A millimeter wave and terahertz array arrangement design method and system, terminal and medium

Abstract

The application discloses a millimeter wave and terahertz array surface arrangement design method and system, a terminal and a medium, and the method comprises the following steps: determining a reference area; constructing an initial reference area subarray arrangement of the reference area according to design parameters, subarray internal configuration and subarray non-overlapping constraints; taking the initial reference area subarray arrangement as a starting point for iterative optimization; in each iteration, the current reference area subarray arrangement is expanded to an intermediate complete array surface arrangement through a rotational symmetry mapping rule; the intermediate complete array surface arrangement is subjected to electrical performance evaluation to obtain an evaluation result; the reference area subarray arrangement is updated according to the evaluation result; the process is repeated until a preset convergence condition is met, and a target reference area subarray arrangement is obtained; and the target reference area subarray arrangement is expanded through the rotational symmetry mapping rule to obtain a target complete array surface arrangement. Through the reference area optimization and the symmetry mapping, the application reduces the design complexity and efficiently obtains a high-performance and achievable array surface arrangement.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of microwave antenna technology, and in particular to a method, system, terminal, and medium for array layout design for millimeter waves and terahertz waves. Background Technology

[0002] Against the backdrop of the evolution of phased array antennas towards higher frequencies and the increasing demand for high-performance radar and communication systems, overcoming the limitations of element spacing to achieve high gain and flexible beam control has become a key means to improve system performance. Taking millimeter-wave and terahertz band applications as an example, resolving the mismatch between the physical size of the TR chip and the half-wavelength spacing is crucial to ensuring the engineering implementation of the array. However, current high-density uniform array solutions generally face common technical challenges when dealing with high-frequency, short-wavelength characteristics, such as insufficient layout space leading to the inability to accommodate TR components, difficulties in high-density heat accumulation, and strong mutual coupling effects degrading scanning performance. The limitations of existing technologies are thus revealed. Specifically, at present, to balance grating lobe suppression and engineering feasibility, it is often necessary to rely on element-level aperiodic sparse distribution or subarray-level perturbation offset techniques. While the former can break the periodic suppression of grating lobes, its irregular distribution requires customized design of the back-end feed network and TR component arrangement, resulting in a complex and large transition network. Although the latter introduces subarray modules to reduce some complexity, the perturbation offset limits the solution space, the optimization results are prone to getting trapped in local optima, and the overall feed design is still cumbersome. While the emerging two-dimensional separated sparse distribution technology reduces the amount of computation, it only supports row and column integration, which severely limits the overall integration of the array and its ability to be applied in large-scale engineering.

[0003] Therefore, existing technologies still need to be improved and enhanced. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by this invention is to provide a design method, system, terminal and medium for millimeter wave and terahertz array layout, which addresses the above-mentioned defects of the prior art. It aims to solve the problems of traditional large-pitch phased array antennas being prone to generating grating lobes when scanning at large angles, the difficulty in arranging and dissipating back-end components due to high-density layout, and the high design complexity and difficulty in engineering implementation of existing sparse array technology.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: In a first aspect, the present invention provides a method for array arrangement design for millimeter-wave and terahertz frequencies, wherein the method includes: Determine the design parameters of the array and the internal configuration of the subarrays, divide the array surface into multiple rotationally symmetric regions, and determine the reference region among them; Based on the design parameters, the internal configuration of the subarray, and the non-overlapping constraints of the subarray, the initial subarray arrangement of the reference region is constructed. Starting with the initial reference region subarray arrangement, iterative optimization is performed. In each iteration, the current reference region subarray arrangement is expanded into an intermediate complete array arrangement through rotational symmetry mapping rules. The electrical performance of the intermediate complete array arrangement is evaluated to obtain the evaluation result. The reference region subarray arrangement is updated according to the evaluation result until the preset convergence condition is met, and the target reference region subarray arrangement is obtained. The subarray arrangement of the target reference region is extended using rotational symmetry mapping rules to obtain the complete array arrangement of the target.

[0006] In one implementation, the internal configuration of the subarray is as follows: the subarray includes multiple antenna elements arranged in a triangular pattern, and the spacing between two adjacent antenna elements is greater than half of the operating wavelength.

[0007] In one implementation, dividing the array surface into multiple rotationally symmetric regions and determining a reference region therein includes: Using the geometric center of the array surface as the rotation center, the array surface is divided into several geometrically congruent sector or quadrant regions according to a preset rotational symmetry order, forming a set of rotationally symmetric regions; Select any region from the set of rotationally symmetric regions as the reference region.

[0008] In one implementation, the steps for executing the non-overlapping submatrix constraint include: Extract the center coordinates and rotation angles of each subarray within the reference area; Based on the geometric contour dimensions of the subarray, the center coordinates, and the rotation angle, calculate the actual occupied area of ​​each subarray in the array surface coordinate system; Traverse all subarray pairs within the reference region and detect whether the actual occupied regions of any two subarrays have spatial overlap; If spatial overlap exists, identify and lock all conflicting subarrays involved in the overlap, randomly regenerate the center coordinates and rotation angles only for the conflicting subarrays, keep the state of the other non-conflicting subarrays unchanged, and return to the step of calculating the actual occupied area of ​​each subarray in the array coordinate system for local iterative correction until no spatial overlap is detected. If there is no spatial overlap, then the initial reference region subarray arrangement of the reference region is constructed.

[0009] In one implementation, the step of evaluating the electrical performance of the intermediate complete array arrangement to obtain the evaluation result includes: The parameters of the intermediate complete array arrangement are input into the radiation pattern calculation model to obtain three-dimensional radiation pattern data; Feature electrical performance indicators are extracted from the three-dimensional radiation pattern data to obtain evaluation results. The feature electrical performance indicators include the highest grid lobe level within the scanning range and the array gain at a specified scanning angle.

