Reconfigurable half-width microstrip leaky-wave antenna for fixed-frequency beam scanning

A new technique to implement fixed-frequency beam scanning using a half-width microstrip leaky-wave antenna (HW-MLWA) is presented. The main beam direction is electronically controlled by changing the reactance between the one edge of a microstrip and the ground. This is achieved through a set of patches periodically placed along the free radiating edge of the microstrip line, with the second edge of the microstrip line is grounded. The patches can be connected to or isolated from the ground using PIN diodes thus facilitating a sub-nanosecond means of controlling the reactance. The full-wave numerical simulations show the ability to control the main beam direction from 21° to 37° at 6.5 GHz within the first quadrant.