Title :
Broadband tapered microstrip leaky-wave antenna
Author :
Hong, Wanchu ; Chen, Tai-Lee ; Chang, Chi-Yang ; Sheen, Jyh-Wen ; Lin, Yu-De
Author_Institution :
Inst. of Commun. Eng., Nat. Chiao Tung Univ., Hsinchu, Taiwan
Abstract :
This study proposes a novel scheme based on the characteristics of leaky-wave antennas for the empirical design of broadband tapered microstrip leaky-wave antennas. This scheme can explain and approximately model the radiation characteristics of a linearly tapered leaky-wave microstrip antenna. A broadband feeding structure that uses the balanced and the inverted balanced microstrip lines to form a pair of broadband baluns is also presented. The measured return loss of the inverted balanced microstrip lines has a VSWR≤2 from dc to 18.6 GHz and that of the back-to-back feeding structures has a VSWR≤2 from 2.2 to 18.6 GHz. This feeding structure can be used to feed a broadband planar leaky-wave antenna with a fixed mainbeam that uses the tapered microstrip structure. The measured bandwidth of the antenna for a VSWR≤2 exceeds 2.3:1.
Keywords :
antenna arrays; antenna radiation patterns; baluns; broadband antennas; leaky wave antennas; microstrip antennas; microstrip lines; microwave antennas; 2.2 to 18.6 GHz; SHF; UHF; VSWR; antenna radiation patterns; back-to-back feeding structures; balanced microstrip lines; broadband antenna design; broadband baluns; broadband feeding structure; broadband planar leaky-wave antenna; broadband tapered microstrip leaky-wave antenna; inverted balanced microstrip lines; linearly tapered leaky-wave microstrip antenna; mainbeam; measured return loss; radiation characteristics; Antenna measurements; Bandwidth; Broadband antennas; Dielectric constant; Dielectric substrates; Dipole antennas; Frequency; Impedance matching; Leaky wave antennas; Microstrip antennas;
Journal_Title :
Antennas and Propagation, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TAP.2003.814739
