Leaky-Wave Antenna With Dispersive Lens for Wideband Beam Steering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Leaky-wave antennas for mm-wave 5G applications face challenges with dispersion behavior and limited scanning capabilities, making them unsuitable for high-gain, narrow steerable beams required for future wireless communications.
Innovation Solution
An antenna device comprising a leaky wave antenna structure integrated with a dispersive lens structure, allowing for multi-beam capability without a feed network and enabling beam steering through a switching arrangement, while maintaining an all-metallic design for reduced losses and complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If leaky-wave antenna structure is used for mm-wave applications, then high gain can be achieved without feed network, but dispersion behavior causes frequency scanning and beam squint that reduces operational bandwidth
Solution Approach 1:
A dispersive lens structure is introduced as an intermediary component between the leaky-wave antenna and free space. This lens compensates for the frequency-dependent phase variations caused by the leaky-wave structure, correcting beam squint and enabling wideband operation while preserving the high gain advantage of leaky-wave antennas without requiring a feed network
2Ease of operation
If antenna array is used to provide beam-forming capabilities with narrow beam and high gain, then beam steering capability is achieved, but complex feed network is required which increases design complexity and losses at mm-waves
Solution Approach 1:
The feed network is extracted and eliminated from the system. Instead of using multiple feeds and complex distribution networks as in traditional antenna arrays, the invention uses a single leaky-wave structure with a dispersive lens that provides beam-forming and steering capabilities intrinsically through its design, thereby removing the source of complexity and losses
3Power
If reflector structure is used to achieve high gain, then antenna gain is improved, but the structure becomes bulky and unsuitable for mobile communications
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a planar leaky-wave antenna structure with a dispersive lens that achieves high gain in a thin, flat configuration. This replaces the bulky three-dimensional reflector structures with a two-dimensional integrated design that maintains high gain performance while being suitable for mobile and portable applications where space is constrained
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a leaky-wave antenna with improved beam-scanning capabilities and reduced design complexity, enhancing efficiency by integrating filters and allowing for all-metallic construction, suitable for mm-wave frequencies.
Implementation Method 1
LWAs are classified as traveling wave antennas and consists of a guiding structure in which discontinuities are introduced, resulting in a leakage of energy that is radiating out of the structure
Implementation Method 2
The dispersion behaviour of leaky-wave antennas causes the main beam to be frequency-scanned
Data Source
AI summary
An antenna device (1) and an antenna stack (20) comprising at least two antenna devices are disclosed. The antenna device comprises a leaky wave antenna structure comprising a waveguide structure (2) extending in a first plane along a first axis (101), wherein the waveguide structure comprises two opposite end portions (3) along the first axis, and a first feed point and a second feed point arranged at opposite end portions of the waveguide structure. The antenna device further comprises a dispersive lens structure (6) having an edge extending along the waveguide structure in the first plane, the dispersive lens structure having an extension along a second axis (102) extending in the first plane in a second direction perpendicular to the first axis. The waveguide structure further comprises a plurality of discontinuities along an interface between the waveguide structure and the dispersive lens structure for leaking electromagnetic energy into dispersive lens structure.