[0010] In one implementation, the step of inputting the parameters of the intermediate complete array arrangement into the radiation pattern calculation model to obtain three-dimensional radiation pattern data includes: Construct a pattern calculation model based on a virtual array; Based on the aforementioned radiation pattern calculation model, the non-uniformly distributed subarray center coordinates in the intermediate complete array layout parameters are converted into a sparsely excited uniform grid array through grid encryption and binary mapping methods. The uniform grid array is then processed using fast Fourier transform to calculate the subarray cascade factor. The subarray radiation pattern is calculated based on the subarray rotation angle in the intermediate complete array arrangement parameters and the element radiation pattern of the radiation pattern calculation model. The subarray cascade factor is multiplied by the subarray radiation pattern to obtain the three-dimensional radiation pattern data.

[0011] In one implementation, updating the subarray arrangement of the reference region based on the evaluation result until a preset convergence condition is met to obtain the target subarray arrangement of the reference region includes: Based on the evaluation results, characteristic electrical performance indicators are extracted, substituted into a preset objective function expression, and the objective function value is calculated. The global optimization algorithm is used for iterative evolution. The center coordinates and rotation angles of each subarray are updated according to the objective function value until the preset convergence condition is met, and the target design variable combination is obtained. Based on the combination of target design variables, extract the target center coordinates and target rotation angles of each subarray to form the target reference area subarray arrangement.

[0012] Secondly, embodiments of the present invention also provide an array arrangement design system for millimeter-wave and terahertz frequencies, wherein the system includes: The module for determining design parameters, subarray internal configuration, and reference region is used to determine the design parameters and subarray internal configuration of the array, divide the array surface into multiple rotationally symmetric regions, and determine the reference region among them. The initial reference region subarray arrangement acquisition module is used to construct the initial reference region subarray arrangement of the reference region based on the design parameters, the internal configuration of the subarray, and the non-overlapping constraints of the subarray. The target reference region subarray arrangement acquisition module is used to perform iterative optimization starting from the initial reference region subarray arrangement. In each iteration, the current reference region subarray arrangement is expanded into an intermediate complete array arrangement through rotational symmetry mapping rules. The electrical performance of the intermediate complete array arrangement is evaluated to obtain the evaluation result. The reference region subarray arrangement is updated according to the evaluation result until the preset convergence condition is met to obtain the target reference region subarray arrangement. The target complete array layout acquisition module is used to extend the subarray layout of the target reference area through rotational symmetry mapping rules to obtain the target complete array layout.

[0013] Thirdly, embodiments of the present invention also provide a terminal, wherein the terminal includes a memory, a processor, and an array layout design program for millimeter waves and terahertz frequencies stored in the memory and executable on the processor. When the processor executes the array layout design program for millimeter waves and terahertz frequencies, it implements the steps of the array layout design method for millimeter waves and terahertz frequencies described in any of the above schemes.

[0014] Fourthly, embodiments of the present invention also provide a computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores an array layout design program for millimeter waves and terahertz frequencies, and when the array layout design program for millimeter waves and terahertz frequencies is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the array layout design method for millimeter waves and terahertz frequencies as described in any of the above schemes.

[0015] Beneficial Effects: This invention provides a method for array layout design for millimeter-wave and terahertz frequencies. Compared with existing technologies, this invention first determines the array design parameters and subarray internal configuration, divides the array surface into multiple rotationally symmetric regions, and determines a reference region. Utilizing rotational symmetry, the optimization problem of the complete array layout is transformed into a local optimization problem for a single reference region, thereby effectively reducing computational complexity and the number of optimization variables. Next, based on the design parameters, subarray internal configuration, and subarray non-overlapping constraints, an initial reference region subarray layout is constructed, ensuring that the initial layout meets physical realizability and engineering constraints, providing a reasonable and feasible starting point for subsequent iterative optimization. Then, starting from the initial reference region subarray arrangement, iterative optimization is performed. In each iteration, the current reference region subarray arrangement is expanded into an intermediate complete array surface arrangement through rotational symmetry mapping rules. The electrical performance of the intermediate complete array surface arrangement is evaluated to obtain the evaluation result, and the reference region subarray arrangement is updated according to the evaluation result until the preset convergence condition is met, resulting in the target reference region subarray arrangement. By introducing a closed-loop feedback mechanism, the key electrical performance indicators such as array pattern, sidelobe level, and gain are accurately optimized while ensuring structural symmetry, significantly improving optimization efficiency and convergence stability. Finally, the target reference region subarray arrangement is expanded through rotational symmetry mapping rules to obtain the target complete array surface arrangement, ensuring that the final arrangement scheme has good symmetry and consistency, meeting the design requirements of high-performance array antennas. This invention proposes an array arrangement optimization method based on rotational symmetry constraints through the organic combination of the above steps. It not only significantly reduces the computational overhead of large-scale array arrangement but also effectively guarantees the electrical performance of the optimization results, and has the advantages of flexible design, fast convergence speed, and strong engineering applicability. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating a specific implementation of the array layout design method for millimeter-wave and terahertz waves provided in this invention.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the array array layout in a preferred embodiment of the array array layout design method for millimeter-wave and terahertz waves provided in this invention.

[0018] Figure 3 The beam scanning pattern of the array in a preferred embodiment of the array arrangement design method for millimeter-wave and terahertz waves provided in this invention.

[0019] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the array arrangement of a comparative array in a preferred embodiment of the array arrangement design method for millimeter-wave and terahertz waves provided in this invention.

[0020] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram comparing the 70° beam scanning patterns of a preferred embodiment of the array arrangement design method for millimeter-wave and terahertz waves provided in this invention with those of a contrasting array.

