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Orest G. Vendik and Dmitry S. Kozlov

A Novel Method for

the Mutual Coupling
Calculation Between
Antenna Array Radiators
Analysis of the radiation pattern of a single radiator in the antenna array.

A
novel method for the estimation of the mutual coupling calculation is the method of induced electromotive force. This
between radiators in antenna arrays is presented in method was developed for a simulation of the intrinsic and the
this article. The methodology proposed includes the mutual impedance of wire dipoles and has a long history start-
analysis of the radiation pattern of the single radia- ing from the first formulation of this method ideology [1]–[4]
tor in the antenna array. An algorithm
based on the calculation of real and
imaginary parts of the antenna mutual
impedance using the Kramers–Kronig
relations is demonstrated. The validation
is performed by comparing the calcu-
lated estimations with electromagnetic
simulations of the antenna system and
well-known theoretical results evaluated
by the method of induced electromag-
netic force. The developed procedure is
universal and can be applied to different
types of antenna systems.

Introduction
Mutual coupling is the characteristic
of energy exchange between radiators
located at a small distance from one to
another. In terms of quantity, the mutual
coupling is characterized either by the
impedance matrix (Z-matrix) or by the
scattering matrix (S-matrix). The well-
known method of the mutual coupling

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Date of publication: 1 December 2015

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up to the modern theory of the mutual coupling compensation

in antenna arrays [5]–[7]. The method of induced electromotive
So
force is based on the estimation of the current distribution along
the wire dipole or the effective current in the radiating aperture
and finding the electric field generated by an adjacent antenna
element.
In this article, a novel method for the mutual impedance Radiators
Si
calculation is proposed. Instead of using the current distribu-
tion along dipoles or radiating apertures, we suggest using the
complex radiation pattern antenna array components. The cur-
rent distributions along the radiator and its radiation pattern
are strongly connected to each other. If the flux of the Poynting
vector is integrated through an infinitely distant sphere, the
active power emitted by the antenna together with the active
resistance of the antenna can be found [8]. Figure 1. The system of radiators surrounded by the surface
There are well-known bidirectional mathematical rela- S0 . Each radiator is surrounded by the surface Si .
tions connecting the real and imaginary parts of the analyti-
cal functions of complex variables. These relations are used ­surface S i . The whole system is surrounded by the surface
in the network analysis and in plasma or solid-state physics S 0 (Figure 1). The Poynting theorem can be applied to the
and are named in honor of Hendrik Anthony Kramers and volume V bounded by the surfaces S 0 and S i by taking
Ralph Kronig [9]. Thus, we have the possibility to develop into account that inside this volume, there are neither cur-
a method of calculation of the mutual coupling resistance rents nor dielectric losses. The theorem can be written as
between antennas based on the Poynting theorem and use it ­follows:
for the calculation of the mutual reactance using the Kram-
ers–Kronig relations. j~ # (n 0 H 2 - f 0 E 2) dV + # (E # H )) dS = 0.(1)
V S 0 -/ S i
i
Mutual Coupling Between the Individual
Radiators The integral through the surface S i is equal to the complex
Consider the antenna system where each radiator is char- power radiated by each radiator:
acterized by the current I i and is surrounded by the
- # (E # H )) dS = U i I )i ,(2)
Si

where U i and I i are the output voltage and

current of the ith radiator, respectively; the
minus sign is connected with the direction
of the unit normal vector with respect to the
surface. The root mean square phasors are
used here.
The electric field of the wave emitted by
the radiator with number i is presented as
-jkr0
Ei = Ii Zi e
  U i (i, {), (3)
r0

U i (i, {) = e i (i, {) e -j} i (i, {) U i (i, {) . (4)

Here k = w/c is the wavenumber, U i (i, {)

is the complex radiation pattern in vector
form, I i is the complex amplitude of the
effective current in the radiator with num-
ber i, r0 is the distance between the radi-
ation center and the point on the surface
S 0 , and Z i is a resistance determined the
radiation effectiveness of the radiator. This
parameter can be presented quantitatively as
© photocredit

Z i = (D i) Z R) Z 0 /4r) 1/2, w her e Z 0 = 120rX

is the free-space characteristic impedance,

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Z R   is the radiation resistance, and D i is the directivity of } 1 (i, {) =-

rd
sin i sin {
the radiator. In (4), ; U i (i, {) ; is the amplitude radiation m

pattern, e i (i, {) is the vector polarization diagram, and rd
} 2 ( i, { ) = sin i sin {. (11)
m
} i (i, {) is the phase radiation pattern, which determines
the dependence of the radiated wave on the spherical coor- Equation (10) turns into the final form for the mutual resis-
dinates i and {. tance between the two identical antennas separated by the
Taking into account (3) and the relationship between the distance d:
electric and magnetic fields in the Fraunhofer zone, the integral 2r r
Z 21
through the sphere S 0 can be found by the following equation: r12 =
120r
# # U 2 (i, {) cos (kd sin i sin {) sin idid{. (12)
0 0

