Sub-MM Wave Electronic-Scan Antenna

The preferred method of RF beam steering is agile-beam electronic-scan. This is routine at cm wavelengths and state-of-the-art millimeter wavelengths, but no existing technology is feasible for sub-MMW electronic beam-steering. Malibu Research believes we have a potential method for accomplishing this, based on a dynamic version of our FLAPS phased-surface technique. A principal product of ours for millimeter-wave antennas is the FLAPS phased-surface. It utilizes arrays of varying length dipoles to control beam shape and direction. By dynamic variation of the dipole pattern electronic beam scanning will result. The specific means of accomplishing this is by a programmable plasma-display - similar in nature to plasma-display television and laptop computers. The concept and preliminary parameters for this are given in our proposal. The key points are (a) Plasma display resolutions are .lmm to .2mm, sufficient for the required lambda/4 increments at frequencies up to 600 GHz (.4mm); (b) The proposed technique is a merger of two advanced but proven technologies; (b) The plasma-display elements are highly RF conductive ionized gases; (c) The resolution, speed and huge number of computer updatable display elements yields a highly dynamic, large RP size electronic antenna with multi-band capability. The proposed effort would apply this electronic-scan antenna to sub-MMW beam-steering.