A Connected Array of Slots Supporting Broadband Leaky Waves

In this paper, we investigate the properties of a finite array of slots that support broadband leaky waves. The slots are etched on a ground plane located in the close proximity of a dense dielectric half space and each slot is fed at a finite number of locations. A quasi-analytical spectral procedure is presented, which can be used to evaluate the near and far fields that emerge from each separate feed of the array. In fact, the structure can be used to realize hundreds of independent beams in the overlaying dense dielectric over a band in the order of 4:1. The spectral procedure can also be used to evaluate the mutual coupling between the elements. This latter limits the lower frequency at which the different beams are independent and directive. These arrays are mainly proposed to be used as feeders for dielectric lens antennas. The formulation presented here is very general and can be applied to any finite array of long slots, independently from their capability to support leaky waves.