[0021] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the array layout design system for millimeter waves and terahertz waves provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 7 This is a block diagram illustrating the internal structure of a terminal provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and effects of this invention clearer and more explicit, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0024] Against the backdrop of the evolution of phased array antennas towards higher frequencies and the increasing demand for high-performance radar and communication systems, overcoming the limitations of element spacing to achieve high gain and flexible beam control has become a key means to improve system performance. Taking millimeter-wave and terahertz band applications as an example, resolving the mismatch between the physical size of the TR chip and the half-wavelength spacing is crucial to ensuring the engineering implementation of the array. However, current high-density uniform array solutions generally face common technical challenges when dealing with high-frequency, short-wavelength characteristics, such as insufficient layout space leading to the inability to accommodate TR components, difficulties in high-density heat accumulation, and strong mutual coupling effects degrading scanning performance. The limitations of existing technologies are thus revealed. Specifically, at present, to balance grating lobe suppression and engineering feasibility, it is often necessary to rely on element-level aperiodic sparse distribution or subarray-level perturbation offset techniques. While the former can break the periodic suppression of grating lobes, its irregular distribution requires customized design of the back-end feed network and TR component arrangement, resulting in a complex and large transition network. Although the latter introduces subarray modules to reduce some complexity, the perturbation offset limits the solution space, the optimization results are prone to getting trapped in local optima, and the overall feed design is still cumbersome. While the emerging two-dimensional separated sparse distribution technology reduces the amount of computation, it only supports row and column integration, which severely limits the overall integration of the array and its ability to be applied in large-scale engineering.

[0025] To address the aforementioned issues, this embodiment provides a method for array layout design for millimeter-wave and terahertz frequencies. Specifically, this embodiment first determines the array's design parameters and the internal configuration of its subarrays. The array surface is divided into multiple rotationally symmetric regions, and a reference region is identified. Utilizing rotational symmetry, the optimization problem of the complete array layout is transformed into a local optimization problem for a single reference region, effectively reducing computational complexity and the number of optimization variables. Next, based on the design parameters, the internal configuration of the subarrays, and the non-overlapping constraints of the subarrays, an initial reference region subarray layout is constructed, ensuring that the initial layout meets physical feasibility and engineering constraints, providing a reasonable and feasible starting point for subsequent iterative optimization. Then, starting from the initial reference region subarray arrangement, iterative optimization is performed. In each iteration, the current reference region subarray arrangement is expanded into an intermediate complete array surface arrangement through rotational symmetry mapping rules. The electrical performance of the intermediate complete array surface arrangement is evaluated to obtain the evaluation result, and the reference region subarray arrangement is updated according to the evaluation result until the preset convergence condition is met, resulting in the target reference region subarray arrangement. By introducing a closed-loop feedback mechanism, the key electrical performance indicators such as array pattern, sidelobe level, and gain are accurately optimized while ensuring structural symmetry, significantly improving optimization efficiency and convergence stability. Finally, the target reference region subarray arrangement is expanded through rotational symmetry mapping rules to obtain the target complete array surface arrangement, ensuring that the final arrangement scheme has good symmetry and consistency, meeting the design requirements of high-performance array antennas. This invention proposes an array arrangement optimization method based on rotational symmetry constraints through the organic combination of the above steps. It not only significantly reduces the computational overhead of large-scale array arrangement but also effectively guarantees the electrical performance of the optimization results, and has the advantages of flexible design, fast convergence speed, and strong engineering applicability.

[0026] The array arrangement design method for millimeter-wave and terahertz waves provided in this embodiment can be applied to smart terminals, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the specific steps include the following: Step S100: Determine the design parameters of the array and the internal configuration of the subarray, divide the array surface into multiple rotationally symmetric regions, and determine the reference region among them.

[0027] In this embodiment, the design parameters of the array and the internal configuration of the subarray are determined. The array design parameters specifically include key indicators such as array size, total number of array elements, subarray arrangement, subarray element spacing, number of subarray elements, and scanning angle, aiming to provide basic data support for the subsequent overall layout and performance optimization of the array. The internal configuration of the subarray is as follows: the subarray includes multiple antenna elements arranged in a triangular pattern, and the spacing between two adjacent antenna elements is greater than half the operating wavelength. In this internal configuration of the subarray, setting the spacing between adjacent antenna elements to be greater than half the wavelength satisfies the physical placement requirements of the back-end TR chip, solving the installation problem of large-size devices in a compact space. The triangular arrangement utilizes the characteristic that the angle of the grating lobes of the triangular uniform array that first appears during scanning is parallel to the height line of the triangular grid, so that the grating lobe angle can be further dispersed in space by rotating the subarray arrangement angle, thereby significantly improving the grating lobe suppression effect and providing physical optimization freedom for the entire scheme design. In addition, the array surface was divided and the reference region was determined. Specifically, the array surface was divided into several geometrically identical sector or quadrant regions according to a preset rotational symmetry order, using the geometric center of the array surface as the rotation center. For example, when the preset rotational symmetry order is 4, the entire array surface is divided into four quadrant regions with identical geometric shapes: the first quadrant, the second quadrant, the third quadrant, and the fourth quadrant. Any region from the set of rotational symmetric regions is selected as the reference region, for example, the first quadrant. The remaining regions in the set are defined as the other rotational symmetric regions. The other rotational symmetric regions are obtained by rotating the reference region around the rotation center by a specific angle. Specifically, if the first quadrant is selected as the reference region, then: the space covered by rotating the first quadrant counterclockwise by 90 degrees around the center of the array surface is defined as the second quadrant; the space covered by rotating the first quadrant counterclockwise by 180 degrees around the center of the array surface is defined as the third quadrant; and the space covered by rotating the first quadrant counterclockwise by 270 degrees around the center of the array surface is defined as the fourth quadrant. This step of constructing a rotationally symmetric region partitioning and benchmark mapping model establishes a "local design, global symmetry" topology. Its core effect is that, compared with traditional axisymmetric or mirror distributions, rotationally symmetric distributions can more thoroughly destroy the periodic structure of the array, thereby significantly suppressing the generation of grating lobes under large cell spacing conditions. More importantly, this strategy directly reduces the optimization variable dimension of the complete array surface to one-quarter of the original, that is, only the subarrays in the first quadrant need to be encoded for design variables, which greatly compresses the search space of the algorithm and reduces the computational complexity, laying a solid foundation for the rapid convergence of the subsequent global optimization algorithm, and has significant engineering practical value.Overall, this step not only lays the physical foundation for achieving wide-angle scanning and low grating lobe levels under large cell spacing conditions, but also enables design reuse through the modular design of subarrays, effectively reducing engineering design costs and ensuring the optimal balance between theoretical performance and engineering feasibility. Furthermore, by introducing a rotationally symmetric region partitioning strategy, the periodic structure of the array is fundamentally destroyed, thereby significantly suppressing grating lobe generation at the physical level. At the same time, this strategy greatly reduces the dimension of optimization variables for the complete array surface, significantly compressing the algorithm search space and reducing computational complexity, providing a solid mathematical and engineering foundation for the rapid convergence and efficient execution of subsequent global optimization algorithms. Ultimately, this achieves an advanced array synthesis method that combines high performance, low cost, and high design efficiency.

