Aperture-coupled microstrip line leaky wave antenna with broadside mainbeam

A microstrip first higher order leaky wave antenna (LWA), centre-fed by an aperture-coupled microstrip with a broadside mainbeam, is presented. The measured bandwidth (23% for VSWR<2:1) is in agreement with the leaky radiation band predicted. The experimental gain patterns, compared with those of a patch antenna fed by the same type of structure, reveal the difference between these two kinds of antenna. With increasing frequency, the radiation field of the LWA spreads into the H-plane, forming a flatter broadside pattern, which can be applied to long rectangular area communication