Gain‐enhanced EH ₁ ‐mode microstrip leaky‐wave antenna with periodical loading of shorting pins

Abstract

A gain‐enhanced EH1‐mode microstrip leaky‐wave antenna (MLWA) with periodical loading of shorting pins to improve the radiation gain is proposed. Owing to the equivalent shunt inductive effect of the periodically installed shorting pins, the cut‐off frequency of the proposed pin‐loaded EH1‐mode microstrip line (MSL) is effectively tuned up; in other words, the lateral electric dimension of the proposed MLWA is effectively enlarged. Therefore, the distance of a pair of in‐phase equivalent magnetic‐current line sources in two sides of the MSL is widened, resulting to increase the radiation gain of the proposed MLWA. For the sake of theoretical explanation, an analytical model is built up for analysis. Then, numerical investigation is executed to reveal the effect of pins position on the tuning ratio of both the EH1‐mode cut‐off frequencies and strip widths. After extensive analysis, a pin‐loaded EH1‐mode MLWA under width tuning ratio of 1.78 and periodicity of 10.0 mm is designed, fabricated, and tested. Simulated and measured results both demonstrate that the radiation gain could be successfully raised up from 10.1 dBi (conventional EH1‐mode MLWA) to 13.1 dBi (the proposed pin‐loaded one) at the same operating frequency of 4.0 GHz.

Design of dual‐band leaky wave antenna based on microstrip to EH 0 / EH 1 ‐mode converter

“…The propagation constant γ of the EH 0 mode can be obtained by calculating the ABCD matrix of the unit cell as. 22 γ…”

“…To enhance the gain of EH 1 ‐mode radiation, two columns of periodical shorting pins were installed on the MSL. The shunt inductively loading effect can be utilized to widen its lateral strip width without altering the EH 1 ‐mode operation 20 . A variety of different radiation characteristics of EH 2 ‐mode LWA were also designed by loading different forms of slot 21 .…”

“…The shunt inductively loading effect can be utilized to widen its lateral strip width without altering the EH 1 -mode operation. 20 A variety of different radiation characteristics of EH 2 -mode LWA were also designed by loading different forms of slot. 21 With the help of periodic shorting pins, the fundamental mode (EH 0 ) can also produce leaky region and radiate dual-beam.…”

“…21 With the help of periodic shorting pins, the fundamental mode (EH 0 ) can also produce leaky region and radiate dual-beam. 22,23 Limited researches have been conducted to achieve dual-band LWA based on MSL. In Reference 24, a tunable microstrip LWA using EH 2 and EH 1/2 modes was realized by introducing metallic via holes appropriately.…”

Metasurface-loaded printed monopole antenna: tailoring impedance for wideband radiation

“…Alternative methods of broadening the bandwidth are explored in recent years. Bevels [4,5], slots [6,7], shorting pins loading [8][9][10][11], metamaterials loading [12][13][14][15][16][17], fractal structure design [18][19][20] are the most common methods for broadening the bandwidth of antennas. Among all these approaches to extend the bandwidth, the method of metamaterial loading shows great potentials in bandwidth enhancing [21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31].…”