[0028] Step S200: Based on the design parameters, the internal configuration of the subarray, and the non-overlapping constraints of the subarray, construct the initial subarray arrangement of the reference region.

[0029] In this embodiment, firstly, based on the design parameters and the internal configuration of the subarrays, the position and rotation parameters of the subarrays within the reference region are encoded as design variables to obtain the subarray arrangement of the reference region after design variable encoding. For example, design variable encoding and variable definition are carried out for the subarrays in the first quadrant of the reference region. The optimization variables of each subarray include two items: the subarray center coordinates and the rotation angle, with the rotation angle taking the value of 0° or 90°. To ensure engineering feasibility, a forced non-overlapping constraint is introduced during the generation of the initial arrangement. First, the center coordinates and rotation angles of each subarray within the reference region are extracted, and then the actual occupied area of ​​each subarray in the array surface coordinate system is calculated based on the subarray geometric contour dimensions, center coordinates, and rotation angles. Then, it iterates through all subarray pairs within the reference region, checking whether there is spatial overlap between the actual occupied areas of any two subarrays. If there is overlap, it identifies and locks all conflicting subarrays involved in the overlap, and only randomly regenerates the center coordinates and rotation state of the conflicting subarrays, keeping the states of the other non-conflicting subarrays unchanged. It then returns to the step of calculating the actual occupied area of ​​each subarray to carry out local iterative correction until there is no spatial overlap. If there is no spatial overlap, it completes the non-overlapping constraint processing of the reference region subarrays, and then constructs an initial reference region subarray arrangement that meets the geometric non-overlapping requirements. This method can efficiently generate an initial arrangement scheme without geometric overlap while ensuring engineering feasibility, providing a high-quality initial solution for subsequent optimization algorithms.

[0030] Step S300: Starting from the initial reference region subarray arrangement, perform iterative optimization. In each iteration, expand the current reference region subarray arrangement into an intermediate complete array arrangement through rotational symmetry mapping rules. Evaluate the electrical performance of the intermediate complete array arrangement to obtain the evaluation result, and update the reference region subarray arrangement according to the evaluation result until the preset convergence condition is met to obtain the target reference region subarray arrangement.

[0031] In this embodiment, the initial subarray arrangement of the reference region is first used as the starting point for iterative optimization. This allows for the direct inheritance of high-quality initial solutions that already satisfy the geometric non-overlapping constraints, avoiding the optimization process from starting from a random and disordered state and effectively improving the convergence speed and stability of the optimization. Secondly, in each iteration, the current subarray arrangement of the reference region is expanded into an intermediate complete array arrangement through rotational symmetry mapping rules. This allows for variable updates and optimization operations only on a small number of subarrays within the reference region, significantly reducing the dimensionality of optimization variables and computational overhead, while ensuring the structural symmetry and engineering feasibility of the complete array. Thirdly, the electrical performance of the expanded intermediate complete array arrangement is evaluated, allowing for the direct acquisition of the overall radiation characteristics, beam pointing, and sidelobes of the array. Key electrical performance indicators such as voltage levels provide accurate and objective evaluation criteria for the iterative correction of subarray arrangement. Then, based on the electrical performance evaluation results, the subarray arrangement in the reference region is updated in a targeted manner, enabling adaptive adjustment of the subarray position and rotation state, allowing the array arrangement to gradually converge towards the optimal electrical performance. Finally, when the preset convergence condition is met, the iteration is terminated and the target reference region subarray arrangement is output. The whole process realizes a closed-loop design of "local optimization, global mapping, performance-driven, and iterative optimization," which significantly reduces computational complexity and optimization time while taking into account the rationality of array geometric constraints, structural symmetry, and superior electrical performance. This provides a reliable technical path for efficiently obtaining the optimal subarray arrangement scheme that meets the requirements of engineering applications.

[0032] Specifically, step S300 includes the following steps: Step S301: Starting from the initial reference region subarray arrangement, perform iterative optimization. In each iteration, the current reference region subarray arrangement is expanded into an intermediate complete array arrangement through rotational symmetry mapping rules. Step S302: Construct a radiation pattern calculation model based on a virtual array; Step S203: Based on the radiation pattern calculation model, the non-uniformly distributed subarray center coordinates in the intermediate complete array layout parameters are converted into a sparsely excited uniform grid array through grid encryption and binary mapping methods. The uniform grid array is then processed using fast Fourier transform to calculate the subarray cascade factor. Step S204: Calculate the subarray radiation pattern based on the subarray rotation angle in the intermediate complete array arrangement parameters and the element radiation pattern of the radiation pattern calculation model; Step S205: Multiply the subarray cascade factor with the subarray radiation pattern to obtain the three-dimensional radiation pattern data; Step S206: Extract characteristic electrical performance indicators from the three-dimensional radiation pattern data to obtain evaluation results, wherein the characteristic electrical performance indicators include the highest grid lobe level within the scanning range and the array gain at a specified scanning angle; Step S207: Extract characteristic electrical performance indicators based on the evaluation results, substitute them into the preset objective function expression, and calculate the objective function value; Step S208: Use a global optimization algorithm to perform iterative evolution, update the center coordinates and rotation angles of each subarray according to the objective function value, until the preset convergence condition is met, and obtain the target design variable combination; Step S209: Extract the target center coordinates and target rotation angles of each subarray according to the target design variable combination to form the target reference area subarray arrangement.

