Leaky wave antenna and communication device

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application provide a leaky wave antenna and a communication device, aiming to improve the communication performance of the leaky wave antenna. According to the leaky wave antenna provided by the present application, a waveguide structure comprises a plurality of transmission channels, a plurality of slots are formed in an array on a grounding layer, each row of slots corresponds to one transmission channel, there are a plurality of radiators, and each radiator corresponds to one slot; there are a plurality of variable impedance devices, each variable impedance device corresponds to one slot and is located on the side of the slot facing the transmission channel, one end of each variable impedance device is grounded, and the other end of each variable impedance device is connected to one bias line. By means of a bias line, the variable impedance device connected to the bias line can be controlled so as to control the radiator corresponding to the variable impedance device to emit a signal outward; moreover, each variable impedance device is connected to one bias line, so that individual control over each radiator can be achieved, allowing for individual control of the beam formed by each transmission channel, improving the communication performance of the leaky wave antenna.

Description

Leaky wave antennas and communication equipment

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the State Intellectual Property Office on November 29, 2023, with application number 202311628332.X and application name “Leaky Wave Antenna and Communication Equipment”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The embodiments of the present application relate to the field of communication technology, and specifically to a leaky-wave antenna and communication equipment. Background Art

[0003] The leaky wave antenna includes a waveguide, a radiator, and a PIN diode. There are multiple waveguides, each with a transmission channel. The transmission channels are arranged in parallel and spaced apart. Each transmission channel has multiple slots spaced apart along the direction of signal transmission, i.e., each slot array is arranged. There are multiple radiators, arranged in an array, with each radiator corresponding to a slot. A PIN diode is arranged between each slot and the transmission channel. Each PIN diode array is arranged, with one end of each PIN diode grounded. The PIN diodes corresponding to each transmission channel are located in the same row, and the other ends of the PIN diodes in the same column are connected by the same bias line. During operation, the signal in the transmission channel is coupled to the corresponding radiator through the slot, causing the radiator to emit a signal outward. The bias line can control the state of the PIN diodes in the same column, thereby controlling the signal to pass through the corresponding slot. However, the other ends of the PIN diodes in the same column are connected by the same bias line, and the beam formed by each waveguide is the same, resulting in poor communication performance of the leaky wave antenna.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] The embodiments of the present application provide a leaky-wave antenna and a communication device, aiming to improve the communication performance of the leaky-wave antenna.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the embodiments of the present application adopt the following technical solutions:

[0007] On the one hand, an embodiment of the present application provides a leaky wave antenna, including a waveguide structure, a ground layer, a radiator, and a variable impedance device. The waveguide structure includes multiple transmission channels, and each transmission channel is arranged in parallel and at intervals. The ground layer is arrayed with multiple slots, and each row of slots corresponds to a transmission channel. There are multiple radiators, each radiator corresponds to a slot, and is located on the side of the slot away from the transmission channel. There are multiple variable impedance devices, each variable impedance device corresponds to a slot, and is located on the side of the slot facing the transmission channel. One end of each variable impedance device is grounded, and the other end of each variable impedance device is connected to a bias line.

[0008] The leaky wave antenna provided by the present application has a waveguide structure including multiple transmission channels, each of which is arranged in parallel and spaced apart. A plurality of slots are arranged in an array on the ground layer, each row of slots corresponds to a transmission channel, and there are multiple radiators, each of which corresponds to a slot and is located on the side of the slot facing away from the transmission channel; there are multiple variable resistors, each of which corresponds to a slot and is located on the side of the slot facing the transmission channel, one end of each variable resistor is grounded, and the other end of each variable resistor is connected to a bias line. The variable resistor connected to the bias line can be controlled by the bias line to control the radiator corresponding to the variable resistor to emit a signal outward; and each variable resistor is connected to a bias line, thereby realizing individual control of each radiator, and thus individually controlling the beam formed by each transmission channel, thereby improving the communication performance of the leaky wave antenna.

[0009] In some embodiments, the leaky wave antenna also includes a first conductive layer, which is arranged parallel to and spaced apart from the ground layer, and the first conductive layer is located on the side of the ground layer facing the transmission channel; the first conductive layer includes a plurality of pads and bias lines, each pad is grounded, and one end of each variable impedance is connected to a pad.

[0010] Through the above setting, one end of the variable resistor is grounded through the pad, and the other end is connected to a bias line, so that each variable resistor can be controlled to be turned off or on through each bias line, and whether the corresponding radiator emits a signal outward can be individually controlled.

[0011] In some embodiments, a first conductive structure is disposed between each pad and the ground layer, and the pad is connected to the ground layer through the first conductive structure.

[0012] Through the above setting, since the ground layer and the pads in the first conductive layer need to be grounded, after the first conductive structure connects the pads and the ground layer, it is only necessary to ground the pads or ground the ground layer, so that the ground layer and the pads can be grounded at the same time, reducing the number of leakage wave antenna grounding lines and reducing the difficulty of making leakage wave antenna grounding lines.

[0013] In some embodiments, the leaky wave antenna also includes a second conductive layer, which is arranged parallel to and spaced apart from the ground layer, and the second conductive layer is located on the side of the ground layer away from the first conductive layer. The second conductive layer includes a plurality of first conductive wires spaced apart, and each first conductive wire is connected to a bias line.

[0014] Through the above arrangement, each bias line is connected to the corresponding first conductive line. Energizing the first conductive line is equivalent to energizing the bias line connected thereto, thereby enabling the bias line to provide voltage to the variable resistor. Furthermore, since the second conductive layer is located on the side of the ground layer away from the first conductive layer, that is, the first conductive line and the bias line are not arranged on the same layer, the layout of the first conductive layer is flexible, and it is possible to avoid connection between adjacent first conductive lines, thereby avoiding connection between adjacent bias lines.

[0015] In some embodiments, a second conductive structure is disposed between each first conductive line and the corresponding bias line, and the first conductive line is connected to the corresponding bias line through the second conductive structure.

[0016] Through the above arrangement, since the first wire and the bias line are not arranged in the same layer, one end of the second conductive structure is connected to the first wire, and the other end of the second conductive structure is linked to the corresponding bias line, thereby achieving connection between the first wire and the corresponding bias line.

[0017] In some embodiments, a first avoidance hole is provided on the ground layer, and the second conductive structure passes through the first avoidance hole.

[0018] With the above arrangement, since the ground layer needs to be grounded, the second conductive structure passes through the first avoidance hole, thereby isolating the second conductive structure from the ground layer, thereby preventing leakage between the second conductive structure and the ground layer, which would cause failure of the corresponding bias line.

[0019] In some embodiments, the leaky wave antenna also includes a third conductive layer, which is arranged parallel to and spaced apart from the ground layer, and the third conductive layer is located between the second conductive layer and the ground layer; the third conductive layer includes a plurality of spaced apart second conductive wires, each second conductive wire is connected to a bias line, several bias lines are connected to the second conductive wire, and the remaining bias lines are connected to the first conductive wire.

