Ultra-high and Tunable Sensitivity Leaky-Wave Scanning Using Gain-Loss C-section Phasers

Abstract

A periodic leaky-wave antenna (LWA) with tuning capability and enhanced scanning sensitivity is introduced in this paper. This antenna leverages the concept of active Gain-Loss C-section pairs to tune the group delay of each antenna unit cell without affecting its magnitude response. This in turn changes the scanning angle versus frequency rate in the periodic LWA. The proposed concept is well-suited for the application to real-time spectrum analysis, where it allows the frequency resolution to be tuned or significantly enhanced even with a low-permittivity substrate.