Electronically controlled beam scanning leaky-wave antenna and communication device

Abstract

The present application provides an electronically controlled beam scanning leaky-wave antenna and a communication device. The leaky-wave antenna comprises: a gap waveguide, comprising a strip-shaped ridge, wherein the gap waveguide is used for transmitting electromagnetic waves in the form of traveling waves, and the strip-shaped ridge extends in the gap waveguide in the transmission direction of the electromagnetic waves; and a plurality of radiation units, arranged on the side wall of the gap waveguide, wherein each radiation unit comprises a radiation slot and an electrically controlled switch, the radiation slot is used for leaking electromagnetic waves in the gap waveguide into a free space to form a beam, and the electrically controlled switch is used for controlling a working state of the radiation slot so as to realize beam scanning. The leaky-wave antenna provided by the present application can improve the beam tilt characteristic of the antenna, and improve the communication quality of the antenna.

Description

Electronically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna and communication equipment

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office on July 20, 2023, with application number 202310897851.X and application name “Electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna and communication equipment”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the field of antenna technology, and in particular to an electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna and communication equipment. Background Art

[0003] Electronically controlled beam-scanning leaky-wave antennas can achieve both wideband frequency-scanning and fixed-frequency beam scanning within narrowband, offering a wide range of applications. Gap waveguides enable low-loss transmission of electromagnetic waves at high frequencies, and their application in electronically controlled leaky-wave antennas can fully leverage their high gain and wide scanning range.

[0004] When an electrically controlled leaky-wave antenna is excited by a broadband signal, its beam angle shifts with frequency. This results in different gains at the target angle for beams of different frequencies, reducing the antenna's gain bandwidth and degrading the stability of the communication link. This phenomenon of beam scanning with frequency is called "beam tilt." In millimeter-wave communications, leaky-wave antennas with low beam tilt characteristics are required to minimize beam angle shifts as the scanning frequency changes. This ensures good gain and gain bandwidth, ensuring good communication quality.

[0005] The related art shown in Figure 1 provides an electrically controlled beam-scanning leaky-wave antenna based on a gap waveguide. By providing a serrated ridge 2 on the central axis of the gap waveguide, the phase constant is altered, transforming the gap waveguide's transmission mode from fast waves to slow waves, thereby suppressing fast-wave radiation. However, this antenna structure suffers from high dispersion, leading to a significant problem of beam tilt. Therefore, providing a low-dispersion electrically controlled beam-scanning leaky-wave antenna to improve beam tilt characteristics has become an unresolved issue.

[0006] Summary of the Invention

[0007] The embodiments of the present application provide a low-dispersion electrically controlled beam scanning leaky-wave antenna and communication equipment, which can improve the beam tilt characteristics of the antenna and enhance the communication quality of the antenna.

[0008] In a first aspect, an electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna is provided, comprising: a gap waveguide including a strip ridge, the gap waveguide being used to transmit electromagnetic waves in the form of traveling waves, the strip ridge extending along the transmission direction of the electromagnetic waves and arranged in the gap waveguide; a plurality of radiation units being arranged on the side walls of the gap waveguide, each of the radiation units comprising a radiation slot and an electrically controlled switch, the radiation slot being used to leak the electromagnetic waves in the gap waveguide into free space to form a beam, and the electrically controlled switch being used to control the working state of the radiation slot to achieve beam scanning.

[0009] According to the electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna provided by the embodiment of the present application, a gap waveguide is used as a waveguide structure, so that the antenna still has a low insertion loss in millimeter waves. By introducing a strip ridge into the gap waveguide, and the strip ridge is extended along the transmission direction of the electromagnetic wave, the main mode of the gap waveguide transmission is changed from TE10 to a mixed mode of TE10 and TEM. In this way, on the one hand, the phase constant of the antenna will increase, so that the main mode works in the slow wave; on the other hand, the addition of the TEM mode weakens the dispersion of the transmitted electromagnetic wave. By controlling the height and width of the strip ridge and the width of the gap waveguide, the size of the phase constant of the gap waveguide and the proportion of the TEM mode in the mixed mode can be reasonably changed, and the transmission performance of slow wave and low dispersion can be met. By combining a low-dispersion waveguide structure with an electrically controlled radiation structure, the performance of low-dispersion electrically controlled beam scanning can be achieved, thereby effectively improving the beam tilt characteristics of the antenna and improving the communication quality of the antenna.

[0010] The electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna provided by the present application includes a plurality of radiating units, which can be arranged on one of the side walls of the gap waveguide according to certain rules. Each radiating unit includes a radiating slot and an electrically controlled switch that work in conjunction with each other. The radiating slot can leak the electromagnetic waves in the gap waveguide into the free space to form a beam, and the electrically controlled switch can control the working state of the radiating slot to achieve beam scanning of the leaky wave antenna. The above settings make the radiation beam of the leaky wave antenna provided by the present application have wide angle, high gain, and electrically controlled two-dimensional scanning characteristics. The radiating units are densely arranged, and the beam has good continuity. The electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna provided by the present application also has the advantages of low transmission loss, low profile, easy processing, and easy integration, so that the antenna has the advantages of high gain, high efficiency, low profile, lightweight, etc., and is suitable for future millimeter wave wireless communication systems.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the gap waveguide also includes a metal base plate and a cover plate that are arranged relative to and at intervals, the strip ridge is protruding on the surface of the metal base plate facing the cover plate, there is a gap between the strip ridge and the cover plate, and the multiple radiation units are arranged on the cover plate.

[0012] In a possible implementation, the gap waveguide further includes a metal pin array, the metal pin array includes a plurality of pins, and the plurality of pins are periodically arranged on both sides of the strip ridge.

[0013] In a possible implementation, the gap waveguide further includes metal baffles disposed on both sides of the strip ridge.

[0014] In a possible implementation, the metal baffle and the cover plate are connected and fixed by metal screws.

[0015] In a possible implementation, the cover includes a dielectric substrate and a first metal layer disposed on an outer surface of the dielectric substrate, the radiation slot is formed on the first metal layer, and the electrically controlled switch is disposed on an inner surface of the dielectric substrate.