[0020] Through the above arrangement, a bias line is connected to a corresponding second conductive line. Energizing the second conductive line is equivalent to energizing the bias line connected thereto, thereby enabling the bias line to provide a voltage to the variable resistor. Furthermore, since the third conductive layer is located between the second conductive layer and the ground layer, i.e., the second conductive lines and the bias lines are not arranged on the same layer, the layout of the second conductive lines is flexible, and it is possible to avoid connection between adjacent second conductive lines, thereby avoiding connection between corresponding adjacent bias lines. Furthermore, since several bias lines are connected to the second conductive line and the remaining bias lines are connected to the first conductive line, and the third conductive layer and the second conductive layer are not arranged on the same layer, compared to embodiments in which the leaky wave antenna includes only the second conductive layer, the third conductive layer can be connected to other bias lines, thereby increasing the number of radiators that can be arranged in the leaky wave antenna and facilitating expansion of the leaky wave antenna in the row or column direction.

[0021] In some embodiments, a third conductive structure is disposed between each second conductive line and the corresponding bias line, and the second conductive line is connected to the corresponding bias line through the third conductive structure.

[0022] Through the above arrangement, since the second wire and the bias line are not arranged in the same layer, one end of the third conductive structure is connected to the second wire, and the other end of the third conductive structure is linked to the corresponding bias line, thereby achieving connection between the second wire and the corresponding bias line.

[0023] In some embodiments, a second avoidance hole is provided on the ground layer, and the third conductive structure passes through the second avoidance hole.

[0024] With the above arrangement, since the ground layer needs to be grounded, the third conductive structure passes through the second avoidance hole, thereby isolating the third conductive structure from the ground layer, thereby preventing leakage between the third conductive structure and the ground layer, which would cause failure of the corresponding bias line.

[0025] In some embodiments, the leaky wave antenna further includes a plurality of pins, each pin is connected to a bias line, and a center line of the pin is perpendicular to the ground layer.

[0026] Through the above arrangement, each bias line is connected to the corresponding pin, and energizing the pin is equivalent to energizing the bias line connected to it, thereby enabling the bias line to provide voltage to the variable resistor. Since the center line of the pin is perpendicular to the ground layer, the bias line is avoided from being led out in the row direction or column direction, which can reduce the size of the leaky wave antenna in the row direction or column direction, making it easier for the leaky wave antenna to increase the number of radiators in the row direction or column direction.

[0027] In some embodiments, the leaky wave antenna also includes a first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer, and a plurality of jacks arranged in an array, the first dielectric layer is stacked between the ground layer and the variable resistor; the second dielectric layer is stacked between the ground layer and the radiator; each jack passes through the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer, and each pin is inserted into a jack; a conductive side wall is provided on the hole wall of the jack, and the conductive side wall is connected to the corresponding bias line.

[0028] Through the above arrangement, each pin is inserted into the corresponding socket, and is connected to the corresponding bias line through the conductive side wall of the socket.

[0029] In some embodiments, a projection of a row of pins corresponding to a row of slots on the waveguide structure is located between adjacent transmission channels.

[0030] Through the above arrangement, the pins are located between adjacent transmission channels, which can prevent the pins from affecting the transmission of electromagnetic waves in the transmission channels.

[0031] In some embodiments, the leaky wave antenna further includes a power divider, which includes an input end and multiple output ends, each output end is connected to the input end; each output end is configured to send a signal to a transmission channel.

[0032] Through the above arrangement, all output ends can output electromagnetic waves with the same amplitude and phase, thereby making the electromagnetic waves transmitted in each transmission channel have the same amplitude and phase.

[0033] In some embodiments, there are two power splitters, one power splitter is arranged at one end of the transmission channel, and the other power splitter is arranged at the other end of the transmission channel.

[0034] Through the above arrangement, the power divider at one end of the transmission channel is used to input electromagnetic waves into the transmission channel, and the power divider at the other end of the transmission channel is used to integrate the electromagnetic waves transmitted from the transmission channel and discharge them into the air.

[0035] In some embodiments, the waveguide structure includes a base plate and a plurality of columns disposed on the base plate, wherein the plurality of columns are arranged in an array, and a transmission channel is formed between two adjacent rows of columns.

[0036] With the above arrangement, two adjacent rows of columns forming a transmission channel can prevent electromagnetic waves in the transmission channel from propagating to other transmission channels, prevent electromagnetic waves in adjacent transmission channels from interfering with each other, and reduce the loss generated when electromagnetic waves are transmitted in the transmission channel.

[0037] In some embodiments, the waveguide structure further includes a plurality of first ridge structures, which are located in the transmission channel and extend along the signal transmission direction.

[0038] Through the above-mentioned setting, setting the first ridge structure in the transmission channel is equivalent to moving the ground plane into the transmission channel, limiting the electric field in the transmission channel, increasing the capacitance of the transmission channel, and reducing the cutoff frequency of the waveguide structure. The frequency of the electromagnetic wave transmitted in the transmission channel can be reduced to make it a slow wave.

[0039] On the other hand, an embodiment of the present application further provides a communication device, which includes a radio frequency unit and the above-mentioned leaky wave antenna, and the radio frequency unit is used to send a radio frequency signal to the leaky wave antenna.

[0040] It can be understood that the beneficial effects that can be achieved by the communication equipment provided by the above embodiments of the present application can refer to the beneficial effects of the leaky wave antenna mentioned above, and will not be repeated here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of this application, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in some embodiments of this application. Obviously, the drawings described below are only drawings of some embodiments of this application, and those skilled in the art can also derive other drawings based on these drawings. Furthermore, the drawings described below are schematic diagrams and are not intended to limit the actual dimensions of the products, actual processes of the methods, actual timing of signals, and the like involved in the embodiments of this application.

[0042] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the connection of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0043] FIG2 is an axonometric view of a leaky-wave antenna according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0044] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of a waveguide structure in an embodiment of the present application;

[0045] FIG4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a waveguide structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0046] FIG5 is a schematic structural diagram of a waveguide structure in an embodiment of the present application;

[0047] FIG6 is a structural diagram of a leaky-wave antenna in an embodiment of the present application;

[0048] FIG7 is a second structural diagram of a leaky-wave antenna in an embodiment of the present application;

[0049] FIG8 is a third structural diagram of a leaky-wave antenna in an embodiment of the present application;

[0050] FIG9 is a graph showing the amplitude of electromagnetic waves radiated by a corresponding radiator when the PIN diode is turned off or on at different frequencies of electromagnetic waves in an embodiment of the present application;

[0051] FIG10 is a schematic diagram of a radiator arranged in a control array according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0052] FIG11 is a beam pattern formed corresponding to the solution in FIG10 in an embodiment of the present application;

[0053] FIG12 is a schematic structural diagram of the second conductive layer in an embodiment of the present application;

[0054] FIG13 is a schematic diagram showing the connection between the first wire and the radiator in an embodiment of the present application;

[0055] FIG14 is a fourth structural diagram of a leaky-wave antenna in an embodiment of the present application;

[0056] FIG15 is a fifth structural diagram of a leaky-wave antenna in an embodiment of the present application;

[0057] FIG16 is a schematic structural diagram of the third conductive layer in an embodiment of the present application;

[0058] FIG17 is a sixth structural diagram of a leaky-wave antenna in an embodiment of the present application;

[0059] FIG18 is a seventh structural diagram of a leaky-wave antenna in an embodiment of the present application;

[0060] FIG19 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the radiator and the pins in an embodiment of the present application;

[0061] FIG20 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the pins and the transmission channel in an embodiment of the present application;

[0062] FIG21 is a schematic structural diagram of a power divider according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0063] FIG22 is a phase curve diagram of electromagnetic waves output from each output end of the power divider at different frequencies of the electromagnetic waves in an embodiment of the present application;

[0064] FIG23 is a graph showing the reflection coefficient of electromagnetic waves output from each output end of the power divider at different frequencies of the electromagnetic waves in an embodiment of the present application.

