FDA Beampattern Characteristics With Considering Time-Range Relations

Existing investigations show that frequency diverse array (FDA) will produce angle-range-dependent and time-variant transmit beampattern, but the relations between time and range and their characteristics still are not fully investigated. In order to fully exploit the time and range dependent characteristics of FDA transmit beampattern and address the effects of FDA frequency offsets, we systematically reformulate the FDA antenna and system model with specific time-range relation consideration. Two FDA transmit beampatterns, namely, instantaneous and integral ones, are derived. Accordingly, the FDA time and range dependent characteristics together with the comparisons to conventional phased-array and co-located multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antennas are analyzed. Both theoretical analysis and simulation results reveal that the FDA time-range dependent characteristics actually can be regarded as auto-scanning capability, which may provide many promising applications.