Conformal surface lenses from a bed of nails

This paper presents a validation of a fast method for calculating the propagation constant of a periodic bed of nails structure. These results are compared to full wave simulation results, showing good agreement. This method is then employed to design a Luneburg lens which is conformal to the surface of a sphere. The index distribution required to create this conformal lens was calculated using an optical path technique. This work has applications for the design of communication systems for vehicles and airborne platforms.