[0065] Explanation of the reference numerals: 1. Communication device; 2. Indoor baseband processing unit; 3. Radio frequency unit; 4. Leaky wave antenna; 5. Waveguide structure; 6. Ground layer; 7. Radiator; 8. Bottom plate; 9. Column; 10. Transmission channel; 11. First ridge structure; 12. Gap; 13. First radiator; 14. Second radiator; 15. Variable impedance device; 16. Bias line; 17. PIN diode; 18. First dielectric layer; 19. Second dielectric layer; 20. First prepreg; 21. First conductive layer; 22. Pad; 23. First conductive layer structure; 24. second conductive layer; 25. first wire; 26. second conductive structure; 27. third dielectric layer; 28. second semi-cured sheet; 29. ​​first avoidance hole; 30. third conductive layer; 31. second wire; 32. third conductive structure; 33. second avoidance hole; 34. pin; 35. jack; 36. conductive side wall; 37. waveguide substructure; 38. first column; 39. second column; 40. third avoidance hole; 41. power divider; 42. input end; 43. output end; 44. input channel; 45. second ridge structure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0066] To make the purpose, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application more clear, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0067] In the following, the terms "first," "second," etc. are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly specify the quantity of the technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature specified as "first," "second," etc. may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features.

[0068] In addition, in the embodiments of the present application, directional terms such as "up", "down", "left", "right", "horizontal" and "vertical" are defined relative to the orientation of the components in the drawings. It should be understood that these directional terms are relative concepts. They are used for relative description and clarification, and they can change accordingly according to changes in the orientation of the components in the drawings.

[0069] In the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the term "connection" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integrated connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium.

[0070] Please refer to Figure 1. An embodiment of the present application provides a communication device 1. The communication device 1 may include a communication base station, an electronic device, etc. In the implementation mode in which the communication device 1 includes a communication base station, the communication device 1 may include a BBU (Building Baseband Unit, indoor baseband processing unit 2), an RRU (Radio Remote Unit, radio frequency remote unit (referred to as radio frequency unit 3 in the embodiment of the present application)) and a leaky wave antenna 4. One end of the radio frequency unit 3 is connected to the indoor baseband processing unit 2, and the other end of the radio frequency unit 3 is connected to the leaky wave antenna 4. Among them, the indoor baseband processing unit 2 is used to complete channel encoding and decoding, modulation and demodulation of baseband signals and protocol processing, including generating control instructions and generating radio frequency signals; the leaky wave antenna 4 is used to transmit and receive radio frequency signals; the radio frequency unit 3 is used to send control instructions and radio frequency signals to the leaky wave antenna 4, and is also used to transmit the radio frequency signals received by the leaky wave antenna 4 to the indoor baseband processing unit 2. The leaky wave antenna 4 in the embodiment of the present application should be understood as being used in conjunction with the radio frequency unit 3. The leaky wave antenna 4 transmits the radio frequency signal sent by the radio frequency unit 3 into the air in the form of a wireless signal. The leaky wave antenna 4 may include an electrically adjustable antenna, a mechanical antenna, etc.

[0071] It is understood that in the embodiment of the present application, information exchange between the RF unit 3 and the leaky wave antenna 4 (including antenna control instructions, transmitted operation results, etc.) is performed via a RF coaxial cable. In an implementation in which the communication device 1 includes an electronic device, the electronic device may include a housing, the RF unit 3, and the leaky wave antenna 4, with the leaky wave antenna 4 and the RF unit 3 both disposed within the housing. The electronic device may further include a controller, which is also disposed within the housing and is electrically connected to the leaky wave antenna 4 and the RF unit 3.

[0072] In the above implementation, the electronic device may include a wireless router or a mobile phone. In an implementation where the electronic device includes a wireless router, the leaky wave antenna 4 may include a WIFI (Wireless-Fidelity) antenna. In an implementation where the electronic device includes a mobile phone, the leaky wave antenna 4 may include a main antenna or a diversity antenna, or both, wherein the main antenna is responsible for transmitting and receiving signals, and the diversity antenna is only responsible for receiving signals but not transmitting them. In an implementation where the leaky wave antenna 4 includes both the main antenna and the diversity antenna, the signals received by the main antenna and the signals received by the diversity antenna may be combined and processed, thereby improving the reception effect of the leaky wave antenna 4.

[0073] Please refer to Figure 2. The leaky wave antenna 4 provided in the embodiment of the present application may include a waveguide structure 5, a ground layer 6 (as shown in Figure 6) and a radiator 7, wherein the waveguide structure 5 may include a slot gap waveguide, a ridge gap waveguide, etc. In the embodiment of the present application, the waveguide structure 5 is used to receive radio frequency signals (that is, for receiving electromagnetic waves) and couple the signals to the radiator 7 so that the radiator 7 emits signals outward. Please refer to Figure 3. The waveguide structure 5 may include a base plate 8 and a plurality of columns 9 arranged on the base plate 8. The plurality of columns 9 are arranged in an array, and a transmission channel 10 is formed between two adjacent rows of columns 9 (the x direction in Figure 3 is the column direction of the columns, and the y direction is the row direction of the columns). Then the waveguide structure 5 may include a plurality of transmission channels 10, each transmission channel 10 is arranged in parallel and spaced apart, and the extension direction of the transmission channel 10 is parallel to the row direction of the column 9 array. The signal received by the waveguide structure 5 is transmitted within each transmission channel 10 along the direction in which the transmission channel 10 extends. The primary mode of electromagnetic wave propagation within the transmission channel 10 is the TE10 mode (where the TE mode is the transverse electric mode). The base plate 8 and the columns 9 can both be made of metal. Through the above arrangement, the two adjacent rows of columns 9 forming the transmission channel 10 can prevent electromagnetic waves within the transmission channel 10 from propagating to other transmission channels 10, preventing electromagnetic waves within adjacent transmission channels 10 from interfering with each other, and reducing losses incurred during electromagnetic wave transmission within the transmission channel 10. Please refer to Figure 4. For example, the center line of the column 9 can be perpendicular to the base plate 8, and the height of the column 9 (the length in the direction parallel to the center line) can be 2mm-6mm (for example, 2mm, 4mm, 6mm, etc.); please refer to Figure 5, the projection of the column 9 on the base plate 8 can be a regular shape such as a circle or a rectangle. Of course, the projection can also be other irregular shapes. In the implementation method in which the projection is a rectangle, the side length of the rectangle can be 0.6mm-1mm. For example, the rectangle can be a square of 0.8mm*0.8mm; in the row direction, the spacing between the center lines of two adjacent columns 9 can be 2mm-6mm (for example, 2mm, 4mm, 6mm, etc.); in the column direction, the spacing between two adjacent columns 9 can be 6.8mm-8mm (for example, 6.8mm, 7.4mm, 8mm).