[0016] In a possible implementation, the electrically controlled switch includes at least one of a PIN diode, a varactor diode, a micro-electromechanical switch, and a photosensitive switch.

[0017] In a possible implementation, the radiation slot is a rectangular slot, and an angle formed between a long side of the rectangular slot and a transmission direction of the electromagnetic wave is 0 degrees, 45 degrees, or 90 degrees.

[0018] In a possible implementation, the multiple radiation units are arranged into multiple rows, and the radiation units in each row are staggered.

[0019] In a possible implementation, the electrically controlled beam scanning leaky-wave antenna further includes: a feeding structure connected to the gap waveguide, and configured to feed electromagnetic waves into the gap waveguide.

[0020] In a possible implementation, the electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna further includes: a matching load connected to the gap waveguide, for absorbing remaining electromagnetic waves.

[0021] In a possible implementation, the electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna further includes: a beam control module, configured to output a control signal to the electrically controlled switch to implement beam scanning.

[0022] In a second aspect, a communication device is provided, comprising the electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna provided by any possible implementation of the first aspect.

[0023] Optionally, the communication device may be, for example, a base station, a radar, a mobile terminal (such as a mobile phone), or any other communication device that utilizes an antenna structure to transmit energy or electromagnetic waves, but is not limited thereto. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of an electrically controlled beam scanning leaky-wave antenna provided by related art.

[0025] FIG2 is a comparison diagram of the phase constant curves.

[0026] Figure 3 is a comparison of antenna beam scanning angles under different phase constants.

[0027] FIG4 is a schematic structural diagram of the electrically controlled beam scanning leaky-wave antenna provided in Example 1 of the present application.

[0028] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of a leaky-wave antenna provided in Example 1 of the present application.

[0029] FIG6 is a structural exploded view of the leaky-wave antenna provided in Example 1 of the present application.

[0030] FIG7 is a side view of the leaky-wave antenna provided in Example 1 of the present application.

[0031] FIG8 is a side view of the cover of the leaky wave antenna provided in the first embodiment of the present application.

[0032] FIG9 is a top view of the cover of the leaky-wave antenna provided in the first embodiment of the present application.

[0033] FIG10 is a bottom view of the cover of the leaky-wave antenna provided in the first embodiment of the present application.

[0034] FIG11 is a schematic structural diagram of the electrically controlled switch of the leaky wave antenna provided in the first embodiment of the present application.

[0035] FIG12 is a comparison diagram of phase constant curves of Example 1 and related art.

[0036] FIG13 is a comparison diagram of antenna beam scanning angles of the first embodiment and the related art.

[0037] FIG14 is a normalized radiation pattern of the first embodiment and the related art.

[0038] FIG15 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the leaky-wave antenna provided in Example 2 of the present application.

[0039] FIG16 is a top view of the cover of the leaky wave antenna provided in the second embodiment of the present application.

[0040] FIG17 is a bottom view of the cover of the leaky-wave antenna provided in the second embodiment of the present application.

[0041] FIG18 is a comparison diagram of phase constant curves of the second embodiment and the related art.

[0042] FIG19 is a comparison diagram of antenna beam scanning angles of the second embodiment and the related art.

[0043] FIG20 is a normalized radiation pattern of the second embodiment and related technologies.

[0044] Figure 21 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the leaky wave antenna provided in Example 3 of the present application.

[0045] Figure 22 is a structural decomposition diagram of the leaky wave antenna provided in Example 3 of the present application.

[0046] Figure 23 is a side view of the leaky wave antenna provided in Example 3 of the present application.

[0047] Figure 24 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the leaky wave antenna provided in Example 4 of the present application.

[0048] Figure 25 is a top view of the cover plate of the leaky wave antenna provided in Example 4 of the present application.

[0049] Figure 26 is a bottom view of the cover plate of the leaky wave antenna provided in Example 4 of the present application.

[0050] Reference numerals:

[0051] 1. Radiating gaps; 2. Serrated ridges;

[0052] 10. Gap waveguide; 11. Metal base plate; 12. Cover plate; 121. First metal layer; 122. Second metal layer; 123. Dielectric substrate; 13. Metal pin array; 14. Strip ridge; 15. Excitation port; 16. Load interface; 17. Metal baffle; 18. Screw hole; 19. Metal screw;

[0053] 20. Radiating element; 21. Radiating slot; 22. Electronically controlled switch; 221. First patch; 222. Second patch; 223. Third patch; 224. First PIN diode; 225. Second PIN diode; 226. First metal via; 227. Second metal via;

[0054] 30. Feed structure;

[0055] 40. Matching load;

[0056] 50. Beam control module. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0057] The embodiments of the present application are described in detail below, and examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present application, and should not be understood as limiting the present application.

[0058] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "installed" and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections, electrical connections, or mutual communication; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; they can refer to internal communication between two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0059] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "side", "front", "rear", etc. indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the installation, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on this application.

[0060] It should also be noted that, in the embodiments of the present application, the same figure mark represents the same component or the same part. For the same parts in the embodiments of the present application, the figure may only mark one of the parts or components as an example. It should be understood that the figure mark also applies to other identical parts or components.

[0061] In order to facilitate understanding of the technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present application, the relevant concepts in the present application are first introduced below.

[0062] Leaky-wave antenna: A traveling-wave antenna whose main characteristic is its ability to radiate electromagnetic waves of a predetermined width along the antenna's radiation direction. Leaky-wave antennas form a waveguide-like structure in the radiation direction, enabling them to generate broadband, high-power, and wide-angle electromagnetic wave radiation. Leaky-wave antennas can achieve frequency scanning in space and are widely used in radar, communications, remote sensing, space-based navigation, and other fields. Due to their excellent radiation characteristics, they have significant advantages, particularly in scenarios such as electronic countermeasures. Leaky-wave antennas also offer advantages such as good directivity, high gain, simple structure, small size, and low manufacturing cost, providing favorable conditions for the further development of antenna technology.