[0033] In one implementation, the initial subarray arrangement of the reference region is used as the starting point for iteration. In each iteration, the intermediate complete array arrangement is obtained by expanding through rotational symmetry mapping rules. For example, taking the first quadrant as the reference region, the subarray arrangements of the other three quadrants are generated by rotational symmetry at 90°, 180°, and 270°, thereby quickly constructing the complete array and effectively reducing the dimensionality of optimization variables and modeling complexity. Subsequently, a fast radiation pattern calculation model based on virtual array FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) is constructed, decomposing the complete array radiation pattern into the product of the subarray radiation pattern and the subarray cascade factor. The antenna elements inside the subarray are uniformly arranged, so FFT can be directly used. This method efficiently calculates the subarray cascade factor and accurately obtains the subarray radiation pattern by combining the element radiation pattern, ensuring rapid solution of the subarray's own radiation characteristics. However, the subarrays exhibit a non-uniform and non-periodic distribution across the entire array surface. To address this, based on the constructed radiation pattern calculation model, a mesh refinement and binary mapping method is employed to convert the non-uniformly distributed subarray center coordinates in the complete array surface into a sparsely excited uniform virtual mesh array. Excitation is applied only to the mesh nodes where subarrays actually exist, while the excitation amplitude of other nodes is set to zero. This transforms the difficult-to-calculate non-uniform subarray arrangement problem into a rapidly solvable uniform mesh array problem. FFT is then used to process this uniform virtual array to quickly calculate the subarray cascade factor. Multiplying the subarray cascade factor by the subarray radiation pattern yields the three-dimensional radiation pattern data. The highest grating lobe level within the scanning range and the array gain at a specified scanning angle are extracted as key electrical performance indicators and substituted into the objective function F=α. max(SLL_scan)+β The objective function value is calculated using `min(Gain_scan)`, where α and β are weighting coefficients, to quantitatively evaluate the array performance. Then, using the subarray center coordinates and rotation angles as optimization variables, a global optimization algorithm, such as a genetic algorithm, is employed for iterative evolution. The population is continuously updated through selection, crossover, and mutation operations, and the design variables are continuously optimized based on the objective function value until a preset convergence condition is met, yielding the optimal combination of design variables. Finally, the target center coordinates and target rotation angles of each subarray are extracted based on the optimal design variables, and the optimal baseline region subarray arrangement (i.e., the target baseline region subarray arrangement) is reconstructed. This method utilizes a two-layer structure—uniform arrangement within the subarray and non-uniform arrangement between subarrays—combined with a virtual array and FFT to achieve rapid radiation pattern calculation, significantly improving optimization efficiency. Simultaneously, it leverages global optimization algorithms and multi-index objective functions to achieve synergistic optimization of grating lobe suppression and array gain. While ensuring computational accuracy and engineering practicality, this method provides a stable and efficient technical solution for the optimization design of large-scale phased array subarrays.

[0034] Step S400: Extend the subarray arrangement of the target reference region through rotational symmetry mapping rules to obtain the complete array arrangement of the target.

[0035] In this embodiment, based on the subarray arrangement in the target reference region, the subarray arrangement in the remaining rotationally symmetric regions is generated using rotational symmetry mapping rules. The subarray arrangement in the reference region is then combined with the subarray arrangements in the remaining rotationally symmetric regions to obtain the complete target array arrangement. Specifically, after obtaining the subarray center coordinates and rotation states within the first quadrant (i.e., the reference region) divided with the array center as the origin, the subarray arrangement in the reference region is directly mapped to the second, third, and fourth quadrants (i.e., the remaining rotationally symmetric regions) using rotational symmetry strategies of 90°, 180°, and 270°, thereby synthesizing a complete array arrangement. The rotationally symmetric distribution method used in this step, compared to axisymmetric or mirror distribution, causes greater disruption to the periodicity of the array, further dispersing the grating lobe angles in space and significantly improving the grating lobe suppression effect, thus enabling wide-angle scanning of the antenna array under large element spacing conditions. Meanwhile, by designing only the reference region independently and expanding the complete array using symmetry, this step directly reduces the number of variables that need to be optimized to one-quarter of the complete array, greatly reducing the algorithm search space and design complexity. This not only improves the overall design efficiency of the scheme, but also makes it more conducive to engineering implementation and modular design reuse.

[0036] In one implementation, to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, a large-scale antenna array with 1024 radiating elements was constructed. This array adopts a modular design concept, comprising 32 subarrays symmetrically distributed across the four quadrants, with 8 subarrays per quadrant. Each subarray contains a triangularly uniform array of 4*8=32 elements, with element spacing of 0.64λ and 0.56λ in the X and Y directions, respectively. The final result is as follows: Figure 2 The optimized aperiodic arrangement structure is shown. This design, while keeping the total number of elements constant, effectively breaks the spatial harmonic constraints of traditional uniform arrays through spatial sparsity and aperiodic layout. Figure 3 The normalized power radiation patterns of the array at different scanning angles are shown. The results show that even with a large spacing of λ-level average cell spacing, the array can still achieve a wide-angle scanning range of ±70°, and no grating lobes appear under large-angle scanning, demonstrating its excellent performance in suppressing grating lobes.

