A New Array Synthesizer Based on Slepian Functions

Abstract: This study introduces a new multi-antenna array synthesizer based on Slepian functions. The synthesizer concentrates beamforming (BF) gain within a spatial region (i.e., an angular sector), optimizing Shannon capacity of the targeted region, which is suitable for codebook-based analog BF. Starting with the mean capacity formula incorporating the effect of BF, Jensen inequality was used to set upper and lower bounds of the mean capacity. Then, a novel method was introduced by combining the two bounds into a new approximation of the mean capacity that outperform both bounds. Finally, the approximation was formulated to a solvable Slepian optimization problem that yielded the weights of the synthesizer. The properties of the synthesizer were listed, including a discussion on how it behaves by changing the width of the targeted region. The steering method was derived, and simulation results were presented.