%T Directivity Optimization in Planar Sub-Arrayed Monopulse Antenna %L elediasc12473 %I University of Trento %A Paolo Rocca %A Luca Manica %A Andrea Massa %X In this paper, the Contiguous Partition Method (CPM) is applied to the optimization of the directivity of difference patterns in monopulse planar array antennas. Since the excitations providing maximum directivity of planar arrays can be analytically computed and because of the excitation matching nature of the CPM, the problem at hand is recast as the synthesis of the difference compromise solution close as much as possible to the reference pattern with maximum directivity. Selected results are shown to point out the potentialities of the CPM-based approach. The final version is available at the url of the journal PIER http://www.jpier.org/PIER/ %D 2008