[0037] To further quantify and evaluate the advantages of the present invention, a strictly controlled comparison benchmark, namely a "comparison array," is introduced, arranged as follows: Figure 4 As shown. This comparison array also contains 1024 elements, but uses a traditional two-dimensional uniform rectangular grid arrangement, and its element spacing is exactly the same as the element spacing inside the subarray in this embodiment (i.e., Δx = 0.64λ, Δy = 0.56λ). In other words, Figure 4 This refers to a traditional array configuration obtained by replacing the non-periodic subarray arrangement in this invention with a standard periodic arrangement without changing the cell density and total number. This setting ensures that all parameters (such as the number of cells, spacing, and operating frequency) are the same except for the arrangement method, thus making subsequent performance comparisons scientific and fair. Figure 5 The diagram presents a comparison of the radiation patterns of the two arrays at a 70° scanning angle. As can be seen from the figure, the contrasting array (dashed line) produces a strong grating lobe with an amplitude close to the main lobe during large-angle scanning. This is due to spatial aliasing caused by insufficient spatial sampling under uniform arrangement. In contrast, the array of the present invention (solid line) successfully suppresses this grating lobe, with a clear main lobe direction and controllable side lobe levels. This comparison intuitively demonstrates that even under large spacing conditions, the scanning limit of traditional uniform arrays can still be broken through through a reasonable non-periodic subarray arrangement.

[0038] Furthermore, this solution significantly reduces engineering complexity. Since all subarrays have identical structures, standardized modules can be reused; the back-end feed network can be decomposed into a three-level structure: a 1-to-32 power divider network within a subarray, a 1-to-8 power amplifier network between the eight subarrays in each quadrant, and a 1-to-4 power divider network connecting the four quadrants. This hierarchical and modular design not only facilitates manufacturing and maintenance but also significantly reduces the number of independent channels and control complexity required for large-scale aperiodic arrays. In summary, this invention, by combining subarray modularity with aperiodic sparse arrangement, effectively suppresses large-angle grating lobes while ensuring high gain and wide scanning capability, and also considers the feasibility of system implementation, providing a new design paradigm for next-generation high-performance phased array radar or communication systems.

[0039] It should be noted that the subarray arrangement described in this invention can be a uniform rectangular arrangement with unequal cell spacing, or an arbitrary uniform triangular arrangement. Its core purpose is to break the regularity of subarrays that are not self-90° rotationally symmetric by rotating the subarray arrangement, thereby dispersing the energy distribution of the grating lobes in space to effectively suppress large-angle scanning grating lobes. In specific implementations, to better adapt to linearly polarized array scenarios, the subarray rotation angle is preferably 0° and 90°, but can also be extended to 180° or 270° to achieve essentially the same effect. For circularly polarized array scenarios, the rotation angle can be arbitrarily selected within the range of 0° to 180°. Furthermore, although the non-periodic sparse distribution optimization algorithm used in this invention is exemplified by a genetic algorithm, those skilled in the art can replace it with other intelligent optimization algorithms such as particle swarm optimization (PSO) or simulated annealing, or adopt algorithms based on... More efficient machine learning algorithms, such as physically constrained neural networks, are employed. The proposed rotational dimensionality reduction method and aperiodic FFT pattern fast calculation technique are applicable not only to wide-angle scanning but also to array antenna beamforming. Regarding optimization objectives, in addition to grating lobe suppression and gain, which are the focus of this embodiment, other performance indicators such as sidelobe level and beamwidth can be flexibly adjusted. Finally, regarding array layout strategies, the rotationally symmetric layout recommended in this invention aims to further reduce the array complexity of large-scale arrays and optimize wide-angle scanning grating lobe performance. However, for applications with low grating lobe requirements or small-to-medium-scale arrays, global optimization of the subarray positions and rotation angles across the entire array surface can be performed, or optimization can be applied only to the first quadrant (i.e., the reference region) subarrays, followed by deriving the layout of the remaining three quadrants using axisymmetric, mirror symmetric, or other rotationally symmetric methods. All the above variations, substitutions, and equivalent schemes fall within the scope of this invention.

[0040] In summary, this embodiment first determines the array's design parameters and the internal configuration of the subarrays, dividing the array surface into multiple rotationally symmetric regions and identifying a reference region. By utilizing rotational symmetry, the optimization problem of the complete array surface layout is transformed into a local optimization problem for a single reference region, effectively reducing computational complexity and the number of optimization variables. Next, based on the design parameters, the internal configuration of the subarrays, and the non-overlapping constraints of the subarrays, an initial reference region subarray layout is constructed, ensuring that the initial layout meets physical realizability and engineering constraints, providing a reasonable and feasible starting point for subsequent iterative optimization. Then, starting from the initial reference region subarray arrangement, iterative optimization is performed. In each iteration, the current reference region subarray arrangement is expanded into an intermediate complete array surface arrangement through rotational symmetry mapping rules. The electrical performance of the intermediate complete array surface arrangement is evaluated to obtain the evaluation result, and the reference region subarray arrangement is updated according to the evaluation result until the preset convergence condition is met, resulting in the target reference region subarray arrangement. By introducing a closed-loop feedback mechanism, the key electrical performance indicators such as array pattern, sidelobe level, and gain are accurately optimized while ensuring structural symmetry, significantly improving optimization efficiency and convergence stability. Finally, the target reference region subarray arrangement is expanded through rotational symmetry mapping rules to obtain the target complete array surface arrangement, ensuring that the final arrangement scheme has good symmetry and consistency, meeting the design requirements of high-performance array antennas. This invention proposes an array arrangement optimization method based on rotational symmetry constraints through the organic combination of the above steps. It not only significantly reduces the computational overhead of large-scale array arrangement but also effectively guarantees the electrical performance of the optimization results, and has the advantages of flexible design, fast convergence speed, and strong engineering applicability.

