A Current Distribution for Broadside Arrays Which Optimizes the Relationship between Beam Width and Side-Lobe Level

A one-parameter family of current distributions is derived for symmetric broadside arrays of equally spaced point sources energized in phase. For each value of the parameter, the corresponding current distribution gives rise to a pattern in which (1) all the side lobes are at the same level; and (2) the beam width to the first null is a minimum for all patterns arising from symmetric distributions of in-phase currents none of whose side lobes exceeds that level. Design curves relating the value of the parameter to side-lobe level as well as the relative current values expressed as a function of side-lobe level are given for the cases of 8-, 12-, 16-, 20-, and 24-element linear arrays.