A Planar SIW-Based Mm-Wave Frequency-Scanning Slot Antenna Array With No Scan Blindness at Normal

Planar antenna reflectors are the modern design trend of both multibeam and frequency-scanning antenna arrays. The planar implementation of reflectors is typically performed using substrate-integrated waveguide (SIW) technology. A reflector's profile can be different from the canonical one (parabolic, elliptic, hyperbolic, etc.) because of the effect of spatial dispersion of the reflection coefficient of the SIW-based surface. It should be synthesized considering the magnitude and argument of the field reflected from such a surface to maximize the efficiency of the reflection. In this article, we present a planar millimeter-wave (mm-wave) slot antenna array with SIW-based horn-reflector feeding. We analytically formulate the optimization of the SIW surface dimensions while accounting for the spatial dispersion of the reflection coefficient. We minimize the dimensions of the planar horn-reflector feeding. Finally, we demonstrate that using a dual-slot radiating element, and we can avoid the effects of scan blindness along the normal direction. A prototype has been built and a good agreement has been achieved between the measured results and the predicted results based on calculations. The prototype achieved +/- 17 degrees beam scanning within 16% of the operational frequency range, with no scan blindness along the normal direction.

Automated summary

This article presents a planar millimeter-wave slot antenna array with SIW-based horn-reflector feeding. The dimensions of the SIW surface are optimized to minimize the size of the planar horn-reflector feeding, and a dual-slot radiating element is used to avoid scan blindness along the normal direction. Experimental results show that the prototype achieved +/- 17 degrees beam scanning within 16% of the operational frequency range, with no scan blindness along the normal direction.