Spatial Interference Mitigation Nulling the Embedded Element Pattern

Digital Arrays, including radars and large-scale multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) arrays, offer great advantages in terms of performance with respect to traditional phased array technology; however, their dynamic range suffer when strong interferers are present. Those effects can be decreased by using higher dynamic range components but are more costly, and in case of an ADC, more power hungry. This paper presents a circuit that mitigates those interferers by creating a steerable null in the embedded element pattern, mitigating the interferer at the RF frontend before they enter the receiver chain. A real scenario in a controlled environment was setup where an interferer was reduced more than 20 dB allowing for the receiver to demodulate the desired QPSK waveform, initially distorted by the interferer.