[0063] Because leaky-wave antennas inherently have frequency-sweeping characteristics, and considering the practical requirements of fixed-frequency scanning (i.e., beam scanning at a fixed frequency), fixed-frequency scanning leaky-wave antennas have emerged. Fixed-frequency scanning leaky-wave antennas generally load an electrically controlled switch or electrically adjustable dielectric onto the leaky-wave antenna. An external voltage is applied to change the on / off state of the switch or the electromagnetic properties of the dielectric, thereby changing the beam direction of the leaky-wave antenna at a fixed frequency point to achieve fixed-frequency beam scanning. This type of fixed-frequency scanning leaky-wave antenna is also called an electrically controlled scanning leaky-wave antenna. The most typical electrically controlled scanning leaky-wave antenna is based on a PIN diode or a varactor diode. In recent years, planar leaky-wave antennas have been widely studied. Planar leaky-wave antennas can be directly processed on printed circuit boards (PCBs) and have advantages such as low profile, easy processing, simple structure, easy feeding, high directivity, and beam scanning characteristics.

[0064] Gap waveguides (GWs) are a type of waveguide structure that exhibits characteristics similar to traditional waveguides while overcoming their limitations. Compared to common uniform waveguides, gap waveguides feature one or more slots embedded within the waveguide, with metal siding on either side and dielectric material filling the slots. This structure helps lower the waveguide's operating wavelength, reducing device size and losses. Gap waveguides are not only suitable for high-frequency microwave devices (millimeter wave and terahertz bands), but are also widely used in low-frequency radio transmission systems, such as microwave integrated circuits, broadband communication systems, and high-speed digital communications. Because they support wide bandwidths and offer low-distortion transmission, they are widely used in modern communications and radar systems.

[0065] A gap waveguide is a novel waveguide structure made of two parallel metal conductor plates. The upper plate acts as a perfect electric conductor (PEC), while the lower plate is composed of an artificial magnetic conductor (AMC) formed by a central metal ridge / air slot and periodic metal pins on either side. An air gap separates the upper and lower layers, allowing electromagnetic waves to propagate along the metal ridge / air slot. Gap waveguides primarily include ridge gap waveguides (RGWs), slot gap waveguides, and substrate-integrated gap waveguides. Ridge gap waveguides, which effectively address high-frequency loss and processing issues, have been widely studied.

[0066] A ridge gap waveguide consists of four parts: a metal ridge, periodically spaced metal pins, and top and bottom metal plates. Due to the bandgap characteristics of the electromagnetic band gap (EBG) structure within the operating frequency, it blocks the propagation of electromagnetic waves within a specific frequency band, confining them to the air gap above the metal ridge. Therefore, ridge gap waveguides do not have to worry about dielectric losses. Furthermore, the structure is relatively small, making it easier to miniaturize and integrate. Ridge gap waveguides not only possess transmission performance similar to rectangular waveguides, but also do not suffer from their drawbacks, making them a new option for millimeter-wave antenna design.

[0067] Beam squint refers to the deviation of an antenna's beam pointing as frequency changes due to factors such as bandwidth limitations and multi-frequency operation. This often results in poor antenna performance at some frequencies because the beam is not accurately pointing in the desired direction. To avoid beam squint, antenna design requires selecting an appropriate beam width and performing precise calibration and control. Antennas with low beam squint (i.e., small angular deviation) ensure minimal beam angle deviation as the scanning frequency changes.

[0068] Dispersion refers to the situation where light or electromagnetic waves of different wavelengths or frequencies propagate at different speeds in a medium. This phenomenon causes light or electromagnetic waves of different wavelengths or frequencies to disperse within the medium, propagating in different directions, resulting in dispersion effects such as dispersion relation and dispersion delay. Common dispersion phenomena include refractive dispersion, dispersion in dispersive lenses, and free-space dispersion. Dispersion is of great significance in physics and its applications, with widespread applications in fields such as optics, communications, and materials science. When the dispersion of an antenna is low, the antenna exhibits better beam tilt characteristics; in other words, low dispersion improves beam tilt characteristics.

[0069] The emergence of fifth-generation (5G) mobile communications has significantly boosted industrial development and improved people's quality of life. Its high-speed data transmission capabilities are widely used in areas such as the Internet of Things, autonomous driving, and virtual reality (VR) / augmented reality (AR). Millimeter-wave frequency bands can meet the broadband requirements of 5G mobile communications for high-speed data transmission, but they require highly directional antennas to mitigate severe path loss. These antennas must also possess beam scanning capabilities to achieve wide-area signal coverage.

[0070] Leaky-wave antennas are a type of beam-scanning antenna with advantages such as high directivity, low profile, simple feeding, and easy integration. Traditional leaky-wave antennas rely on frequency shifting to achieve multi-target coverage, but the recently popular electrically steered beam-scanning leaky-wave antennas offer a wider range of applications, as they can both sweep a beam across a wide frequency band and scan a beam at a fixed frequency within a narrow band. Gap waveguide technology enables low-loss transmission of electromagnetic waves at high frequencies. Applying this technology to electrically steered leaky-wave antennas can fully leverage their high gain and wide scanning range.

[0071] However, it's important to note that when an electrically controlled leaky-wave antenna is excited by a broadband signal, its beam angle shifts with frequency. This results in different gains at the target angle for beams of different frequencies, reducing the antenna's gain bandwidth and degrading the stability of the communication link. This phenomenon of beam scanning with frequency is commonly referred to as "beam squint." In millimeter-wave communications, leaky-wave antennas with low beam squint characteristics are required to minimize beam angle shifts as the scanning frequency changes. This ensures good gain and gain bandwidth, ensuring good communication performance.

[0072] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna provided by the related art, and Figure 2 is a comparison diagram of the phase constant curve. Figure 3 is a comparison diagram of the antenna beam scanning angle under different phase constants. As shown in Figure 1, the related art provides an electrically controlled leaky wave antenna based on a gap waveguide structure. The radiation slot 1 is located above the gap waveguide for radiating electromagnetic waves. Each radiation slot 1 is loaded with a PIN diode. By changing the on and off of the PIN diode, aperture fields of different period lengths can be achieved, thereby realizing electrically controlled beam scanning. The serrated ridge 2 is located on the central axis of the gap waveguide. By changing its height, the phase constant can be effectively changed, so that the gap waveguide transmission mode is converted from fast wave to slow wave, thereby suppressing fast wave radiation and realizing -1 spatial harmonic radiation.

