Multibeam millimeter wave antenna

For realization of special researches with airborne radiophysical complexes at millimeter wave (mm) range, multi-beam antenna systems are widely used with multi-beam patterns forming in space and providing probing signals transmission and reception in the set of defined directions. In these cases some specific requirements to the beam shape, width and mutual orientation, simultaneously with rigid dimensional restrictions, for example, necessity of antenna small thickness, don´t allow to use any known volumetric designs for such antennas. For this task decision existing apparatus traditionally use different type antenna arrays with a set of slot-hole wave-guide or strip-line radiators, however such antennas can provide good operation as well in long-wave part of the mm-range. In the report the effect of surface to volume wave transformation which already have been successfully applied in a set of mm-wave linear and aperture antennas, is offered to use in multi-beam antenna on the example of 4-beam mm-wave antenna design. The basic functional elements of the developed system are reflective type diffraction grating and surface wave source - dielectric wave-guides with different cross-section.