[0074] It is understandable that the signals transmitted in each transmission channel 10 can be same-frequency signals or different-frequency signals, and the embodiment of the present application does not limit this.

[0075] Continuing with FIG3 , in the above embodiment, the waveguide structure 5 may further include multiple first ridge structures 11 . These multiple first ridge structures 11 are located within the transmission channel 10 , with one first ridge structure 11 located within each transmission channel 10 and extending along the signal transmission direction. The first ridge structures 11 are disposed on the base plate 8 . Referring to FIG4 , the side of the first ridge structure 11 facing away from the base plate 8 is closer to the base plate 8 than the end of the pillar 9 facing away from the base plate 8 , meaning that the height of the first ridge structure 11 is less than the height of the pillar 9 . With this arrangement, the provision of the first ridge structure 11 within the transmission channel 10 is equivalent to moving the ground plane into the transmission channel 10, limiting the electric field within the transmission channel 10 and increasing the capacitance of the transmission channel 10, thereby lowering the cutoff frequency of the waveguide structure 5 . It is understood that when the signal frequency is above the cutoff frequency, the signal is allowed to pass; when the signal frequency is below the cutoff frequency, the signal output is significantly attenuated. Therefore, by lowering the cutoff frequency of the waveguide structure 5 , the first ridge structure 11 can reduce the frequency of the electromagnetic wave transmitted within the transmission channel 10, slowing it down. Continuing with reference to FIG4 , illustratively, the length of the first ridge structure 11 in the row direction can be approximately equal to the length of the transmission channel 10; the width of the first ridge structure 11 in the column direction can be 2.3 mm to 2.7 mm (e.g., 2.3 mm, 2.5 mm, 2.7 mm), wherein the first ridge structure 11 can be located at the center of two adjacent columns 9 in the column direction; the height of the first ridge structure 11 (the length of the first ridge structure 11 perpendicular to the surface where the bottom plate 8 and the first ridge structure 11 are connected) can be 2 mm to 2.4 mm (e.g., 2 mm, 2.2 mm, 2.4 mm). In some embodiments, the height of the first ridge structure 11 can vary periodically along the row direction, that is, the first ridge structure 11 includes a plurality of protrusions and a plurality of grooves that alternate in sequence along the row direction.

[0076] Continuing with reference to Figures 4 and 6, in the embodiment of the present application, a ground layer 6 covers the waveguide structure 5. The ground layer 6 is arranged parallel to and spaced apart from the base plate 8. The column 9 is located between the base plate 8 and the ground layer 6. The ground layer 6 can enclose the transmission channel 10. The radiator 7 is arranged on the side of the ground layer 6 away from the transmission channel 10 (as shown in Figure 2). A plurality of slots 12 are arranged in an array on the ground layer 6, with each row of slots 12 corresponding to a transmission channel 10. The radiator 7 is located on the side of the slots 12 away from the transmission channel 10, and each radiator 7 corresponds to a slot 12. The signal in the transmission channel 10 can be coupled to the corresponding radiator 7 through the slot 12, so that the radiator 7 emits a signal outward.

[0077] Referring to FIG7 , in some embodiments, each transmission channel 10 is provided with two rows of slots 12 (as shown in FIG6 ), meaning that each transmission channel 10 is provided with two rows of radiators 7. For example, referring to FIG8 , the waveguide structure 5 includes 16 rows of transmission channels 10, and the leaky-wave antenna 4 includes 32 rows of radiators 7. Continuing with FIG7 , in the embodiment described above where the spacing between two adjacent columns 9 is 7.4 mm, the spacing between the geometric centers of the radiators 7 in two adjacent rows can be 3.7 mm. The two rows of radiators 7 corresponding to the same transmission channel 10 include a plurality of first radiators 13 7 in a first row of radiators 7 and a plurality of second radiators 14 7 in a second row of radiators 7. The first straight line in the column direction of each first radiator 13 7 is located between two second straight lines in the column direction of each adjacent second radiator 14 7. For example, the spacing between the geometric centers of two adjacent first radiators 13 7 in the row direction is 3.4 mm, and the spacing between the geometric centers of a first radiator 13 7 and its adjacent second radiator 14 7 in the row direction is 1.7 mm. In the above embodiment, the projection of the radiator 7 perpendicular to the array direction has a length of 2 mm in the row direction and a length of 2.1 mm in the column direction.

[0078] Continuing with reference to Figure 6, in the above embodiment, the leaky wave antenna 4 may further include a variable impedance device 15, and the variable impedance device 15 may include multiple variable impedance devices 15, each variable impedance device 15 corresponds to a slot 12, and is located on the side of the slot 12 facing the transmission channel 10 (as shown in Figure 3), one end of each variable impedance device 15 is grounded, and the other end of each variable impedance device 15 is connected to a bias line 16. Exemplarily, the variable impedance 15 may include a PIN diode 17, one end of the PIN diode 17 is grounded, and the other end of the PIN diode 17 is connected to a bias line 16, and the bias line 16 is used to provide a voltage to the PIN diode 17 to change the switching state of the PIN diode 17; combined with Figure 6 and Figure 9, Figure 9 shows the amplitude of the electromagnetic wave radiated by the corresponding radiator 7 when the PIN diode 17 is turned off and the amplitude of the electromagnetic wave radiated by the corresponding radiator 7 when the PIN diode 17 is turned on at different frequencies of the electromagnetic wave. It can be seen that in the frequency range of the electromagnetic wave from 24 GHz to 28 GHz, there is a significant difference between the amplitude of the electromagnetic wave radiated by the corresponding radiator 7 when the PIN diode 17 is turned off and the amplitude of the electromagnetic wave radiated by the corresponding radiator 7 when the PIN diode 17 is turned on, indicating that whether the radiator 7 radiates electromagnetic waves can be controlled by turning off or on the corresponding PIN diode 17 by the bias line 16. That is to say, when the frequency of the electromagnetic wave is in the range of 24 GHZ to 28 GHZ, when the PIN diode 17 is in the off state, part of the electromagnetic waves in the transmission channel 10 can pass through the PIN diode 17 and be coupled to the corresponding radiator 7 through the gap 12, so that the radiator 7 emits signals outward; when the PIN diode 17 is in the on state, the electromagnetic waves in the transmission channel 10 will not pass through this PIN diode 17 and will continue to be transmitted along the transmission channel 10.

[0079] Continuing with Figure 6 , in some embodiments, the leaky wave antenna 4 may include a first dielectric layer 18 and a second dielectric layer 19. The first dielectric layer 18 is stacked between the ground layer 6 and the variable resistor 15; the second dielectric layer 19 is stacked between the ground layer 6 and the radiator 7. The first and second dielectric layers 18, 19 connect the radiator 7, the ground layer 6, and the variable resistor 15, facilitating assembly of the leaky wave antenna 4. Exemplarily, the first and second dielectric layers 18, 19 may be bonded together via a first prepreg 20. Each of the first and second dielectric layers 18, 19, and 20 may be made of an insulating material. Exemplarily, the thickness of the first dielectric layer 18 is 0.508 mm, the thickness of the second dielectric layer 19 is 0.101 mm, and the thickness of the first prepreg 20 is 0.2 mm. The ground layer 6 is located between the first dielectric layer 18 and the first prepreg 20. The first dielectric layer 18 covers the side of the waveguide structure 5 facing away from the base plate 8.

