Modulated strip-line leaky-wave antenna using a printed grating lens and a surface-wave source

A planar antenna that utilize surface waves (SWs) for leaky wave (LW) excitation is investigated. Specifically, a surface-wave launcher (SWL) is employed to excite cylindrical SWs which are bound to a grounded dielectric slab (GDS). By the addition of a grid of width-modulated printed strips, a high impedance surface (HIS) can be realized, providing appropriate conditions for LW radiation. A planar metallic grating lens is also included in the design of the antenna to achieve in phase leakage along the aperture. Far field beam pattern results suggest one-sided beam scanning between 22 and 24 GHz with reflection losses below 10 dB and gain values of 8.7 dBi at broadside. Such a printed or planar low-cost and low-profile LWA may be advantageous for radar systems and satellite communications.