[0073] In the related art shown in FIG1 , the serrated ridges 2 are used to adjust the phase constant of the gap waveguide. The resulting phase curve is the black rectangle in FIG2 . Its slope differs significantly from that of the phase curve of a light line, and the difference between the phase constant of this related art and that of light gradually increases with increasing frequency. The curve with white circles in FIG2 is the desired phase constant curve, with a slope closer to that of light and a relatively small phase constant value at high frequencies. The phase curve of light can reflect the characteristics of optical transmission. When electromagnetic waves are transmitted in a vacuum environment in TEM mode, their phase velocity is the same as the speed of light. Therefore, light lines are often used as a comparison item to compare the phase constants of other dispersive structures.

[0074] As shown in Figure 3, the beam angle of the antenna provided by the related art varies widely with frequency, resulting in strong dispersion. This leads to a serious problem of beam tilt in the antenna provided by the related art. Therefore, providing a low-dispersion electrically controlled beam-scanning leaky-wave antenna to improve the beam tilt characteristics has become an unresolved issue.

[0075] The embodiment of the present application provides a low-dispersion electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna and communication equipment. By introducing a strip ridge into the gap waveguide, the main mode of the gap waveguide transmission is changed from TE10 to a mixed mode of TE10 and TEM. The addition of the TEM mode weakens the dispersion of the transmitted electromagnetic wave, which can effectively improve the beam tilt characteristics of the antenna and improve the communication quality of the antenna. The present application combines a low-dispersion waveguide structure with an electrically controlled radiation structure, and the performance of low-dispersion electrically controlled beam scanning can be achieved. The leaky wave antenna provided in the embodiment of the present application is suitable for 5G millimeter wave (MMW) high-speed communication systems, base station communication systems, broadband large-capacity communication systems, vehicle (ship, aircraft) borne radars and "mobile communication" satellite communication systems, but is not limited thereto.

[0076] The present invention first provides an electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna provided in the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a portion of the structure of the leaky wave antenna provided in the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 is an exploded view of the structure of the leaky wave antenna provided in the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 is a side view of the leaky wave antenna provided in the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figures 4-7, the electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna provided in the first embodiment of the present invention includes a gap waveguide 10 and a plurality of radiating elements 20.

[0077] The gap waveguide 10 includes a strip ridge 14, which is used to transmit electromagnetic waves in the form of traveling waves. The strip ridge 14 extends within the gap waveguide 10 along the transmission direction of the electromagnetic waves. In other words, the electromagnetic waves propagate along the extension direction of the strip ridge 14. The strip ridge 14 is a long metal structure. For example, the material constituting the strip ridge 14 includes at least one of copper, aluminum, silver, and stainless steel. The strip ridge 14 can increase the phase constant of the gap waveguide, convert the fast wave transmission mode into a slow wave, and has low dispersion characteristics. The cross-sectional shape of the strip ridge 14 in Figures 6 and 7 can be rectangular, and can also be other shapes such as trapezoidal, rhombus, parallelogram, circular, or elliptical, which are not limited in this application. The strip ridge 14 can be located in the middle of the gap waveguide 10, and can extend through the entire gap waveguide 10, with the metal base plate 11 connected below. For example, the strip ridge 14 can be arranged along the transmission direction of the electromagnetic waves and located on the centerline or central axis of the metal base plate 11.

[0078] Multiple radiation units 20 are arranged on the side wall of the gap waveguide 10. Each radiation unit 20 includes a radiation slot 21 and an electrically controlled switch 22. The radiation slot 21 is used to leak the electromagnetic waves in the gap waveguide 10 into the free space to form a beam. The electrically controlled switch 22 is used to control the working state of the radiation slot 21 to realize the beam scanning of the leaky wave antenna.

[0079] Specifically, each radiation unit 20 includes a radiation slot 21 and an electrically controlled switch 22 that cooperate with each other, wherein the radiation slot 21 can radiate (leak) electromagnetic waves into the external environment, and the electrically controlled switch 22 is used to control the working state of the radiation slot 21. For example, the radiation slot 21 can be controlled to open to enter the working state (i.e., radiate electromagnetic waves outward), or the radiation slot 21 can be controlled to close to enter the non-working state (i.e., stop radiating electromagnetic waves). Controlling the radiation slot 21 to enter the working state means controlling the corresponding radiation unit 20 to enter the working state, and controlling the radiation slot 21 to enter the non-working state means controlling the corresponding radiation unit 20 to enter the non-working state. By controlling the working states of multiple radiation units 20, for example, some of the radiation units 20 can be controlled to work and the rest can be controlled not to work. By controlling different radiation units 20 to enter the working state, that is, through different arrangements and combinations, the beam of the leakage wave antenna can be made to achieve different directions and different beam radiation angles, thereby achieving the beam scanning characteristics of the leakage wave antenna.

[0080] According to the electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna provided by the embodiment of the present application, the gap waveguide 10 is used as the waveguide structure, so that the antenna still has a low insertion loss in millimeter waves. By introducing the strip ridge 14 into the gap waveguide 10, and the strip ridge 14 is extended along the transmission direction of the electromagnetic wave, the main mode transmitted by the gap waveguide 10 is changed from TE10 to a mixed mode of TE10 and TEM. In this way, on the one hand, the phase constant of the antenna will increase, so that the main mode works in the slow wave; on the other hand, the addition of the TEM mode weakens the dispersion of the transmitted electromagnetic wave. By controlling the height and width of the strip ridge 14 and the width of the gap waveguide 10, the size of the phase constant of the gap waveguide 10 and the proportion of the TEM mode in the mixed mode can be reasonably changed, and the transmission performance of slow wave and low dispersion can be met. By combining the low-dispersion waveguide structure with the electrically controlled radiation structure, the performance of low-dispersion electrically controlled beam scanning can be achieved, thereby effectively improving the beam tilt characteristics of the antenna and improving the communication quality of the antenna.

