Time-modulated array(TMA)antennas,introduce the dimension of time into antenna design to control the radiation patterns and frequency spectral characteristics,thus improve the reconfigurability of array antennas and p...Time-modulated array(TMA)antennas,introduce the dimension of time into antenna design to control the radiation patterns and frequency spectral characteristics,thus improve the reconfigurability of array antennas and provide multiple functional-ities.They have great application potential in military and civilian fields,such as precision guidance and mobile communication,and are currently a hot spot of academic research.This article provides a review on the fundamentals and applications of TMAs.First,the basic theory and mathematical formulations of TMAs are introduced.Second,the most important applications of TMAs,namely time-modulated phased arrays(TMPA),are discussed from the perspectives of harmonic suppression and harmonic utiliza-tion,which are used for single-beam and multibeam radiation.Then,we survey the combination of TMA with various types of novel antenna arrays,such as single-channel digital beamforming(DBF)arrays,frequency diverse arrays(FDAs),and retrodirective arrays,to create new hardware implementation methods and enhance their performance.Next,recent advances in dedicated integrated chips for TMA,which have played a significant role in driving the progress of TMAs from academic research to practical applications,are presented.Finally,the challenges and prospects for TMAs are discussed,including new research directions and emerging applica-tion scenarios.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.62101258,62071235 and 62271260)the Jiangsu Province Science&Technology Department(Grant No.BE2021017).
文摘Time-modulated array(TMA)antennas,introduce the dimension of time into antenna design to control the radiation patterns and frequency spectral characteristics,thus improve the reconfigurability of array antennas and provide multiple functional-ities.They have great application potential in military and civilian fields,such as precision guidance and mobile communication,and are currently a hot spot of academic research.This article provides a review on the fundamentals and applications of TMAs.First,the basic theory and mathematical formulations of TMAs are introduced.Second,the most important applications of TMAs,namely time-modulated phased arrays(TMPA),are discussed from the perspectives of harmonic suppression and harmonic utiliza-tion,which are used for single-beam and multibeam radiation.Then,we survey the combination of TMA with various types of novel antenna arrays,such as single-channel digital beamforming(DBF)arrays,frequency diverse arrays(FDAs),and retrodirective arrays,to create new hardware implementation methods and enhance their performance.Next,recent advances in dedicated integrated chips for TMA,which have played a significant role in driving the progress of TMAs from academic research to practical applications,are presented.Finally,the challenges and prospects for TMAs are discussed,including new research directions and emerging applica-tion scenarios.