Beam scanning antenna based on parabolic phase distribution lenses

In this study, the authors present a beam scanning lens antenna for 30 GHz applications, which is composed of a feed horn and a planar lens with parabolic phase distribution. Due to the parabolic phase compensation, the lens antenna can perform the scanning coverage of ±60° with a gain tolerance of 3 dB. The fabricated lens has a size of 10λ0 ×  λ 0 × 0.2 λ 0 ( λ 0 is wavelength at the centre frequency of 30 GHz) and the focal length of 24 mm. The beam steering mechanism and the phase error of the lens antenna are analysed in detail. The total system has the advantages of wide scan angle, low profile and lightweight, and it can be readily applied to multi-beam or beam-scanning antenna designs.