X-band active two-terminal leaky-wave antenna.

An active-integrated two-terminal leaky-wave antenna design is demonstrated in this paper. An X-band two-terminal-fed microstrip leaky-wave antenna and an active source, a varactor-tuned oscillator HEMT VCO, are integrated on the same plane. The space wave, due to the first higher order mode, dominates the leakage of the radiated energy in this experiment. This approach, as compared to a traditional single-terminal feeding leaky-wave antenna, creates a dual-beam radiation pattern, and has the advantages of multidirection and no reflected wave caused by the open end of the radiating element. Measured results on the experimental antenna show that the total scanning angle of two beams of this antenna configuration is approximately 44°, the maximum effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) is close to 17.5 dBm for the right beam and 16.7 dBm for the left beam at 10.4 GHz, and the power difference between the two beams is less than 1 dB. Between 9 and 11.5 GHz, the return loss is less than -10 dB, and the transmission coefficient shows that the power radiates into space. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 19: 100–103, 1998. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]