Parametric analysis of linear periodic arrays generating flat-top beams

Several synthesis techniques are available to optimize amplitude and phase excitations of periodic linear arrays to generate flat-top beams. Clearly, the optimal tapering depends on design parameters such as the array length, the number of array elements, the beam flatness, the beam width, the side lobe levels, and others. In this paper, in order to derive useful guidelines and rule of thumb for the synthesis of periodic array antennas, relations between these parameters are derived employing linear programming techniques, which guarantee optimality of the solutions. Such relations are then plotted and used in some design examples.