Frequency Diverse Array Transmit Beampattern Optimization With Genetic Algorithm

Due to its range-angle-dependent transmit beampattern, frequency diverse array (FDA) provides potential applications for joint range and angle estimation of targets and range-dependent interference suppression. However, a standard FDA using linearly increasing frequency increments will generate range- and angle-coupled S-shaped beampattern. This letter proposes a focused beampattern synthesis by optimizing the frequency increments with genetic algorithm. Both single-dot and multidot-shaped transmit beampatterns can be synthesized in this way. Numerical results show that the proposed method outperforms the existing method using logarithmically increasing frequency increments in suppressing undesired sidelobes, which implies that better target location performance can be achieved for the proposed method.