1D & 2D W-band Frequency Scanning Metamaterial Antenna and Array

1D & 2D W-band frequency scanning metamaterial antenna and array are proposed in this paper. Unlike the traditional microstrip-based design [1], we hereby highlight a relatively lower cost/loss antenna solution to the W-band beam steering application using stripline-based composite right/left handed (CRLH) leaky wave antenna (LWA). Our proposed passive CRLH LWA element is able to deliver positive, zero, and negative phase progression from 76 GHz to 81 GHz, thereby ensuring the backward (-28°) to forward (23°) fan beam frequency scanning when CRLH unit cells are periodically cascaded to form a 1D CRLH LWA. To further broaden the frequency mapping range to the hemisphere, we have also realized a 2D CRLH LWA that can produce highly directive pencil-beam radiation patterns. A coverage area of about -10° to 10° by -28° to 23° in elevation angle along the two orthogonal planes with a maximum gain of 26.1 dBi is realized by the proposed 2D CRLH LWA. In-depth analysis and simulated validation of both 1D/2D designs in this paper confirm the aforementioned functionalities.