[0081] The electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna provided by the present application includes a plurality of radiation units 20, which can be arranged on one of the side walls of the gap waveguide 10 according to certain rules. Each radiation unit 20 includes a radiation slot 21 and an electrically controlled switch 22 that work in conjunction with each other. The radiation slot 21 can leak the electromagnetic waves in the gap waveguide 10 into the free space to form a beam, and the electrically controlled switch 22 can control the working state of the radiation slot 21 to achieve beam scanning of the leaky wave antenna. The above settings make the radiation beam of the leaky wave antenna provided by the present application have wide angle, high gain, and electrically controlled two-dimensional scanning characteristics. The radiation units are densely arranged, and the beam has good continuity. The electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna provided by the present application also has the advantages of low transmission loss, low profile, easy processing, and easy integration, so that the antenna has the advantages of high gain, high efficiency, low profile, lightweight, etc., and is suitable for future millimeter wave wireless communication systems.

[0082] As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna provided in the embodiment of the present application also includes a feeding structure 30, which is connected to the gap waveguide 10 and is used to feed electromagnetic waves into the gap waveguide 10 through the excitation port 15 of the gap waveguide 10. The feeding structure 30 is used to feed electromagnetic energy into the gap waveguide 10 through the excitation port 15. Typical types of feeding structures that can be selected from the feeding structure 30 include parallel feeding, series feeding, reflection surface feeding, lens feeding, and multi-channel independent signal feeding. In some cases, the feeding structure 30 can simultaneously feed electromagnetic waves into multiple gap waveguides 10 arranged in parallel.

[0083] As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna provided in the embodiment of the present application also includes a matching load 40, which is connected to the gap waveguide 10 and is used to absorb the remaining electromagnetic waves through the load interface 16 of the gap waveguide 10, thereby reducing the reflection of the electromagnetic waves and improving the communication quality of the antenna. The gap waveguide 10 can be an elongated structure as a whole, and the excitation port 15 and the load interface 16 can be located at the two ends of the elongated structure, or in other words, the feeding structure 30 and the matching load 40 are distributed at the two ends of the elongated gap waveguide 10. In some cases, when the remaining electromagnetic energy at the end of the gap waveguide 10 (i.e., the end with the load interface 16) is very little or less, the matching load 40 at the end can be removed.

[0084] As shown in FIG. 4 to FIG. 6 , the electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna provided in the embodiment of the present application further includes a beam control module 50 , which is configured to output a control signal to the electrically controlled switch 22 to implement beam scanning.

[0085] Specifically, the beam control module 50 is in communication with each electronically controlled switch 22. The beam control module 50 can output a control signal to the electronically controlled switch 22. The electronically controlled switch 22 further controls the working state of the radiating unit 20 according to the control signal, for example, controlling some radiating units 20 to enter the working state while the remaining radiating units 20 enter the non-working state (i.e., not working), thereby controlling the beam pointing in the antenna radiation pattern and realizing the electronically controlled beam scanning characteristics of the antenna. The present application uses a beam control module to provide a beam control signal for the antenna, and controls the working state of each radiating unit 20 through the electronically controlled switch 22. It has the advantages of fast response and high stability, and the beam control module 50 is easy to integrate with the antenna system.

[0086] Optionally, the beam control module 50 may be any type of controller or processor such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA) controller or a programmable logic controller (PLC).

[0087] The electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna provided in the embodiment of the present application is more related to the structural improvement of the gap waveguide 10. The structural details of the gap waveguide 10 are further defined below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0088] In the embodiments of the present application, the gap waveguide 10 is capable of transmitting electromagnetic waves at high frequencies and with low loss. It can be composed of multiple rows of bandgap pins, a metal base plate, and a dielectric plate with a metal layer. The multiple rows of bandgap pins are distributed on both sides of the channel of the gap waveguide 10, confining the electromagnetic waves in the middle. The bandgap pins in each row are arranged at equal intervals. The bandgap pins can be rectangular metal blocks that require connection to the metal base plate and the dielectric plate with a metal layer to achieve the bandgap characteristic. The metal base plate and the dielectric plate with a metal layer are located below and above the bandgap pins, respectively, and together with the bandgap pins form a waveguide structure.

[0089] Specifically, the gap waveguide 10 includes a metal base plate 11 and a cover plate 12, which are spaced apart from each other. The metal base plate 11 and the cover plate 12 can both be flat plates and arranged in parallel. Strip ridges 14 protrude from the surface of the metal base plate 11 facing the cover plate 12, with a gap between the strip ridges 14 and the cover plate 12, meaning they do not contact each other. Multiple radiating elements 20 are arranged on the cover plate 12 according to a specific pattern, enabling them to couple with the gap waveguide 10 to extract electromagnetic energy, or in other words, to leak electromagnetic waves into free space (the external environment).

[0090] FIG7 shows the structural parameters that affect the dispersion. The dispersion of the gap waveguide 10 can be effectively reduced by increasing the gap waveguide width w1, increasing the ridge width w2, and increasing the ridge height h1.

[0091] Furthermore, in the embodiment of the present application, the gap waveguide 10 further includes a metal pin array 13 . The metal pin array 13 includes a plurality of pins, and the plurality of pins are periodically arranged on both sides of the strip ridge 14 .

[0092] The metal pin array 13 forms an EBG structure, which exhibits a bandgap characteristic and prevents electromagnetic waves from propagating along non-ridge lines, thus preventing electromagnetic wave leakage. The pins' tips can abut against the cover plate 12, and their height is higher than that of the ridge strips 14. This not only ensures an air gap between the ridge strips 14 and the cover plate 12, but also better confines the electromagnetic waves within the waveguide.

[0093] As shown in Figures 5-7 , the pins of the metal pin array 13 are cylindrical and extend along the thickness of the gap waveguide 10. The cross-section of the cylindrical structure parallel to the plane of the metal base plate 11 can be any of rectangular, circular, square, elliptical, etc. It should be noted that in the embodiments of the present application, there are no limitations on the cross-sectional shape, height, width, spacing, and other dimensions or parameters of the pins.

[0094] In the embodiment of the present application, the radiation units 20 can be arranged on the cover plate 12 using various processes such as PCB, low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC), and wafer processing. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the embodiment of the present application provides a radiation unit array in a staggered arrangement. In other embodiments, the radiation units 20 can also be arranged in a non-staggered arrangement. One or more rows of radiation units 20 can be set on the cover plate 12, and the radiation units 20 in each row can be staggered.