[0080] The leaky wave antenna 4 provided in the present application has a waveguide structure 5 including multiple transmission channels 10, each of which is arranged in parallel and spaced apart. A ground layer 6 is provided with a plurality of slots 12 arranged in an array, with each row of slots 12 corresponding to a transmission channel 10. There are multiple radiators 7, each of which corresponds to a slot 12 and is located on the side of the slot 12 facing away from the transmission channel 10. There are multiple variable resistors 15, each of which corresponds to a slot 12 and is located on the side of the slot 12 facing the transmission channel 10. One end of each variable resistor 15 is grounded, and the other end of each variable resistor 15 is connected to a bias line 16. The bias line 16 can be used to control the variable resistor 15 connected to the bias line 16 to control the radiator 7 corresponding to the variable resistor 15 to transmit signals outward. Since each variable resistor 15 is connected to a bias line 16, each radiator 7 can be individually controlled, and the beam formed by each transmission channel 10 can be individually controlled, thereby improving the communication performance of the leaky wave antenna 4.

[0081] In the above embodiment, it is possible to individually control whether the corresponding radiator 7 (shown in FIG. 6 ) transmits signals. Referring to FIG. 10 , black squares in the figure represent radiators 7 that do not transmit signals, while gray squares represent radiators 7 that transmit signals. Controlling the array radiators 7 to transmit signals according to the first scheme in the first row of FIG. 10 results in the first beam shape shown in the first row of FIG. Controlling the array radiators 7 to transmit signals according to the second scheme in the first row of FIG. 10 results in the second beam shape shown in the first row of FIG. 11 , and so on. As can be seen, controlling the array radiators 7 according to different schemes can form beams of varying angles, thereby increasing the scanning range of leaky wave antenna 4. Furthermore, during the scanning process, the aperture area of ​​leaky wave antenna 4 equals the overall area of ​​leaky wave antenna 4, improving the aperture efficiency of leaky wave antenna 4.

[0082] 6 , in an embodiment of the present application, the leaky wave antenna 4 further includes a first conductive layer 21, which is arranged parallel to and spaced apart from the ground layer 6, and is located on the side of the ground layer 6 facing the transmission channel 10 (as shown in FIG3 ); in the implementation manner in which the leaky wave antenna 4 includes the first dielectric layer 18, the first conductive layer 21 is located on the side of the first dielectric layer 18 facing away from the ground layer 6; the first conductive layer 21 includes a plurality of pads 22 and bias lines 16, each pad 22 is grounded, and one end of each variable resistor 15 is connected to a pad 22; in the implementation manner in which the leaky wave antenna 4 includes the PIN diode 17, each pad 22 is located on the side of the first dielectric layer 18 facing away from the ground layer 6 and on the side close to the corresponding PIN diode 17, the pad 22 is close to and connected to one end of the PIN diode 17, and the end of the pad 22 away from the PIN diode 17 is used for grounding. Each bias line 16 is located on a side of the first dielectric layer 18 facing away from the ground layer 6 and near the end of the corresponding PIN diode 17 away from the pad 22. The end of the bias line 16 near the PIN diode 17 is connected to the end of the PIN diode 17 away from the pad 22. The bias line 16 is used to provide a voltage to the PIN diode 17. With this arrangement, one end of the variable resistor 15 is grounded via the pad 22, and the other end is connected to a bias line 16. This allows each bias line 16 to control whether each variable resistor 15 is turned on or off, thereby independently controlling whether the corresponding radiator 7 emits a signal.

[0083] Continuing with FIG6 , in the embodiment of the present application, the leaky wave antenna 4 further includes a plurality of first conductive structures 23. Each first conductive structure 23 is disposed between each pad 22 and the corresponding ground layer 6, and the pad 22 is connected to the ground layer 6 via the first conductive structure 23. In an implementation in which the leaky wave antenna 4 includes a first dielectric layer 18, the first conductive structure 23 extends through the first dielectric layer 18, with one end of the first conductive structure 23 connected to the pad 22 and the other end of the first conductive structure 23 connected to the ground layer 6. With this arrangement, since both the ground layer 6 and the pad 22 in the first conductive layer 21 need to be grounded, after the first conductive structure 23 is connected to the pad 22 and the ground layer 6, only the pad 22 needs to be grounded, or the ground layer 6 needs to be grounded, so that both the ground layer 6 and the pad 22 can be grounded simultaneously. This reduces the number of grounding circuits for the leaky wave antenna 4 and reduces the difficulty of fabricating the grounding circuit for the leaky wave antenna 4.

[0084] In the above embodiment, the first conductive structure 23 is connected to the pad 22, which is located to the left of the PIN diode 17. Therefore, the PIN diode 17 is located to the right of the first conductive structure 23. The first conductive structure 23 penetrates the first dielectric layer 18 in a direction perpendicular to the array and connects to the portion of the ground layer 6 located to the left of the slot 12, so that the slot 12 is also located to the right of the first conductive structure 23. Therefore, when the PIN diode 17 is in the off state, the grounded first conductive structure 23 can be prevented from affecting the transmission of electromagnetic waves as they pass through the PIN diode 17 and the slot 12.

[0085] Continuing with FIG6 , in the embodiment of the present application, the leaky wave antenna 4 further includes a second conductive layer 24. The second conductive layer 24 is arranged parallel to and spaced apart from the ground layer 6. The second conductive layer 24 is located on the side of the ground layer 6 away from the first conductive layer 21. The second conductive layer 24 includes a plurality of spaced-apart first conductive lines 25, each of which is connected to a bias line 16. With this arrangement, each bias line 16 is connected to a corresponding first conductive line 25. Therefore, energizing a first conductive line 25 is equivalent to energizing the bias line 16 to which it is connected, thereby enabling the bias line 16 to provide a voltage to the variable resistor 15. Furthermore, because the second conductive layer 24 is located on the side of the ground layer 6 away from the first conductive layer 21, i.e., the first conductive lines 25 and the bias lines 16 are not arranged on the same layer, the layout of the first conductive lines 25 is flexible, and it is possible to avoid connecting adjacent first conductive lines 25, and thus, to avoid connecting corresponding adjacent bias lines 16.

[0086] In the above embodiment, the leaky wave antenna 4 further includes a plurality of second conductive structures 26, through which the first conductive wires 25 are connected to the corresponding bias lines 16. With this arrangement, since the first conductive wires 25 and the bias lines 16 are not arranged on the same layer, one end of the second conductive structure 26 is connected to the first conductive wire 25, and the other end of the second conductive structure 26 is linked to the corresponding bias line 16, thereby achieving a connection between the first conductive wires 25 and the corresponding bias lines 16.