[0041] like Figure 6As shown in the illustration, this embodiment also provides a design system for array layouts in millimeter-wave and terahertz frequencies. This system includes: a module 10 for determining design parameters, subarray internal configuration, and reference region; a module 20 for acquiring initial reference region subarray layouts; a module 30 for acquiring target reference region subarray layouts; and a module 40 for acquiring target complete array layouts. Specifically, the module 10 for determining design parameters, subarray internal configuration, and reference region is used to determine the array's design parameters and subarray internal configuration, divide the array surface into multiple rotationally symmetric regions, and determine the reference region among them. The module 20 for acquiring initial reference region subarray layouts is used to construct the initial reference region subarray layout of the reference region based on the design parameters, subarray internal configuration, and subarray non-overlapping constraints. The target reference region subarray arrangement acquisition module 30 is used to perform iterative optimization starting from the initial reference region subarray arrangement. In each iteration, the current reference region subarray arrangement is expanded into an intermediate complete array arrangement through a rotational symmetry mapping rule. The electrical performance of the intermediate complete array arrangement is evaluated to obtain the evaluation result, and the reference region subarray arrangement is updated according to the evaluation result until a preset convergence condition is met to obtain the target reference region subarray arrangement. The target complete array arrangement acquisition module 40 is used to expand the target reference region subarray arrangement through a rotational symmetry mapping rule to obtain the target complete array arrangement.

[0042] In one implementation, the target reference region subarray arrangement acquisition module 30 includes: The three-dimensional radiation pattern data acquisition unit is used to input the parameters of the intermediate complete array arrangement into the radiation pattern calculation model to obtain three-dimensional radiation pattern data; The evaluation result acquisition unit is used to extract characteristic electrical performance indicators from the three-dimensional radiation pattern data to obtain evaluation results, wherein the characteristic electrical performance indicators include the highest grid lobe level within the scanning range and the array gain at a specified scanning angle. The objective function value acquisition unit is used to extract characteristic electrical performance indicators based on the evaluation results, substitute them into a preset objective function expression, and calculate the objective function value. The target design variable combination acquisition unit is used to perform iterative evolution using a global optimization algorithm, update the center coordinates and rotation angles of each subarray according to the objective function value, until the preset convergence condition is met, and obtain the target design variable combination; The target reference region subarray arrangement acquisition unit is used to extract the target center coordinates and target rotation angles of each subarray according to the target design variable combination, thereby forming the target reference region subarray arrangement.

[0043] In one implementation, the three-dimensional orientation pattern data acquisition unit includes: The pattern calculation model construction sub-unit is used to construct a pattern calculation model based on a virtual array; The subarray-level array factor calculation subunit is used to convert the non-uniformly distributed subarray center coordinates in the intermediate complete array surface arrangement parameters into a sparsely excited uniform grid array based on the radiation pattern calculation model through grid densification and binary mapping methods, and to process the uniform grid array using fast Fourier transform to calculate the subarray-level array factor. The subarray radiation pattern calculation sub-unit is used to calculate the subarray radiation pattern based on the subarray rotation angle in the intermediate complete array arrangement parameters and the unit radiation pattern of the radiation pattern calculation model. The three-dimensional radiation pattern data acquisition sub-unit is used to multiply the subarray cascade factor with the subarray radiation pattern to obtain the three-dimensional radiation pattern data.

[0044] The working principle of each module in the array layout design system for millimeter waves and terahertz waves in this embodiment is the same as that of each step in the above method embodiment, and will not be repeated here.

[0045] Based on the above embodiments, the present invention also provides a terminal, the principle block diagram of which can be as follows: Figure 7 As shown. The terminal may include one or more processors 100 ( Figure 7 (Only one is shown in the image), memory 101, and computer program 102 stored in memory 101 and executable on one or more processors 100, such as a millimeter-wave and terahertz array layout design program. When one or more processors 100 execute computer program 102, they can implement the various steps in the millimeter-wave and terahertz array layout design method embodiment. Alternatively, when one or more processors 100 execute computer program 102, they can implement the functions of each module / unit in the millimeter-wave and terahertz array layout design method embodiment, which is not limited here.

[0046] In one embodiment, the processor 100 may be a central processing unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0047] In one embodiment, memory 101 may be an internal storage unit of an electronic device, such as a hard drive or RAM. Memory 101 may also be an external storage device of the electronic device, such as a plug-in hard drive, smart media card (SMC), secure digital (SD) card, flash card, etc. Furthermore, memory 101 may include both internal and external storage units. Memory 101 is used to store computer programs and other programs and data required by the terminal. Memory 101 can also be used to temporarily store data that has been output or will be output.

[0048] Those skilled in the art will understand that Figure 7 The schematic diagram shown is only a partial structural diagram related to the present invention and does not constitute a limitation on the terminal to which the present invention is applied. The specific terminal may include more or fewer components than shown in the figure, or combine some components, or have different component arrangements.

[0049] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the processes in the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. The computer program can be stored in a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium. When executed, the computer program can include the processes of the embodiments of the above methods. Any references to memory, storage, operational databases, or other media used in the embodiments provided by this invention can include non-volatile and / or volatile memory. Non-volatile memory may include read-only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), electrically programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), or flash memory. Volatile memory may include random access memory (RAM) or external cache memory. By way of illustration and not limitation, RAM is available in a variety of forms, such as static RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), dual operating data rate SDRAM (DDRSDRAM), enhanced SDRAM (ESDRAM), synchronous link DRAM (SLDRAM), RAMbus direct RAM (RDRAM), direct memory bus dynamic RAM (DRDRAM), and memory bus dynamic RAM (RDRAM), etc.