# (E # H )) dS = 1201 $ r # E 2 r 20 sin idid{ = For the case d = 0, (12) transforms into the formula for the
S0 S0 proper radiation resistance of the single radiator [8].
2r
Re * Z i Z l / / I i I )l U i (i, {) U )l (i, {) sin idid{ 4 . (5)
m m r
A comparison with the radiation resistance of the half-wave-
120 $ r l = 1 i = 1
# # length dipole makes it possible to find an effective resistance
0 0
Z 1 = 57.3 X.
Using (2) and (5), the initial equation (1) can be presented as We consider two antennas with a symmetrical radiation
follows: pattern not depending on the angle coordinate { and use the
known integral form
2r
/ U i I )i =Re * 120 4
r
m
Zi Zl m m U i (i, {) U )l (i, {)
r
/ / I i I )l # #
2r
# cos (x sin {) d{ = J 0 (x), (13)
i =1 l =1 i =1 0 0
# sin idid{
M M 0
+ j~ / / I i I )l $ # (n 0 H 2 - f 0 E 2) dV. (6) where J0(x) is the Bessel function.
i =1 l =1 V
Using this form, the following simplified equation for the
The system of equations for the radiator currents taking into mutual resistance can be obtained:
account the mutual coupling is r
Z 21
r12 =
120r
# U 2 (i, {) J 0 (kd sin i) sin id{. (14)
I 1 z 11 + I 2 z 12 + f + I m z 1m = U 1 0

ffffffffffff (7) We consider the simplified half-wavelength dipole with the

I 1 z m1 + I 2 z m2 + f + I m z mm = U 1 . radiation pattern in the form

Multiplying each equation in (7) by I )i and summing up all U (i) = sin i. (15)
lines, one obtains
Substituting (15) into (14), one obtains the normalized
m m m
/ U i I )i =/ / I i I )l z il . (8) mutual resistance between two simplified half-wavelength
i =1 l =1 i =1 dipoles as a function of a distance between them. Now, we can
compare the calculation using (14) and the well-known results
Identifying the left-hand sides of (6) and (8), one can find the obtained by the method of induced electromotive force.
real part of the mutual impedance ril = Re {z il}, which is pre- In Figure 2, the mutual resistance in ohms as a function
sented by the following equalities: of the distance between dipoles is calculated by the present-
ed method based on the Poynting theorem and the method
2r
ril = Re * Z i Z l U i (i, {) U l) (i, {) sin idid{ 4 . (9)
r
of induced electromotive force. All calculations were found

120r
# #
0 0
for a wavelength m = 100 mm. The line in Figure 2 cor-
responds to the simulation based on the Poynting theorem,
Now the complex vector radiation pattern U i (i, {) as it while markers correspond to the method of induced electro-
presented in (4) should be substituted into (9). As a result, we motive force.
obtain
The Imaginary Part of the Mutual Impedance
2r r
It is known in physics that if any physical magnitude (for
ril = Z i Z l # # e i (i, {) e l (i, {) U i (i, {) U l (i, {)
120r example, dielectric permittivity or magnetic permeability)
0 0
cos 6} i (i, {) - } l (i, {)@ sin idid{. (10) is described by a complex analytical function. The imagi-
nary part of the magnitude can be found on the basis of
Consider the simplest case, when we have two identical known dependence of the real part of the magnitude on
antennas with the same direction of the radiation and the same a common variable. The connection between the real
amplitude radiation pattern. The distance between their phase and imaginary parts of a physical magnitude, which is
centers is equal to d. The different location of the antennas gives described by a complex analytical function, is the Kram-
rise to the following phase diagrams: ers–Kronig relations.

