A Broadside-Scanning Half-Mode Substrate Integrated Waveguide Periodic Leaky-Wave Antenna

A detailed study of a half-mode substrate integrated waveguide (SIW)-fed periodic leaky-wave antenna (LWA) with broadside scanning enabled is presented. Design techniques are outlined. Previously presented simulations have been improved with an enhanced structure model that incorporates substrate anisotropy. Additional theory has been applied to the analysis of the antenna to further validate its leaky-wave operation, and extra prototypes have been characterized for comparison to original measurements and simulations. The prototype antenna displayed a 32% impedance bandwidth within which a 10-dB gain over an 86 ° scan range (including broadside) was observed such that its radiation performance appears to be comparable to some of the newly popular SIW-based composite right/left-handed leaky-wave antennas.