An X-Band Monopulse Direction-Finding Receiver Based on a Rat-Race Comparator and a $2\times2$ Antipodal Vivaldi Array

Abstract

This paper presents the design, fabrication, and experimental validation of a compact monopulse direction-finding (DF) receiver operating in the X-band. The receiver combines a $2 \times 2$ antipodal Vivaldi antenna array with a rat-race (180-degree hybrid) comparator network that simultaneously synthesizes the sum ($Σ$), azimuth-difference ($Δ_{az}$), and elevation-difference ($Δ_{el}$) channels required for monopulse processing, removing the need for mechanical scanning. The Vivaldi element provides good impedance matching across 8-12 GHz with a simulated realized gain of approximately 6.44 dBi, and the comparator exhibits the 180-degree phase balance at its difference ports required for angle encoding, with the fabricated prototype preserving the matched, balanced response measured across the band. Three LTC5564 envelope detectors convert the channel outputs to DC voltages that are digitized by an on-board microcontroller and processed in software to form the monopulse ratios and estimate the direction of arrival (DoA), with the result displayed in real time on a MATLAB graphical user interface. Azimuth direction finding is experimentally demonstrated over fourteen angles spanning -20 to 19 degrees at 11 GHz, yielding a root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 7 degrees; the architecture is directly extensible to elevation. The result is a passive, low-cost, and fully integrated receiver suitable for radar sensing, electronic warfare, and surveillance.