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Now, we return to (12) for the real part of the mutual

i­mpedance between the two identical antennas,
Mutual Resistance r12(d) (X)

100 2r r

r12 ^~ h =
Z 21
75
120r
# # U 2 (i, {) cos (k (~) d sin i sin {) sin idid{,
50 (19) 0 0
25
0 and stress that the real resistance is a function of frequency. We
-25 can substitute r12 (~) into (17) and change the order of integra-
-50 tion. Let us now evaluate the integral
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
Distance d (mm) l
3 cos ( ~ $ d sin i sin {)
Y ( ~) = 1 # c d~l , (20)
r ~l - ~
Figure 2. The mutual resistances for the simplified half- -3
wavelength dipoles calculated by the presented method (solid
line) and the method of induced electromotive force (symbols). which can be solved using (18) to yield

Y (~) = sin ( ~ $ d sin i sin {) . (21)

c
Let | (~) = | 1 (~) + j| 2 (~) be a complex function of the
complex variable, where | 1 (~) and | 2 (~) are real. Suppose This is correct under the assumption that sin i $ sin { 2 0.
this function is analytic in the upper half plane of ~ and it van- That should be taken into account for the calculation of the inte-
ishes faster than 1/ ; ~ ; as ; ~ ; " 3. gral through variables i and { . Thus, one obtains the equation
The Kramers–Kronig relations are given by [9] of the imaginary part of the mutual impedance
2r r
-Z 21
3
| 2 (~l )
| 1 (~) =
1P
r
# ~l - ~
d~l 120r
# # U 2 (i, {) sin (k (~) d sin i sin {) sin idid{.
x 12 =
-3 0 0
3 (16) (22)
1P | 1 (~l )
| 2 (~) =- # d~l + A ,
r ~l - ~ ~ +a Let us consider, for example, the simplified half-wavelength
-3
dipoles with the radiation pattern presented in (14). Taking into
where the term P denotes the Cauchy principal value of the account (15) and substituting Z 1 = 57.3 X, we transform the
integral. integral (22) into the following form:
These equations are commonly used for the investigation of r r

a complex permittivity of a dielectric as a function of frequency x 12 (~, d) =- 8.7 # e2 # sin (k (~) d sin i sin {) d{ o
[10]. We will use these equations for the investigation of a com- 0 0

plex mutual impedance of two identical antennas. The mutual sin 3 idi + A . (23)
1 +d $ B
coupling obeys the same laws as the impedance of any linear
circuit. The properties of linear systems are described by ana- The last term in (23) is analogous to the last term in
lytical functions. Analyticity conditions result from causality and (16). This term describes the contribution of the quasistatic
stability principles [11]. reciprocal action of the radiators. The parameter d char-
In the previous section, the real part of the impedance acterizes the feature of the near-field interaction between
| 1 (~) has been found. Equation (16) gives us the chance radiators. The parameter B corresponds to the selected fre-
to find the imaginary part of the impedance. It is reason- quency. We use the following numerical values of the fitting
able to draw attention to the additional term in (16). This parameters: A = 50 X, B = 0.5 mm-1. The dependence of
term appears because we are working in the complex plane. the imaginary part of the mutual impedance calculated by
Its physical meaning is a mutual inductance caused by the (23) is shown in Figure 3.
electrostatic interaction between the antennas (for a detailed All calculations were done for a wavelength m = 100 mm.
explanation, see [9]). The line in Figure 3 corresponds to the calculation based
The determination of the Cauchy principal value of the on the Poynting theorem and Kramers–Kronig relations,
integral is a special problem. We use the formula for the Cauchy the  markers correspond to the method of induced electro-
principal value of the integral for the case when there are trigo- motive force.
nometric functions under the integral. We use the following
equations [11]: Mutual Impedance Between the
3 Elements of a Patch Antenna Array
sin (ax)
# b -x
dx =-r cos (ab) for a > 0, (17) In this section, the calculation of the mutual coupling
-3 between patch radiators in the antenna array will be pre-
3 sented. It is necessary to find the radiation pattern of the
cos (ax)
# b -x
dx = r sin (ab) for a > 0. (18) single-patch element. To find the exact shape of the radia-
-3 tion pattern, the commercial software CST Microwave

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Studio was used. The simulated structure is presented in that of the proposed function (solid line) are compared
Figure 4. The sides of patch a and metal shield b are equal in Figure 5.
to 147 mm and 200 mm, respectively. They are printed on
3 2
the FR4 substrate. The patch and its shield are separated U (i, {) = cos 2 (1.1 $ i) $ e -( i $ r ) . (24)
by a 10-mm height air layer. The operational frequency of
the considered antenna f0 is about 850 MHz, for which the Next, the real and imaginary parts of the mutual impedance
wavelength is m = 350 mm. The radiation pattern of this between two patch antennas separated by the distance d were
patch antenna weakly depends on the angle { because of its calculated using (19) and (23). In this case, the following param-
symmetry. eters were found: Z = 55 X, A = 30 X, and B = 20 mm -1 .
This form of the radiation pattern can be approximated The mutual resistance and reactance in ohms between the
by the function U (i, {) (24) . The dependence of the simu- two patch antennas calculated by the proposed method are pre-
lated radiation pattern on the angle i (dashed curve) and sented in Figures 6 and 7. The values obtained by electromag-
netic simulations are displayed in the same charts.
The distortion of the simulated curves for the real and
imaginary parts of the mutual impedance for a small dis-
Mutual Reactance x12(d) (X)

