A Generalized Extended Nested Array Design via Maximum Inter-Element Spacing Criterion

This letter proposes a generalised extended nested array with multiple subarrays (GENAMS) array via the maximum inter-element spacing (IES) constraint principle. Based on the IES set patterns of the two-sides extended nested array and the flexible extended nested array with multiple subarrays type-2, a generalised IES set pattern is derived. The generalised IES set is used to design the GENAMS array, which consists of six uniform linear arrays (ULAs). Compared to other arrays, the GENAMS have improved degrees of freedom (DOFs) and relatively less mutual coupling. Also, the achievable DOFs and the weight functions of the GENAMS array are derived and analysed in detail. Finally, numerical examples are used to show the merits of the GENAMS array.