Sparse Circular Aperture Arrays Based on Poisson Disk Sampling

Sparse antenna arrays are effective at reducing array cost, but their design is challenging due to the large element spacings causing grating lobes. Aperiodic element spacing can remove the grating lobes, but random element positions increase the sidelobe levels and cluster some of the elements too close together. This paper explores the use of nonuniform element spacing based on Poisson-disk sampling. Array pattern results are presented for planar arrays with circular apertures with element spacings larger than one wavelength and we show that this approach is capable of removing the grating lobes and reducing the sidelobe level while keeping the elements from being too close together.