Frequency scanning printed array antenna

A new concept for the design and realisation of a frequency scanning printed array antenna is described. The array antenna consists of 8 antiresonant dipoles fed by a symmetrical (balanced) microstrip at a central frequency of 6 GHz. The distance in wavelengths between the elements of the array antenna is /spl lambda//sub k//2. The antenna is fed through a SMA connector and balun realised by tapering. The beam scanning is found to be uniform and continuos /spl Delta//spl theta/=49.8/spl deg/, with a frequency variation in the range from 9.4 GHz to 6.6 GHz (/spl plusmn/10% of the central frequency).