LEAKY-WAVE PLASMA ANTENNA WITH TUNABLE RADIATION ANGLE

A beam scanning leaky-wave antenna working at a fixed operating frequency and based on plasma discharge is proposed. The investigation of leaky-poles for the proposed geometry shows that, at a fixed frequency, the radiation angle scans from broadside toward endfire by varying the plasma density in a relevant range. Theoretical results demonstrate that, at 10 GHz, this antenna may produce a beam scanning from 1.6 to 74.7 degrees by varying the plasma density from 1.243 x 10(12) cm(-3) to 4.7 x 10(10) cm(-3). Measurement results of the plasma characteristics performed on a radiofrequency plasma source in our laboratory are also discussed. Their integration in full-wave simulations confirms the excitation of leaky-waves. (C) 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.