IWO-based synthesis of log-periodic dipole array

The Invasive Weed Optimization (IWO) is an effective evolutionary and recently developed method. Due to its better performance in comparison to other well-known optimization methods, IWO has been chosen to solve many complex non-linear problems in telecommunications and electromagnetics. In the present study, the IWO is applied to optimize the geometry of a realistic log-periodic dipole array (LPDA) that operates in the frequency range 800-3300 MHz and therefore is suitable for signal reception from several RF services. The optimization is applied under specific requirements, concerning the standing wave ratio, the forward gain, the gain flatness and the side lobe level, over a wide frequency range. The optimization variables are the lengths and the radii of the dipoles, the distances between them, and the characteristic impedance of the transmission line that connects the dipoles. The optimized LPDA seems to be superior compared to the antenna derived from the practical design procedure.