Title of the invention: Leaky wave antenna in AFSIW
technology.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
5 [0001] The invention relates to the general field of microwave antennas used in
radars and telecommunications. It relates more particularly to the field of array
antennas or leaky wave antennas.
CONTEXT OF THE INVENTION - PRIOR ART
[0002] The leaky wave antennas in metallic waveguide technology are broadly
10 described in the literature. Figure 1 presents an outline illustration of the principle of
production of such an antenna 10 by means of slotted waveguides 11.
[0003] Such antennas are however difficult to manufacture and costly because of the
issue of assembly and production accuracy.
[0004] In order to reduce the manufacturing costs and obtain integrated leaky wave
15 antennas, it is also known practice to implement the substrate integrated waveguide
technology (SIW). Figure 2 presents an illustration of the structure of such an
antenna.
[0005] Radiating slotted antennas produced by implementing such a technology offer,
by comparison to the other technologies employed, the advantage of being compact,
20 lightweight and easy to produce. They can advantageously be mounted on
equipment for which the criteria of weight and of bulk are predominant.
[0006] However, the slotted antennas, produced by implementing this technology
have the known drawback of exhibiting significant dielectric losses. Consequently, to
compensate for these losses the amplification functions associated with the antenna
25 have to be overdimensioned, which is reflected in an increase in overall weight of the
system associated with the antenna, such that the weight saving provided by the use
of a planar antenna is reduced by the increase in weight induced by the need to
include means to compensate for the dielectric losses.
[0007] Moreover, overdimensioning the amplification functions is reflected by an
30 increase in the energy consumption of the system.
2
[0008] Consequently, there is currently a need to find a solution allowing for the
production of leaky wave antennas, with planar structure, that exhibit enhanced (i.e.
reduced) dielectric losses compared to the antennas in existing planar technologies,
in SIW technology in particular.
5 [0009] Recently, hollow substrate, or air-filled substrate integrated waveguide
technology (AFSIW) has emerged. It allows guided transmission lines (i.e.
waveguides) to be produced that exhibit enhanced performance levels compared to
the transmission lines integrated in a substrate of SIW type. Such waveguides can
be referred to as AFSIW waveguides.
10 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] One aim of the invention is to provide a solution to the problem of finding a
solution allowing for the design and production of antennas on substrates that can
reconcile operating performance levels in terms of radiating pattern with limited
dielectric losses.
15 [0011] To this end, the subject of the invention is a leaky wave antenna produced in
air-filled substrate integrated waveguide (AFSIW) technology comprising three
dielectric substrate layers, two substrate layers, a top layer and a bottom layer,
sandwiching an intermediate layer which itself comprises a longitudinal aperture of
length L defining a waveguide whose top and bottom walls are formed by the
20 conductive planes covering the top and bottom layers and whose width W1 is
delimited by two conductive lateral walls.
[0012] According to the invention, the inner faces of the conductive lateral walls are
coated with a layer of dielectric material of thickness w(z). The top layer of the
structure has an aperture forming a longitudinal radial slot of width Wf (z) positioned
25 facing the longitudinal aperture formed in the intermediate layer.
[0013] The thickness w(z) of the coating of dielectric material disposed on the inner
face of each of the lateral walls varies along the longitudinal axis z according to a
given law, defined so as to obtain variations along the axis z of the amplitude
Alpha(z) and of the phase Beta(z) of the leaky wave of the guide, allowing the
30 production of an antenna having the desired radiating pattern.
3
[0014] According to various provisions, the antenna according to the invention can
have various of the following complementary technical features, which in each case
can be considered separately or in combination.
[0015] According to a particular feature, the law of variation w(z) of the thickness of
5 dielectric substrate bordering the inner face of each of the lateral walls of the cavity
of the AFSIW guide is a linear law.
[0016] According to another feature, the thicknesses of dielectric substrate bordering
the inner face of each of the lateral walls of the cavity of the AFSIW guide follow one
and the same law of variation w(z).
