Spatial IDFT for Squint-Free Massive Arrays

Abstract: This paper presents a novel technique to build squint-free massive phased arrays. This is accomplished by explicitly implementing a spatial IDFT to cancel out the DFT imposed by the array nature which causes beam squint. In addition, the paper analyzes the beam-squint issue, which arises from two mechanisms: the coherent bandwidth limitations and the systematic delay spread in the array. These mechanisms reduce the signal-to-noise ratio and cause inter-symbol interference. This work also highlights the importance of utilizing OFDM modulation to enhance signal quality by mitigating the self-interference issue. A numerical solver is used to simulate and verify the IDFT squint-free implementation and to estimate the signal quality limitations in massive arrays.