[0095] For example, the plurality of radiation units 20 in the embodiment of the present application are arranged into two rows as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 , and the radiation units 20 in each row are staggered with each other.

[0096] Figure 8 is a side view of the cover 12 of the leaky wave antenna provided in Example 1 of the present application. Figure 9 is a top view of the cover 12 of the leaky wave antenna provided in Example 1 of the present application. Figure 10 is a bottom view of the cover 12 of the leaky wave antenna provided in Example 1 of the present application. As shown in Figures 8-10, in this embodiment of the present application, the cover 12 includes a dielectric substrate 123 and a first metal layer 121 disposed on the outer surface of the dielectric substrate 123. A radiation slot 21 is formed in the first metal layer 121, and an electrically controlled switch 22 is disposed on the inner surface of the dielectric substrate 123.

[0097] Optionally, the first metal layer 121 and the dielectric substrate 123 may be tightly combined into an integrated structure through machining, electroplating, hot pressing, or microelectronics processes.

[0098] Optionally, the cover plate 12 can be a PCB board, the dielectric substrate 123 can be an insulating dielectric board (layer) of the PCB board, and the first metal layer 121 can be a copper-clad layer of the PCB board. At this time, a radiation gap 21 can be opened on the first metal layer 121 through etching and other processes. Multiple radiation gaps 21 can be periodically arranged on the first metal layer 121 to form a gap array.

[0099] Optionally, the radiation slot 21 may be a slot of any shape, such as a rectangular slot, a circular slot, an elliptical slot, or a triangular slot. The radiation slot 21 directly leaks the electromagnetic waves in the gap waveguide 10 into free space.

[0100] As shown in Figures 5, 6 and 9, in an embodiment of the present application, the radiation gap 21 can be a rectangular gap (straight strip gap), and the angle formed between the long side of the rectangular gap and the transmission direction of the electromagnetic wave (that is, the extension direction of the strip ridge 14) is 0 degrees. At this time, the radiation gap 21 can also be called a longitudinal gap.

[0101] Optionally, the electrically controlled switch 22 may include tunable electronic components and / or tunable materials, and electrically controlled beam scanning is achieved through the above components or materials, which has the advantages of simple structure, low cost, fast beam response speed and large beam scanning range.

[0102] For example, the tunable electronic component may include at least one of a PIN diode, a varactor diode, a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) switch, and a photosensitive switch.

[0103] For example, the tunable material may include at least one of a ferroelectric material barium strontium titanate, an optoelectronic material graphene, a temperature-variable material vanadium dioxide, water, liquid crystal, and the like.

[0104] Optionally, the electronically controlled switch 22 may include a tunable electronic component (for example, an active electronic component), a metal patch, and a metal via. The metal patch is arranged on the inner surface of the dielectric substrate 123, the tunable electronic component is fixed on the metal patch, and the metal via passes through the dielectric substrate 123 and electrically connects the first metal layer 121 and the metal patch.

[0105] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electrically controlled switch 22 of the leaky wave antenna provided in the first embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figures 8, 10, and 11, in this embodiment of the present application, the electrically controlled switch 22 includes a first patch 221, a third patch 223, and a second patch 222, which are spaced apart in sequence. These three patches are all metal patches and are connected in a straight line that intersects (e.g., is perpendicular to) the projection of the elongated radiating slot 21. The third patch 223, located in the middle, can be located directly below the radiating slot 21. These three patches are arranged side by side on the inner surface of the dielectric substrate 123, forming a second metal layer 122, which can also be considered part of the cover 120.

[0106] Optionally, any functional devices such as capacitors, inductors, resistors, chips, integrated circuits, etc. can be set on the metal layer in the embodiment of the present application (for example, the first metal layer 121 and / or the second metal layer 122). This application does not limit this. In some cases, the above-mentioned functional devices can also be regarded as part of the metal layer.

[0107] Furthermore, the electronically controlled switch 22 also includes a first PIN diode 224, a second PIN diode 225, a first metal via 226, and a second metal via 227. The first metal via 226 extends through the dielectric substrate 123 to electrically connect the first patch 221 with the first metal layer 121, and the second metal via 227 extends through the dielectric substrate 123 to electrically connect the second patch 222 with the first metal layer 121. The first PIN diode 224 is connected to the first patch 221 at one end and to the third patch 223 at the other end. The second PIN diode 225 is connected to the second patch 222 at one end and to the third patch 223 at the other end. Any PIN diode can be connected to the patch by soldering, so the metal patches in the embodiments of the present application can also be understood as solder pads.

[0108] For a specific radiation unit 20, the beam control module 50 can control the first PIN diode 224 and the second PIN diode 225 of the radiation unit 20 to be turned on. In this case, the radiation slot 21 of the radiation unit 20 is short-circuited, the radiation unit 20 does not operate, and does not radiate electromagnetic waves outward, which can be represented by the number "0". Alternatively, the beam control module 50 can control the first PIN diode 224 and the second PIN diode 225 of the radiation unit 20 to be turned off. In this case, the radiation slot 21 of the radiation unit 20 is not short-circuited, the radiation unit 20 operates, and radiates electromagnetic waves outward, which can be represented by the number "1".

[0109] By controlling the "on" and "off" states of the PIN diode, the present application can control the short-circuiting and non-short-circuiting of the radiating slot 21, thereby enabling the radiating element 20 to have two digital coding states, "0" and "1." By controlling the "0" and "1" states of each radiating element 20 in the array, a digital coding scheme for the antenna is formed. By switching between different digital coding schemes, the beam control module 50 can control the beam pointing in the antenna radiation pattern, achieving the desired radiation pattern at the same specific frequency, thereby realizing beam scanning.

