Genetic algorithm (GA) is used for the synthesis of thinned arrays (whose elements are thinned from the uniform grid)

which uses not only element spacings but also element excitation as variables

so it provides more degree of freedom to control the characters of thinned arrays.The weighing of antenna element can be realized in digital beamforming antenna systems through digital signal processing.Because the spacings of thinned array are the integral times of grid

so the approach based on a combination of GA and fast Fourier transform (FFT) is used to speed up the evaluation of array pattern so as to save the calculation time dramatically and improve the optimization efficiency.