[0087] Continuing with Figure 6 , in an embodiment where the leaky wave antenna 4 includes a first dielectric layer 18 and a second dielectric layer 19, the leaky wave antenna 4 may further include a third dielectric layer 27. The third dielectric layer 27 is located on the side of the second dielectric layer 19 facing away from the first dielectric layer 18. The third dielectric layer 27 is bonded to the second dielectric layer 19 via a second prepreg 28. Both the third dielectric layer 27 and the second prepreg 28 may also be made of insulating materials. In this embodiment, the radiator 7 is located on the side of the third dielectric layer 27 facing away from the first dielectric layer 18. Exemplarily, the thickness of the third dielectric layer 27 is 0.508 mm, and the thickness of the second prepreg 28 is 0.2 mm. In conjunction with the above embodiment, the second conductive layer 24 is located between the second dielectric layer 19 and the second prepreg 28. One end of the second conductive structure 26 is connected to the bias line 16, and the other end of the second conductive structure 26 extends perpendicular to the array direction through the first dielectric layer 18, the first prepreg 20, and the second dielectric layer 19 to connect to the first conductive line 25.

[0088] In the above implementation, the ground layer 6 is provided with a first avoidance hole 29, through which the second conductive structure 26 passes. With this arrangement, since the ground layer 6 needs to be grounded, the second conductive structure 26 passes through the first avoidance hole 29, thereby isolating the second conductive structure 26 from the ground layer 6. This prevents leakage between the second conductive structure 26 and the ground layer 6, which could cause the corresponding bias line 16 to fail.

[0089] In the implementation manner in which the leaky wave antenna 4 includes a first dielectric layer 18 and a second dielectric layer 19, since the ground layer 6 is located between the first dielectric layer 18 and the first semi-cured sheet 20, in the process of bonding the first dielectric layer 18 and the second dielectric layer 19 through the first semi-cured sheet 20, part of the first semi-cured sheet 20 fills the first avoidance hole 29. After the second conductive structure 26 passes through the first avoidance hole 29, part of the first semi-cured sheet 20 made of insulating material exists between the second conductive structure 26 and the ground layer 6, thereby achieving insulation between the second conductive structure 26 and the ground layer 6.

[0090] In the above implementation, one end of second conductive structure 26 is connected to bias line 16, which is located to the right of PIN diode 17. Therefore, PIN diode 17 is located to the left of second conductive structure 26. Second conductive structure 26 extends perpendicularly to the array, penetrating first dielectric layer 18, first prepreg 20, and second dielectric layer 19, and connects to first wire 25. This positions slot 12 and radiator 7 to the left of second conductive structure 26. Therefore, when PIN diode 17 is off, electromagnetic waves passing through PIN diode 17 and slot 12 and reaching radiator 7 are prevented from being affected by second conductive structure 26.

[0091] Referring to Figures 12 and 13, in the above implementation, there is a gap between the plane perpendicular to the row direction where the first wire 25 is located and the plane perpendicular to the row direction where the radiator 7, the gap 12, and the PIN diode 17 are located. Referring to Figure 14, in the longitudinal direction of the figure, although the first wire 25 is located between the second dielectric layer 19 and the second prepreg 28, in the transverse direction of the figure, the first wire 25 is located to the right of the radiator 7, the gap 12, and the PIN diode 17 as a whole. This prevents the first wire 25 from affecting the transmission of the electromagnetic wave when the PIN diode 17 is in the off state and the electromagnetic wave passes through the PIN diode 17 and the gap 12 and is transmitted to the radiator 7.

[0092] Continuing with reference to Figure 15, in an embodiment of the present application, the leaky wave antenna 4 may further include a third conductive layer 30, which is arranged parallel to and spaced apart from the ground layer 6. The third conductive layer 30 is located between the second conductive layer 24 and the ground layer 6; the third conductive layer 30 includes a plurality of spaced apart second conductive wires 31, each second conductive wire 31 is connected to a bias line 16, several bias lines 16 are connected to the second conductive wire 31, and the remaining bias lines 16 are connected to the first conductive wire 25.

[0093] Through the above arrangement, a bias line 16 is connected to a corresponding second conductive line 31. Energizing the second conductive line 31 is equivalent to energizing the bias line 16 connected thereto, thereby enabling the bias line 16 to provide a voltage to the variable resistor 15. Furthermore, because the third conductive layer 30 is located between the second conductive layer 24 and the ground layer 6, i.e., the second conductive lines 31 and the bias lines 16 are not arranged on the same layer, the layout of the second conductive lines 31 is flexible, and it is possible to avoid connecting adjacent second conductive lines 31, and thus avoid connecting corresponding adjacent bias lines 16. Furthermore, because several bias lines 16 are connected to the second conductive line 31, and the remaining bias lines 16 are connected to the first conductive line 25, and the third conductive layer 30 and the second conductive layer 24 are not arranged on the same layer, compared to an embodiment in which the leaky wave antenna 4 includes only the second conductive layer 24, the third conductive layer 30 can be connected to other bias lines 16, thereby increasing the number of radiators 7 that can be provided in the leaky wave antenna 4 and facilitating expansion of the leaky wave antenna 4 in the row or column direction.

[0094] In the above embodiment, the leaky wave antenna 4 further includes a plurality of third conductive structures 32, through which the second conductive wires 31 are connected to the corresponding bias lines 16. With this arrangement, since the second conductive wires 31 and the bias lines 16 are not arranged on the same layer, one end of the third conductive structure 32 is connected to the second conductive wire 31, and the other end of the third conductive structure 32 is linked to the corresponding bias line 16, thereby achieving a connection between the second conductive wires 31 and the corresponding bias lines 16.

[0095] In an implementation in which the leaky wave antenna 4 includes a first dielectric layer 18, a second dielectric layer 19, and a third dielectric layer 27, the third conductive layer 30 is located between the second dielectric layer 19 and the first prepreg 20, one end of the third conductive structure 32 is connected to the bias line 16, and the other end of the third conductive structure 32 passes through the first dielectric layer 18 and the first prepreg 20 in a direction perpendicular to the array and is connected to the second wire 31.

[0096] In the above implementation, the ground layer 6 is provided with a second avoidance hole 33, through which the third conductive structure 32 passes. With this arrangement, since the ground layer 6 needs to be grounded, the third conductive structure 32 passes through the second avoidance hole 33, thereby isolating the third conductive structure 32 from the ground layer 6. This prevents leakage between the third conductive structure 32 and the ground layer 6, which could cause the corresponding bias line 16 to fail.

[0097] In the implementation manner in which the leaky wave antenna 4 includes a first dielectric layer 18 and a second dielectric layer 19, since the ground layer 6 is located between the first dielectric layer 18 and the first prepreg 20, during the process of bonding the first dielectric layer 18 and the second dielectric layer 19 through the first prepreg 20, part of the first prepreg 20 fills the second avoidance hole 33. After the third conductive structure 32 passes through the second avoidance hole 33, part of the first prepreg 20 made of insulating material exists between the third conductive structure 32 and the ground layer 6, thereby achieving insulation between the third conductive structure 32 and the ground layer 6.

