A tunable 3×5 Nolen matrix for sidelobe-reduced and beamforming applications

A methodology of designing a 3×5 Nolen matrix with non-uniform power distribution is proposed in this paper. Several tunable phase shifters are designed to realize the capability of continuous beam steering. Additionally, two power dividers are integrated with a 3×5 Nolen matrix to produce the desired non-uniform power distribution, thereby reducing the sidelobe levels. In order to establish the appropriate power divider ratios, this paper thoroughly examines the correlation between power ratio at each port and different loss scenarios as well as Chebyshev distribution. An experimental Nolen matrix prototype has been designed and fabricated to confirm the efficacy of our proposed approach. The fabricated 3×5 Nolen matrix prototype offers continuous beam steering and achieves sidelobe levels below −22 dB.