[0050] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for array arrangement design for millimeter-wave and terahertz frequencies, characterized in that, The method includes: Determine the design parameters of the array and the internal configuration of the subarrays, divide the array surface into multiple rotationally symmetric regions, and determine the reference region among them; Based on the design parameters, the internal configuration of the subarray, and the non-overlapping constraints of the subarray, the initial subarray arrangement of the reference region is constructed. Starting with the initial reference region subarray arrangement, iterative optimization is performed. In each iteration, the current reference region subarray arrangement is expanded into an intermediate complete array arrangement through rotational symmetry mapping rules. The electrical performance of the intermediate complete array arrangement is evaluated to obtain the evaluation result. The reference region subarray arrangement is updated according to the evaluation result until the preset convergence condition is met, and the target reference region subarray arrangement is obtained. The subarray arrangement of the target reference region is extended using rotational symmetry mapping rules to obtain the complete array arrangement of the target.

2. The array arrangement design method for millimeter-wave and terahertz frequencies according to claim 1, characterized in that, The internal configuration of the subarray is as follows: the subarray includes multiple antenna elements arranged in a triangular pattern, and the spacing between two adjacent antenna elements is greater than half of the operating wavelength.

3. The array arrangement design method for millimeter-wave and terahertz waves according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process of dividing the array surface into multiple rotationally symmetric regions and determining the reference region within them includes: Using the geometric center of the array surface as the rotation center, the array surface is divided into several geometrically congruent sector or quadrant regions according to a preset rotational symmetry order, forming a set of rotationally symmetric regions; Select any region from the set of rotationally symmetric regions as the reference region.

4. The array arrangement design method for millimeter-wave and terahertz waves according to claim 1, characterized in that, The steps for implementing the non-overlapping submatrix constraint include: Extract the center coordinates and rotation angles of each subarray within the reference area; Based on the geometric contour dimensions of the subarray, the center coordinates, and the rotation angle, calculate the actual occupied area of ​​each subarray in the array surface coordinate system; Traverse all subarray pairs within the reference region and detect whether the actual occupied regions of any two subarrays have spatial overlap; If spatial overlap exists, identify and lock all conflicting subarrays involved in the overlap, randomly regenerate the center coordinates and rotation angles only for the conflicting subarrays, keep the state of the other non-conflicting subarrays unchanged, and return to the step of calculating the actual occupied area of ​​each subarray in the array coordinate system for local iterative correction until no spatial overlap is detected. If there is no spatial overlap, then the initial reference region subarray arrangement of the reference region is constructed.

5. The array arrangement design method for millimeter-wave and terahertz waves according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process of evaluating the electrical performance of the intermediate complete array arrangement to obtain evaluation results includes: The parameters of the intermediate complete array arrangement are input into the radiation pattern calculation model to obtain three-dimensional radiation pattern data; Feature electrical performance indicators are extracted from the three-dimensional radiation pattern data to obtain evaluation results. The feature electrical performance indicators include the highest grid lobe level within the scanning range and the array gain at a specified scanning angle.

6. The array arrangement design method for millimeter-wave and terahertz waves according to claim 5, characterized in that, The step of inputting the parameters of the intermediate complete array arrangement into the radiation pattern calculation model to obtain three-dimensional radiation pattern data includes: Construct a pattern calculation model based on a virtual array; Based on the aforementioned radiation pattern calculation model, the non-uniformly distributed subarray center coordinates in the intermediate complete array layout parameters are converted into a sparsely excited uniform grid array through grid encryption and binary mapping methods. The uniform grid array is then processed using fast Fourier transform to calculate the subarray cascade factor. The subarray radiation pattern is calculated based on the subarray rotation angle in the intermediate complete array arrangement parameters and the element radiation pattern of the radiation pattern calculation model. The subarray cascade factor is multiplied by the subarray radiation pattern to obtain the three-dimensional radiation pattern data.

7. The array arrangement design method for millimeter-wave and terahertz waves according to claim 6, characterized in that, The step of updating the subarray arrangement of the reference region based on the evaluation results until a preset convergence condition is met to obtain the target subarray arrangement of the reference region includes: Based on the evaluation results, characteristic electrical performance indicators are extracted, substituted into a preset objective function expression, and the objective function value is calculated. The global optimization algorithm is used for iterative evolution. The center coordinates and rotation angles of each subarray are updated according to the objective function value until the preset convergence condition is met, and the target design variable combination is obtained. Based on the combination of target design variables, extract the target center coordinates and target rotation angles of each subarray to form the target reference area subarray arrangement.

8. A system for array arrangement design for millimeter waves and terahertz waves, characterized in that, The system includes: The module for determining design parameters, subarray internal configuration, and reference region is used to determine the design parameters and subarray internal configuration of the array, divide the array surface into multiple rotationally symmetric regions, and determine the reference region among them. The initial reference region subarray arrangement acquisition module is used to construct the initial reference region subarray arrangement of the reference region based on the design parameters, the internal configuration of the subarray, and the non-overlapping constraints of the subarray. The target reference region subarray arrangement acquisition module is used to perform iterative optimization starting from the initial reference region subarray arrangement. In each iteration, the current reference region subarray arrangement is expanded into an intermediate complete array arrangement through rotational symmetry mapping rules. The electrical performance of the intermediate complete array arrangement is evaluated to obtain the evaluation result. The reference region subarray arrangement is updated according to the evaluation result until the preset convergence condition is met to obtain the target reference region subarray arrangement. The target complete array layout acquisition module is used to extend the subarray layout of the target reference area through rotational symmetry mapping rules to obtain the target complete array layout.

9. A terminal, characterized in that, The terminal includes a memory, a processor, and a millimeter-wave and terahertz array layout design program stored in the memory and executable on the processor. When the processor executes the millimeter-wave and terahertz array layout design program, it implements the steps of the millimeter-wave and terahertz array layout design method as described in any one of claims 1-7.

10. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores an array layout design program for millimeter waves and terahertz frequencies. When the array layout design program for millimeter waves and terahertz frequencies is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the array layout design method for millimeter waves and terahertz frequencies as described in any one of claims 1-7.

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