[0098] In the above implementation, one end of the third conductive structure 32 is connected to the bias line 16, which is located to the right of the PIN diode 17. Therefore, the PIN diode 17 is located to the left of the third conductive structure 32. The third conductive structure 32 extends perpendicularly to the array, penetrating the first dielectric layer 18 and the first prepreg 20, and is connected to the second wire 31. This positions the slot 12 and the radiator 7 to the left of the third conductive structure 32. Therefore, when the PIN diode 17 is off, electromagnetic waves passing through the PIN diode 17 and the slot 12 and on to the radiator 7 are prevented from interfering with the transmission of the electromagnetic waves.

[0099] Please refer to Figure 16. In the above implementation, there is a gap between the plane perpendicular to the row direction where the second wire 31 is located and the plane perpendicular to the row direction where the radiator 7, the gap 12, and the PIN diode 17 are located. Please refer to Figure 17. In the longitudinal direction of the figure, although the second wire 31 is located between the first dielectric layer 18 and the first prepreg 20, in the transverse direction of the figure, the second wire 31 is located to the right of the radiator 7, the gap 12, and the PIN diode 17 as a whole. This is to prevent the second wire 31 from affecting the transmission of electromagnetic waves when the PIN diode 17 is in the off state and the electromagnetic waves pass through the PIN diode 17 and the gap 12 and are transmitted to the radiator 7.

[0100] Please refer to Figure 18. In the embodiment of the present application, the leaky wave antenna 4 may further include a plurality of pins 34, each pin 34 is connected to a bias line 16, and the center line of the pin 34 is perpendicular to the ground layer 6.

[0101] Through the above arrangement, each bias line 16 is connected to the corresponding pin 34, and energizing the pin 34 is equivalent to energizing the bias line 16 connected thereto, thereby enabling the bias line 16 to provide voltage to the variable resistor 15. Since the center line of the pin 34 is perpendicular to the ground layer 6, the bias line 16 is avoided from being led out in the row direction or column direction, which can reduce the size of the leaky wave antenna 4 in the row direction or column direction, making it easier for the leaky wave antenna 4 to increase the number of radiators 7 in the row direction or column direction.

[0102] In an embodiment in which the leaky-wave antenna 4 further includes a first dielectric layer 18 and a second dielectric layer 19, the leaky-wave antenna 4 further includes a plurality of jacks 35 arranged in an array, each jack 35 extending through the first dielectric layer 18 and the second dielectric layer 19. The jacks 35 are provided with conductive sidewalls 36 connected to corresponding bias lines 16. Each pin 34 is disposed within a jack 35. With this arrangement, each pin 34 is inserted into a corresponding jack 35 and connected to the corresponding bias line 16 via the conductive sidewalls 36 of the jack 35. As shown in the figure, the pin 34 can pass through the bottom of the first conductive layer 21, and accordingly, the top of the pin 34 can be fixed to the conductive side wall 36 by soldering to facilitate welding. In this way, the pin 34 and the conductive side wall 36 can be connected, so that energizing the pin 34 is equivalent to energizing the conductive side wall 36 of the corresponding socket 35, and then equivalent to energizing the corresponding bias line 16; and the relative position of the pin 34 and the conductive side wall 36 can be fixed to prevent the pin 34 from falling off from the conductive side wall 36 or poor contact with the conductive side wall 36.

[0103] It is understandable that the end of the pin 34 away from the radiator 7 can be connected to other plug-in devices to control the corresponding variable resistor 15 through the pin 34. The plug-in device can include a socket or other circuit board.

[0104] Please refer to Figures 19 and 20. In the above implementation, the waveguide structure 5 may include a base plate 8 and a plurality of waveguide substructures 37 arranged on the base plate 8 and extending along the row direction. The plurality of waveguide substructures 37 are arranged at intervals along the column direction, wherein the waveguide substructure 37 includes a plurality of first columns 38 extending along the row direction and a plurality of second columns 39 extending along the row direction. A row of first columns 38 and a row of second columns 39 in the same waveguide substructure 37 form a transmission channel 10.

[0105] In the above implementation, the projection of a row of pins 34 corresponding to a row of slots 12 on the waveguide structure 5 is located between adjacent transmission channels 10. In other words, a row of pins 34 is located between a row of second columns 39 in one waveguide substructure 37 and an adjacent row of first columns 38 in another waveguide substructure 37. This arrangement, in which the pins 34 are located between adjacent transmission channels 10, prevents the pins 34 from affecting the transmission of electromagnetic waves in the transmission channels 10.

[0106] 18 , in the above implementation, the ground layer 6 may further include a third avoidance hole 40, through which the conductive sidewall 36 passes. Since the ground layer 6 needs to be grounded, the conductive sidewall 36 passes through the third avoidance hole 40 to insulate the conductive sidewall 36 from the ground layer 6, thereby preventing leakage between the conductive sidewall 36 and the ground layer 6, which could cause failure of the corresponding bias line 16.

[0107] In the implementation manner in which the leaky wave antenna 4 includes a first dielectric layer 18 and a second dielectric layer 19, since the ground layer 6 is located between the first dielectric layer 18 and the first semi-cured sheet 20, during the process of bonding the first dielectric layer 18 and the second dielectric layer 19 through the first semi-cured sheet 20, part of the first semi-cured sheet 20 fills the third avoidance hole 40. After the conductive side wall 36 passes through the third avoidance hole 40, part of the first semi-cured sheet 20 made of insulating material exists between the conductive side wall 36 and the ground layer 6, thereby achieving insulation between the conductive side wall 36 and the ground layer 6.

[0108] Referring to FIG. 21 , in the embodiment of the present application, the leaky-wave antenna 4 further includes a power divider 41 . The power divider 41 includes an input terminal 42 and multiple output terminals 43 , each of which is connected to the input terminal 42 . Each output terminal 43 is configured to transmit a signal to a transmission channel 10 (as shown in FIG. 3 ). This configuration allows all output terminals 43 to output electromagnetic waves with the same amplitude and phase, thereby ensuring that the electromagnetic waves transmitted in each transmission channel 10 have the same amplitude and phase. Referring to FIG. 22 , the horizontal axis represents the frequency of the input electromagnetic wave, and the vertical axis represents the phase of the electromagnetic wave output by each output terminal 43 . S2,1 represents the phase of the electromagnetic wave output from the first output terminal 43 when an electromagnetic wave is input from the input terminal 42 ; S3,1 represents the phase of the electromagnetic wave output from the second output terminal 43 when an electromagnetic wave is input from the input terminal 42 ; and so on. (Only S1,1 to S9,1 are indicated in the figure.) It can be seen that the curves of S2,1 to S9,1 overlap, indicating that the phases of the electromagnetic waves output by each output terminal 43 are the same. Please refer to Figure 23. The horizontal axis in the figure represents the frequency of the input electromagnetic wave, and the vertical axis represents the reflection coefficient measured at input end 42 and each output end 43. S1,1 is the reflection coefficient measured at input end 42 when an electromagnetic wave is input from input end 42; S2,1 is the reflection coefficient measured at the first output end 43 when an electromagnetic wave is input from input end 42; S3,1 is the reflection coefficient measured at the second output end 43 when an electromagnetic wave is input from input end 42, and so on. (Only S1,1 through S9,1 are marked in the figure.) Because all output ends 43 output electromagnetic waves with the same amplitude and phase, the curves S2,1 through S9,1 overlap. As shown in Figure 23, within the electromagnetic wave frequency range of 24 GHz to 28 GHz, all output ends 43 have low reflection coefficients.

