A Ring-Laser Type Quasi-Optical Oscillator Using Leaky-Wave Antenna

This paper presents a novel ring-laser type quasi-optical oscillator based on leaky-wave antenna, which can be used as an alternative to conventional configurations employing VCOs. It consists of a gain-control amplifier, a phase-shifter and a microstrip leaky-wave antenna. The feature of this structure is that the leaky-wave antenna not only serves as a radiation element, but also provides oscillation feedback. The beam-scanning capability of this quasi-optical oscillator is also demonstrated experimentally.