Parallel‐plates‐based Dirac Leaky Wave Antennas

Abstract

Abstract In this work, the authors experimentally show Dirac Leaky Wave Antennas (DLWAs) at upper microwave frequencies. For the first time, DLWAs are implemented using simple Parallel plate waveguide (PPW) technology, while yielding desirable radiation features and continuous beam scanning through broadside, as well as extremely low profile, with significant ease of fabrication, making them well suited for Ku band applications such as satellite communication, radar and emerging fifth‐generation (5G). A planar Dirac photonic crystal in PPW is shown with a closed bandgap and linear dispersion around broadside. In this work, 1D and 2D PPDLWAs are designed that provide scannable fan and pencil beams, respectively, with a symmetric beamwidth. Phase and attenuation constants are controlled with unit cell dimensions to obtain a directive beam and scanning in a wide range of angles. For the 2D design, an appropriate wideband feeding network is designed that excites the antenna appropriately. The presented PPDLWAs operate with a peak gain of about 13 dB for the fan beam and 22 dB for the pencil beam, in the frequency range from 12 to 16 GHz.

Keywords

• Leaky Wave Antennas
• parallel plate waveguides
• power dividers
• scanning antennas
• substrate integrated waveguides