[0109] Continuing to refer to Figure 21, in an implementation method of a communication device 1 provided in an embodiment of the present application, one end of the RF unit 3 (as shown in Figure 1) is connected to the indoor baseband processing unit 2 (as shown in Figure 1), and the other end of the RF unit 3 is connected to the input end 42.

[0110] Continuing with FIG. 21 , in the above-described implementation, an input channel 44 is provided between the input end 42 and each output end 43 of the power divider 41. The power divider 41 may also include a second ridge structure 45, with each input channel 44 having a second ridge structure 45 therein, and the second ridge structure 45 extending along the signal transmission direction. By providing the second ridge structure 45 within the input channel 44, the cutoff frequency of the electromagnetic wave in each input channel 44 of the power divider 41 is lowered, thereby lowering the resonant frequency of the electromagnetic wave. To maintain the resonant frequency of the electromagnetic wave, the size of the power divider 41 in the direction in which the input channels 44 are arranged can be reduced. Therefore, lowering the cutoff frequency of the electromagnetic wave in each input channel 44 of the power divider 41 can help reduce the size of the power divider 41 in the direction in which the input channels 44 are arranged.

[0111] Continuing to refer to FIG. 21 , in some embodiments, the power divider 41 may include one. In combination with FIG. 2 , the power divider 41 is on the left side of the waveguide structure 5, and the absorbing material is on the right side of the waveguide structure 5 for absorbing electromagnetic waves transmitted from the transmission channel 10 (as shown in FIG. 3 ).

[0112] In other embodiments, there are two power dividers 41, one power divider 41 is provided at one end of the transmission channel 10, and the other power divider 41 is provided at the other end of the transmission channel 10. With the above arrangement, the power divider 41 at one end of the transmission channel 10 is used to input electromagnetic waves into the transmission channel 10, and the power divider 41 at the other end of the transmission channel 10 is used to integrate the electromagnetic waves transmitted from the transmission channel 10 and discharge them into the air.

[0113] In the above embodiment, the input end 42 of the power divider 41 provided at one end of the transmission channel 10 is used to connect to the RF unit 3, and the output end 43 of the power divider 41 located at the other end of the transmission channel 10 can be provided with an absorbing material. In this way, after the electromagnetic waves transmitted from the transmission channel 10 by the power divider 41 are integrated, the absorbing material can absorb the transmitted electromagnetic waves.

[0114] It should be noted that, in the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified or limited, the terms "connected" and "connection" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection or an integral connection; it can also be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be a communication between two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the embodiments of the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0115] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, ordinary technicians in this field should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein with equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

1. A leaky wave antenna, characterized in that: include: A waveguide structure, wherein the waveguide structure comprises a plurality of transmission channels, wherein the transmission channels are arranged in parallel and at intervals; A ground layer, wherein a plurality of slots are arranged in an array on the ground layer, and each row of the slots corresponds to one of the transmission channels; A radiator, wherein there are multiple radiators, each of which corresponds to one of the slots and is located on a side of the slot away from the transmission channel; There are multiple variable resistors, each of which corresponds to one of the slots and is located on the side of the slot facing the transmission channel. One end of each of the variable resistors is grounded, and the other end of each of the variable resistors is connected to a bias line.

2. The leaky wave antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that The leaky wave antenna also includes a first conductive layer, which is arranged parallel to and spaced apart from the ground layer, and is located on the side of the ground layer facing the transmission channel; the first conductive layer includes a plurality of pads and each bias line, each pad is grounded, and one end of each variable impedance is connected to one pad.

3. The leaky wave antenna according to claim 2, characterized in that A first conductive structure is disposed between each of the pads and the ground layer, and the pads are connected to the ground layer through the first conductive structure.

4. The leaky wave antenna according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The leaky wave antenna also includes a second conductive layer, which is arranged parallel to and spaced apart from the ground layer, and is located on a side of the ground layer away from the first conductive layer. The second conductive layer includes a plurality of first conductive wires spaced apart from each other, and each of the first conductive wires is connected to one of the bias lines.

5. The leaky wave antenna according to claim 4, characterized in that A second conductive structure is disposed between each of the first conductive lines and the corresponding bias line, and the first conductive line is connected to the corresponding bias line through the second conductive structure.

6. The leaky wave antenna according to claim 5, characterized in that The ground layer is provided with a first avoidance hole, and the second conductive structure passes through the first avoidance hole.

7. The leaky wave antenna according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that: The leaky wave antenna also includes a third conductive layer, which is arranged parallel to and spaced apart from the ground layer, and the third conductive layer is located between the second conductive layer and the ground layer; the third conductive layer includes a plurality of spaced apart second conductive wires, each of the second conductive wires is connected to a bias line, several of the bias lines are connected to the second conductive wires, and the remaining bias lines are connected to the first conductive wires.

8. The leaky wave antenna according to claim 7, characterized in that A third conductive structure is disposed between each second conductive line and the corresponding bias line, and the second conductive line is connected to the corresponding bias line through the third conductive structure.

9. The leaky wave antenna according to claim 8, characterized in that The ground layer is provided with a second avoidance hole, and the third conductive structure passes through the second avoidance hole.

10. The leaky wave antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The leaky wave antenna also includes a plurality of pins, each of which is connected to one of the bias lines, and a center line of the pin is perpendicular to the ground layer.

11. The leaky wave antenna according to claim 10, characterized in that The leaky wave antenna also includes a first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer and a plurality of jacks arranged in an array, wherein the first dielectric layer is stacked between the ground layer and the variable impedance device; the second dielectric layer is stacked between the ground layer and the radiator; each of the jacks penetrates the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer, and each of the pins is inserted into one of the jacks; a conductive side wall is arranged on the hole wall of the jack, and the conductive side wall is connected to the corresponding bias line.

12. The leaky wave antenna according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that: The projection of a row of pins corresponding to a row of the slots on the waveguide structure is located between adjacent transmission channels.

13. The leaky wave antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that: The leaky wave antenna also includes a power divider, which includes an input end and multiple output ends, each of which is connected to the input end; each of the output ends is configured to send a signal to one of the transmission channels.

14. The leaky wave antenna according to claim 13, characterized in that There are two power dividers, one of which is arranged at one end of the transmission channel, and the other of which is arranged at the other end of the transmission channel.

15. The leaky wave antenna according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that: The waveguide structure includes a bottom plate and a plurality of columns arranged on the bottom plate. The plurality of columns are arranged in an array, and the transmission channel is formed between two adjacent rows of the columns.

16. The leaky wave antenna according to claim 15, characterized in that The waveguide structure further includes a plurality of first ridge structures, which are located in the transmission channel and extend along a signal transmission direction.

17. A communication device, characterized in that: include: A radio frequency unit and a leaky wave antenna as described in any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the radio frequency unit is used to send a radio frequency signal to the leaky wave antenna.

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