Open AccessOptimising the design of phased array feeds for survey speed
Author(s) -
Chen Kaiya,
Warnick Karl F.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
electronics letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.375
H-Index - 146
ISSN - 1350-911X
DOI - 10.1049/el.2019.2591
Subject(s) - reflector (photography) , bandwidth (computing) , phased array , aperture (computer memory) , sensitivity (control systems) , figure of merit , optics , electronic engineering , computer science , engineering , acoustics , physics , telecommunications , light source , antenna (radio)
The scientific capability of an astronomical phased array feed receiver can be quantified by combining the bandwidth, sensitivity, and field of view into the overall survey speed of the instrument. The authors investigate the relationships between survey speed and reflector geometry, array layout, element spacing and element configuration using numerical simulations, to determine the values of these parameters that lead to optimal system performance. They characterise the array element spacing that leads to maximum survey speed as a function of the reflector f/D . To further improve survey speed in relation to the overall number of array elements, the authors explore the possibility of using elements with modest levels of superdirectivity to sample more of the focal plane Airy pattern and increase optimal spacing for survey speed figure of merit. The results explain how optimal survey speed is controlled primarily by the influence of element type and array layout on the peak achievable aperture efficiency.