Parallel-Plate Waveguide Lens for Mechanical Beam Scanning Using Gap Waveguide Feed System

A parallel-plate waveguide lens with mechanically reconfigurable feed network for continuous beam scanning is presented. The quasi-optical system is designed using an optimization process based on previously developed ray-optical methods. The feed network relies on the non-contacting properties of groove gap waveguides which allows for a fixed input port and simple mechanical actuation. Numerical results are presented for a Ka-band lens design, demonstrating a high scanning performance over an angular range of ± 35° with scan losses lower than 2dB; the simulated mismatch loss is lower than -15 dB between 27 and 31 GHz. The proposed all-metal beamformer is therefore a promising solution for next-generation Satcom applications.