Mechanically Re-Configurable Leaky-Wave Antenna for Fix-Frequency Beam Scanning

In this paper we present a mechanically reconfigurable leaky-wave antenna (LWA) for fix-frequency beam scanning. The structure consists of a meandered waveguide with coupling slots for radiation, constituting a periodic LWA. The main beam direction in the longitudinal plane of the LWA, is controlled by the phase shift between slots which depends on the meander length. Thus, a mechanism to change the length of the meander is presented, allowing for a beam scanning range from -65° to +65° with a 12.75 mm displacement of a moving metallic component. The structure has been validated with full- wave simulations, showing the proper synthesis of the scanned beams at the fixed frequency of 13 GHz.