[0110] Table 1: Related technologies and examples 1 Digital coding scheme for antennas with a -40° angle at 30 GHz

[0111] The antenna structure provided by the related art shown in FIG1 (radiating slot 21 is a longitudinal slot) achieves a digital coding scheme for an antenna at a -40° angle at a frequency of 30 GHz as shown in the first row of Table 1. The antenna structure provided by Example 1 of the present application achieves a digital coding scheme for an antenna at a -40° angle at a frequency of 30 GHz as shown in the second row of Table 1. Each bit in Table 1 corresponds to a radiating element 20. The number "0" indicates that the corresponding radiating element 20 is not operating, while the number "1" indicates that the corresponding radiating element 20 is operating. At angles other than -40°, the antenna may have a digital coding scheme different from that shown in Table 1.

[0112] 8 to 11 , increasing the gap waveguide width w1, increasing the ridge width w2, and increasing the ridge height h1 can effectively reduce the dispersion of the gap waveguide 10. For example, as a specific example, w1 = 8 mm, w2 = 3 mm, and h1 = 3 mm.

[0113] Furthermore, the radiation unit 20 can be realized by etching slots on the printed circuit board and loading PIN diodes (the PIN diodes are located inside the structure). The printed circuit board is composed of a single-layer core board as shown in Figure 8, with an upper copper foil etched with a slot array and a lower copper foil etched with a pad (i.e., a metal patch). The basic unit of the etched slot array is a longitudinal slot, with a slot length of 2.5 mm (the dimension in the direction of electromagnetic wave transmission (x direction)) and a width of 0.5 mm (the dimension in the y direction perpendicular to the direction of electromagnetic wave transmission). The array has a total of 24 units, arranged in two rows. The spacing between the units in each row of slots is 3.4 mm, and the spacing between the two rows is 3.7 mm. The two rows of slots are staggered by 1.7 mm in the x direction. Figure 10 shows the structure of the electrically controlled switch 22. The 24 sets of electrically controlled switches 22 correspond one-to-one to the 24 radiation slots 21. The electrically controlled switch 22 includes a metal patch and a PIN diode. For specific structural details, please refer to the relevant introduction of Figure 11. The on and off of the electrically controlled PIN diode can realize the control of the radiation power of the longitudinal slot.

[0114] Figure 12 is a comparison diagram of phase constant curves between Example 1 and the related art. Figure 13 is a comparison diagram of antenna beam scanning angles between Example 1 and the related art. Figure 14 is a normalized radiation pattern between Example 1 and the related art, where part (a) of Figure 14 is the normalized radiation pattern of the related art, and part (b) of Figure 14 is the normalized radiation pattern of Example 1.

[0115] FIG12 compares the phase constants of the antenna structure proposed in the related art at 27 to 35 GHz and the antenna structure provided in Example 1 of the present application when the radiation slot 21 is a longitudinal slot. It can be seen that the slope of the phase constant curve of Example 1 is smaller, and the value and slope are closer to the light line, so its dispersion is also smaller. FIG13 and FIG14 illustrate that Example 1 has the characteristic of low dispersion by comparing the frequency scanning characteristics of the antenna when the operating frequency is 27 to 35 GHz, wherein the encoding of the beams in FIG13 and FIG14 is based on the aforementioned Table 1. It can be seen that when the frequency changes from 27 GHz to 35 GHz, the angle change of the related art is 44°, the angle change of Example 1 is 35°, and Example 1 of the present application has a smaller angle offset.

[0116] Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the leaky wave antenna provided in Example 2 of the present application. Figure 16 is a top view of the cover plate 12 of the leaky wave antenna provided in Example 2 of the present application. Figure 17 is a bottom view of the cover plate 12 of the leaky wave antenna provided in Example 2 of the present application.

[0117] Compared with the aforementioned embodiment 1, the radiation gap 21 in the embodiment 2 shown in Figures 15 to 17 can be a rectangular gap, the long side of which is perpendicular to the transmission direction of the electromagnetic wave (that is, the extension direction of the strip ridge 14), that is, the angle formed between the long side of the rectangular gap and the transmission direction of the electromagnetic wave is 90 degrees. At this time, the radiation gap 21 can also be called a transverse gap.

[0118] As shown in Figures 15 to 17, the radiation slot 21 of the radiation unit 20 can be a transverse slot. The radiation unit 20 can be realized by etching a transverse slot on a printed circuit board and loading a PIN diode (the PIN is located inside the structure). The printed circuit board is composed of a single-layer core board, with an upper copper foil etched with a slot array, and a lower copper foil etched with a pad (i.e., a metal patch). The basic unit of the etched slot array is a transverse slot, with a slot length of 2.5 mm (y-direction dimension) and a width of 0.5 mm (x-direction dimension). The array has a total of 24 units, arranged in two rows. The spacing between the units in each row of slots is 3.4 mm, and the spacing between the two rows is 3.7 mm. The two rows of slots are staggered by 1.7 mm in the x-direction. Figure 17 shows the structure of the electronically controlled switch 22. The 24 sets of electronically controlled switches 22 correspond one-to-one to the 24 radiation slots 21. The electronically controlled switch 22 includes a metal patch and a PIN diode. For specific structural details, please refer to the relevant introduction of Figure 11. The on and off of the electronically controlled PIN diode can realize the control of the longitudinal slot radiation power.

[0119] Table 2: Related technologies and Example 2 Digital coding scheme for antennas with a -40° angle at 30 GHz

[0120] The antenna structure provided by the related art shown in FIG1 (radiating slot 21 is a transverse slot) achieves a -40° antenna digital coding scheme at a frequency of 30 GHz as shown in the first row of Table 2. The antenna structure provided by Example 2 of the present application achieves a -40° antenna digital coding scheme at a frequency of 30 GHz as shown in the second row of Table 2. Each bit in Table 2 corresponds to a radiating element 20. The number "0" indicates that the corresponding radiating element 20 is not operating, while the number "1" indicates that the corresponding radiating element 20 is operating. At angles other than -40°, the antenna may have a digital coding scheme different from that shown in Table 2.

[0121] Figure 18 is a comparison of phase constant curves between Example 2 and the related art. Figure 19 is a comparison of antenna beam scanning angles between Example 2 and the related art. Figure 20 is a normalized radiation pattern between Example 2 and the related art, where part (a) of Figure 20 is the normalized radiation pattern of the related art, and part (b) of Figure 20 is the normalized radiation pattern of Example 2.

