Simplified MMIC (Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit) Active Aperture Feeding,

MMIC modules of the future offer the possibility for simplifying the feed networks of active aperture phased arrays. In particular, the addition of amplitude control along with the existing phase control would allow the same feed network to be used in the transmit and receive modes even though the two require grossly different aperture tapers. This is easily accomplished by using the amplitude control in the modules to provide the weighting required to produce low sidelobe receive beams. Specific examples in which amplitude control is implemented with digital attenuators are examined. The effect of the attenuators on the array output signal-to-noise ratio and that of the amplitude quantization on error sidelobe level are evaluated.