A dual-band half-width microstrip leaky-wave antenna for beam scanning in the forward and backward directions

A microstrip leaky-wave antenna (LWA) loaded periodically with C-shaped slots is described. Uniform half-width (HW) microstrip LWAs (HW-MLWAs) operate in a single band and radiate a main beam that scans only in the forward direction. The proposed antenna operates in two frequency bands and the main beam can be steered in both the forward and backward directions by sweeping the frequency. The -10 dB reflection bandwidths of the antenna are 4.2 to 4.9 GHz and 8.23 to 8.8 GHz. The beam scanning ranges of the antenna are 22° to 59° and -76° to -18° when the frequency is swept from 4.2 to 5 GHz and 7.85 to 8.9 GHz, respectively.