[0122] Figure 18 compares the phase constants of the antenna structure proposed in the related art at 27 to 35 GHz and the antenna structure provided in Example 2 of the present application when the radiation slot 21 is a transverse slot. It can be seen that the slope of the phase constant curve of Example 2 is smaller, and the value and slope are closer to the light line, so its dispersion is also smaller. Figures 19 and 20 illustrate that Example 2 has the characteristic of low dispersion by comparing the frequency scanning characteristics of the antenna when the operating frequency is 27 to 35 GHz, where the encoding of the beams in Figures 19 and 20 is based on the aforementioned Table 2. It can be seen that when the frequency changes from 27 GHz to 35 GHz, the angle change of the related art is 49°, the angle change of Example 2 is 35°, and Example 2 of the present application has a smaller angle offset.

[0123] Figure 21 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the leaky wave antenna provided in Example 3 of the present application. Figure 22 is an exploded view of the structure of the leaky wave antenna provided in Example 3 of the present application. Figure 23 is a side view of the leaky wave antenna provided in Example 3 of the present application.

[0124] Compared with the aforementioned first and second embodiments, the metal pin array 13 (i.e., bandgap pins) of the gap waveguide 10 in the third embodiment shown in Figures 21 to 23 is replaced with a metal baffle 17, thereby achieving a shielding effect while simplifying processing.

[0125] Specifically, the gap waveguide 10 further includes metal baffles 17 disposed on either side of the strip-shaped ridge 14. The two metal baffles 17 are parallel to each other and spaced apart, connecting the metal base plate 11 and the cover plate 12 on either side, thereby defining the inner cavity of the gap waveguide 10. For example, the metal baffles 17 can be made of any metal material, such as aluminum or copper.

[0126] One end of the metal baffle 17 is connected to the metal base plate 11, and the other end is connected to the cover plate 12. The cover plate 12 is, for example, a PCB. The metal baffle 17 and the cover plate 12 can be connected and fixed by metal screws 19. For example, screw holes are provided on both the metal baffle 17 and the cover plate 12. On the one hand, this facilitates fastening the two together with the metal screws 19. On the other hand, the metal screws 19 have a bandgap function, and through dense arrangement, they can prevent energy (electromagnetic wave) leakage.

[0127] Figure 24 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the leaky wave antenna provided in Example 4 of the present application. Figure 25 is a top view of the cover plate of the leaky wave antenna provided in Example 4 of the present application. Figure 26 is a bottom view of the cover plate of the leaky wave antenna provided in Example 4 of the present application.

[0128] Compared with the aforementioned embodiments one, two and three, the radiation slot 21 in the fourth embodiment shown in Figures 24 to 26 can be a rectangular slot, and the angle formed between the long side of the rectangular slot and the transmission direction of the electromagnetic wave is 45 degrees, that is, the radiation unit 20 can also be polarized at 45°, thereby having polarization diversity.

[0129] On the other hand, an embodiment of the present application further provides a communication device, comprising the electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna provided by any of the aforementioned embodiments.

[0130] Optionally, the communication device may be, for example, a base station, a radar, a mobile terminal (such as a mobile phone), or any other communication device that utilizes an antenna structure to transmit energy or electromagnetic waves, but is not limited thereto.

[0131] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present application, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included in the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. An electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna, characterized in that: include: A gap waveguide (10) comprising a strip ridge (14), the gap waveguide (10) being used to transmit electromagnetic waves in the form of traveling waves, the strip ridge (14) extending along the transmission direction of the electromagnetic waves and arranged in the gap waveguide (10); A plurality of radiation units (20) are arranged on the side wall of the gap waveguide (10), each of the radiation units (20) comprising a radiation slot (21) and an electrically controlled switch (22), the radiation slot (21) being used to leak electromagnetic waves in the gap waveguide (10) into free space to form a beam, and the electrically controlled switch (22) being used to control the working state of the radiation slot (21) to achieve beam scanning.

2. The electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gap waveguide (10) further comprises a metal base plate (11) and a cover plate (12) which are arranged opposite to each other and at intervals, the strip ridge (14) being protrudingly arranged on the surface of the metal base plate (11) facing the cover plate (12), with a gap between the strip ridge (14) and the cover plate (12), and the plurality of radiation units (20) being arranged on the cover plate (12).

3. The electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna according to claim 2, characterized in that: The gap waveguide (10) further comprises a metal pin array (13), wherein the metal pin array (13) comprises a plurality of pins, and the plurality of pins are periodically arranged on both sides of the strip ridge (14).

4. The electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna according to claim 2, characterized in that: The gap waveguide (10) further comprises metal baffles (17) arranged on both sides of the strip ridge (14).

5. The electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna according to claim 4, characterized in that: The metal baffle plate (17) and the cover plate (12) are connected and fixed via metal screws (19).

6. The electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that: The cover plate (12) comprises a dielectric substrate (123) and a first metal layer (121) arranged on the outer surface of the dielectric substrate (123); the radiation gap (21) is formed on the first metal layer (121); and the electric control switch (22) is arranged on the inner surface of the dielectric substrate (123).

7. The electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The electrically controlled switch (22) comprises at least one of a PIN diode, a varactor diode, a micro-electromechanical switch and a photosensitive switch.

8. The electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The radiation slot (21) is a rectangular slot, and the angle formed between the long side of the rectangular slot and the transmission direction of the electromagnetic wave is 0 degrees, 45 degrees or 90 degrees.

9. The electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The plurality of radiation units (20) are arranged in a plurality of rows, and the radiation units (20) in each row are arranged in an interlaced manner.

10. The electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna also includes: A feeding structure (30) is connected to the gap waveguide (10) and is used to feed electromagnetic waves into the gap waveguide (10).

11. The electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that: The electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna also includes: A matching load (40) is connected to the gap waveguide (10) and is used to absorb the remaining electromagnetic waves.

12. The electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that: The electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna also includes: The beam control module (50) is used to output a control signal to the electric control switch (22) to achieve beam scanning.

13. A communication device, characterized in that: It comprises an electrically controlled beam scanning leaky wave antenna as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12.

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