A novel frequency-scanned reflector antenna

Theoretical and experimental results are presented for a frequency-scanned antenna composed of a line source and a frequency-scanned reflection grating that is shaped to a cylindrical reflector. The principle considering is to select the grating geometry such that the first higher-order diffracted wave propagates and serves as the frequency-scanned beam. An analytical solution for the cylindrical reflector geometry that gives a line focus is given. The grating structure considered consists of an array of dipoles placed over a ground plane. The design of the dipole grating for optimum blazing (i.e., for optimal power conversion from the incident wave to the diffracted wave) is discussed. For the theoretical analysis Floquet's theorem and the method of moments are used