Electronically scanned FDF-antennas for autonomous intelligent cruise control radar applications

Paper reviews some original design ideas related to the new class of electronically scanned antennas - Integrated Phased Arrays with Ferrite Control for automotive radar applications. Proposed antennas are based on perspective recently appeared FDF-structures consisted of thin ferrite and dielectric layers with one common control winding inside for antenna beam 1D scanning. Electrically controlled FDF-waveguide may be used in different options: as a linear FDF-feed of offset parabolic cylinder antenna, as a planar FDF-antenna or FDF-power dividing unit for microstrip antenna aperture active or passive. The FDF-antennas are of low-profile design, have simple beam position control and promise to be low-cost in large-scale production. R & D of FDF-antenna resulted in 2 deg. beamwidth, scanning range of 20 deg. for one way excitation and 40 deg. for two-way excitation at frequency 77 Ghz.