changed

Input Characteristics
Power radiated by n is intercepted
again by m
Changes current flowing on m
Input impedance at m is modified

Antennas and Propagation Slide 4 Chapter 5b

Transmit Mode Analysis

Example 2-antenna system

Load/drive port 1
Goal: Find impedance/pattern
looking into port 2
Analysis

Clearly, the input characteristics at port 2 change due

to what we connect at port 1!

Antennas and Propagation Slide 5 Chapter 5b

Transmit Mode Analysis (2)

Radiation Pattern

Pattern of kth antenna,

other antennas open circuit

Important note:
Let This is called an embedded pattern
In contrast to isolated pattern of
single element

Also, effective pattern of element 2 has

changed due to load on antenna 1!

Antennas and Propagation Slide 6 Chapter 5b

Receive Mode

Intuitive Explanation
Plane wave impinges on element m
Current flows on m
Power reradiated (scattered!)
Some reradiated power received by n
This causes radiation by element n
Some power received by m
Current on m is modified

Important Point
Effective receive aperture of element m
depends on loading of element n
(and vice versa!)

Antennas and Propagation Slide 7 Chapter 5b

Mutual Coupling Effect

Severity Controlled by
Radiation patterns of the two antennas
or distribution of near-fields
Spacing of the antenna
Orientation of antennas
Loading

Ways to avoid coupling

Place elements far apart
Careful design of antennas

Antennas and Propagation Slide 8 Chapter 5b

Infinite Array

Purpose
Simplifies analysis
Can understand effect more intuitively
Also useful to analyze performance of
large arrays

Assume
Regular array of elements (uniform spacing)
Identical elements
Uniform phase shift driving / uniform plane-wave excitation

Leads to
Just constant phase shift in signals from one element to next
Antennas and Propagation Slide 9 Chapter 5b
Infinite Array: Transmit Mode

Analysis
Voltage on mnth element (element at mth row, nth column)

Mutual impedance from pqth to mnth element.

Driving impedance of mnth element

For uniform plane-wave excitaiton

linear phase shift across array of voc
because array is infinite, have linear phase shift of currents also!

Antennas and Propagation Slide 10 Chapter 5b

Infinite Array: Transmit Mode (2)

Implications
Driving impedances of all the elements are identical
Makes analysis much simpler
Complete system can be understood by driving 1 antenna

Antennas and Propagation Slide 11 Chapter 5b

Infinite Array: Receive Mode

Infinite resistive sheet model

Reflection of sheet

Receive power is scan angle dependent.

Antennas and Propagation Slide 12 Chapter 5b

Compensating Mutual Coupling

Practical Uses of Mutual Coupling?

Reconfigurable antennas: modify pattern, matching
RFID / spatial modulation: send information by switching a load

Coupling normally detrimental

Modifies radiation patterns of elements
Complicates analysis of array
Can correlate signals

Compensation methods
1. Matching-based methods
2. Digital compensation

Antennas and Propagation Slide 13 Chapter 5b

Matching-Based Methods

Method allows perfect decoupling

Decoupling network:
Input reflection matrix is the Hermitian of the antenna reflection
Matrix extension of 1-port conjugate match
Design so is 0 for reference impedance (Z0=ZL)
Input characteristics / patterns of ports are independent
Problem: Designing D.N. for large N!

Antennas and Propagation Slide 14 Chapter 5b

Digital Compensation

Given: we know ZA and ZL

Measure v on array elements
Can use linear equations to get voc
For minimum scattering elements, voc of element
very close to v on an isolated element (i.e. other
antennas not present)

Problems with Digital Compensation

Requires detailed array calibration (ZA, ZL, embedded patterns)
Signals corrupted before noise and quantization (info. loss)
Antennas and Propagation Slide 15 Chapter 5b
Supergain / Superdirectivity

Phenomenon
Allows high gain for small antennas
Mathematics shows it is possible

Not practical: why?

High Q
High matching sensitivity
Low efficiency (ohmic losses)

Antennas and Propagation Slide 16 Chapter 5b

Supergain Analysis

Consider ULA along x-axis

Uniform linear array

Radiation in azimuth (xy) plan ( = /2)
Dipoles
Assume embedded patterns are
approximately same as isolated patterns
(minimum scattering assumption)

Radiation pattern of array

Antennas and Propagation Slide 17 Chapter 5b

Supergain Analysis (2)

Radiation intensity of uniform

radiator with same input power:

Radiation intensity in direction is

Antennas and Propagation Slide 18 Chapter 5b

Supergain Analysis (3)

Goal: directivity in direction 0 as Simplify by remove A from

large as possible constraint.

Problem:

or

Now, we have a new problem:

What is the solution?

Antennas and Propagation Slide 19 Chapter 5b

From Linear Algebra

Optimization Problem

Solution
x = eigenvector corresponding to the largest eigenvalue of A
refer to this as the dominant eigenvector

For our Problem:

a = dominant eigenvector of G(0)

Antennas and Propagation Slide 20 Chapter 5b

Supergain Analysis (4)

Analyze N=2 elements: Simple

Reveals main effect

For 0=0 and N=2, eigenvectors are close to

(a) Odd mode (b) Even mode

For 0=0, odd mode dominates

Let

Note: is an arbitrary scale factor

Antennas and Propagation Slide 21 Chapter 5b

Supergain Analysis (5)

For odd excitation radiated field is Directivity becomes

Radiated power is Consider limit as k0

Radiation intensity of isotropic radiator

or U0 = Prad/(2) = aHAa

D0 = 2

Antennas and Propagation Slide 22 Chapter 5b

Result of Supergain Analysis

Two Elements
Odd-mode excitation
Vanishing separation
Directivity D0=2
For single antenna D0=1

Meaning
Can put two dipoles as close together as we like
Get twice directivity of single dipole
If we pack in N, get factor of N
Can make a tiny antenna as directive as we like
Contradiction?

Antennas and Propagation Slide 23 Chapter 5b

Result of Supergain Analysis (2)

Consider Antenna Weights

J1 = + J2 = -

Currents are infinite but opposite

Now, as separation diminishes
Not practical
High ohmic losses
High sensitivity
Meaning
For finite radiated power, For most analyses
Antenna weights become infinite! Set constraints to avoid supergain
solutions

Antennas and Propagation Slide 24 Chapter 5b

Summary

Mutual Coupling in Antenna Arrays

Antenna elements affect each other
Network characteristics
Radiation patterns

Compensation
Possible through decoupling network
or digital (SP) calibration

Supergain effect
Coupled dipoles can have higher gain than uncoupled
Mostly mathematical. Should be avoided in real designs.

Antennas and Propagation Slide 25 Chapter 5b