tance between the patch antennas can be explained by the

75
change of the current distribution across the patches due
50
to the mutual influence of the patches. The change of the
25
0
current distribution is followed by the change of the shape
-25 of the radiation patterns and then by the change of the
-50 mutual impedance.
-75
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 Conclusions
Distance d (mm)
A methodology for the simple and efficient estimation of the
mutual coupling in antenna arrays was presented. The proposed
Figure 3. The mutual reactances for the simplified half-
wavelength dipoles calculated by the presented method (solid
line) and the method of induced electromotive force (symbols).
Mutual Resistance r12(d) (X)

a 1
0
-1
-2
-3
b -4
200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 103
Distance d (mm)

Figure 6. The mutual resistance between the two patch

antennas calculated by the presented method (solid line) and
obtained by simulation (symbols).
Figure 4. The radiation pattern of the patch antenna weakly
depends on the angle { because of its symmetry.
Mutual Resistance x12(d) (X)
Radiation Pattern U(i)

1.0 2
0.8 1
0
0.6
-1
0.4
-2
0.2 -3
0 -4
-180 -120 -60 0 60 120 180 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 103
Angle i (°) Distance d (mm)

Figure 5. The simulated radiation pattern of the patch Figure 7. The mutual reactance between the two patch
antenna (dashed curve) and the proposed function U (i, {) antennas calculated by the presented method (solid line) and
(solid line). obtained by simulation (symbols).

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procedure is universal and is not limited by the specific type of
radiators (dipoles and patches) used in this work. It is also appli-
cable to any other antenna systems.
The algorithm can be divided into two main parts. The first
part includes the analysis of the radiation pattern of the single
radiator and further calculation of the real part of the mutual
impedance by the Poynting theorem. The second part considers
the evaluation of the imaginary part of the mutual impedance
using the connection between the real and imaginary parts of
a physical magnitude, which can be described by the Kramers–
Kronig relations.
Finally, the proposed methodology was validated by compar-
ing the results obtained by the proposed approach and the values
given by the induced electromotive force method for the dipole
antenna system. Moreover, the results obtained by the devel-
oped technology were compared with the values obtained by the
electromagnetic simulations of two identical patch antennas.
Acknowledgment
This work was supported by the Ministry of Education and Sci-
ence of the Russian Federation by the program “Development
of Scientific Research (Fundamental, Applied, and Experimen-
tal Research)” under Project 8.2579.2014/K.
Author information
Orest G. Vendik (ogvendik@rambler.ru) earned his diploma,
Ph.D. degree, and doctor of science degree in radio engineer-
ing in 1954, 1957, and 1966, respectively, from Saint Petersburg
Electrotechnical University, Russia. His research interests
include solid-state electronics (ferrites, ferroelectrics, and super-
conductors), the theory of antennas, and microwave physics. He
has edited books related to phased antenna arrays, physics and
applications of ferroelectrics on microwaves, and microwave
applications of high-temperature superconductors. He has
authored and contributed to more than 250 papers in Russian
and international journals and participated in many international
conferences. He was a recipient of the USSR State Prize for Sci-
ence and Technology (1988) and was named a Man of Science of
Russian Federation (1999). He has been a member of St. Peters-
IEEE Antennas & Propagation Magazine December 2015
burg Association of Scientists since 1989. Since 2007, he has
been the emeritus professor of Saint Petersburg Electrotechni-
cal University. He is a Life Member of the IEEE.
Dmitry S. Kozlov (ds_kozlov@list.ru) received the B.S. and
M.S. degrees in radiophysics from Saint Petersburg
­Electrotechnical University, Russia, in 2009 and 2011, respective-
ly. He is currently the Marie Curie early stage researcher with the
Institute of Electronics, Communications and Information Tech-
nology and Queen’s University Belfast, United Kingdom. His pri-
mary research focuses on microwave and antenna theory, includ-
ing the synthesis of antenna arrays, wireless energy transfer sys-
tems, and mechanisms of passive intermodulation generation in
microwave passive and tunable devices.
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