Binary inheritance learning particle swarm optimisation and its application in thinned antenna array synthesis with the minimum sidelobe level

Although particle swarm optimisation (PSO) algorithm is an effective tool to solve the real‐number optimisation problem, it cannot be directly adopted to the discrete optimisation. Many discrete PSO versions focused on the different discrete strategies on particle position and speed update equation, but these attempts decreased the performance of the PSO on discrete problems (compared with other intelligent optimisation algorithms). In this study, binary inheritance learning PSO (BILPSO) is proposed and is used to solve thinned antenna array synthesis problems, such as the pattern synthesis of 100‐element symmetrical thinned linear array and 20 × 10 symmetrical thinned planar array. The optimisation results show the BILPSO is superior to other discrete PSO versions and other discrete intelligent optimisation algorithms.