Superdirective Unidirectional Mixed-Multipole Antenna Designs

Abstract

Highly directive antenna systems are being sought to address the perceived needs of the NextG wireless systems and their applications. However, practical alternatives to complex, power hungry phased arrays are truly desired. Unidirectional mixed-multipole antennas (UMMAs) offer superdirective performance characteristics with high efficiency in a compact format. Superdirective uniform end-fire arrays of active closely-spaced equal-length idealized wire dipoles will be exemplified as reference cases. The Rayleigh quotient (RQ) method typically used to determine their amplitude coefficients and its recent extension to achieve unidirectional outcomes will be discussed. UMMA designs that are approaching those ideal performance characteristics will be presented. These efforts further confirm recent research advances demonstrating practical superdirective systems are achievable.