10 [0017] According to another feature, the thickness of dielectric substrate bordering
the inner face of one of the lateral walls of the cavity of the AFSIW guide follows a
linear law of variation w(z), the thickness of dielectric substrate bordering the inner
face of the other lateral wall of the AFSIW guide being kept constant, even zero.
[0018] According to another feature, the median axis of the radiating slot is distant
15 from the median axis of the cavity of the guide by a zero or non-zero given distance
d.
[0019] According to another feature, the distance d(z) separating the median axis of
the radiating slot from the median axis of the cavity of the guide varies according to a
law d(z) along the longitudinal axis z of the antenna.
20 [0020] The distance separating the median axis of the radiating slot from the median
axis of the cavity of the guide is taken on an axis at right angles to the axis z and at
right angles to an axis of stacking of the three layers of dielectric substrate.
[0021] According to another feature, the radiating slot is a rectangular slot of
constant width wf.
25 [0022] According to another feature, the radiating slot is a slot whose width Wf(z)
varies along the longitudinal axis z of the guide.
[0023] According to another feature, the total width W1 of the guide along the
longitudinal axis z of the antenna is defined as a function W1(z).
[0024] According to another feature, the longitudinal aperture of the intermediate
30 layer forming the cavity of the waveguide is delimited by the conductive planes
covering the bottom and top layers and by two conductive walls each composed of a
4
row of vias in electrical contact with said conductive planes and forming the
conductive lateral walls of said waveguide, each of said rows of vias being disposed
so as to form one of the lateral walls of the guide, the inner face of the wall thus
formed being coated with a layer of dielectric material of thickness w(z).
5 [0025] According to another feature, the longitudinal aperture of the intermediate
layer forming the cavity of the waveguide is delimited by the conductive planes
covering the bottom and top layers and by two conductive walls forming the lateral
walls of said waveguide; one of the two walls being composed of a row of vias in
electrical contact with said conductive planes, said row of vias being disposed so
10 that the inner face of the wall thus formed is coated with a layer of dielectric material
of thickness w(z).
[0026] The device according to the invention which applies the emergent technology
of AFSIW waveguides advantageously allows the production of leaky waveguides
that have dimensions, a weight and a cost that are enhanced compared to the
15 existing antennas, the traditional slotted waveguide antennas in particular, by using
simple and robust manufacturing techniques, while keeping good performance levels.
DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0027] The features and advantages of the invention will be better appreciated from
the following description, a description which is based on the attached figures which
20 illustrate the invention:
[0028] [Fig.1] already described, schematically represents the structure of a slotted
array antenna according to the prior art;
[0029] [Fig.2] already described, schematically represents a known SIW-type planar
structure;
25 [0030] [Fig.3A] schematically represents, in profile view, the standard three-layer
structure of a waveguide produced in AFSIW (i.e. Air-Filled Substrate Integrated
Waveguide) technology;
[0031] [Fig.3B] schematically represents, in a cross-sectional view, the standard
three-layer structure of a waveguide produced in AFSIW (i.e. Air-Filled Substrate
30 Integrated Waveguide) technology according to the invention;
[0032] [Fig.4A] schematically represents, in profile view, the typical structure of a
leaky wave antenna in AFSIW technology according to the invention;
5
[0033] [Fig.4B] schematically represents, in a cross-sectional view, the typical
structure of a leaky wave antenna in AFSIW technology according to the invention;
[0034] [Fig.5] schematically represents, in plan view, the third substrate layer forming
the AFSIW structure of the antenna according to the invention, in a particular
5 embodiment;
[0035] [Fig.6] schematically represents a plan view of the second substrate layer
forming the AFSIW structure of the antenna according to the invention, in the
particular embodiment of figure 5;
[0036] [Fig.7] represents examples of radiation patterns, projected in the plane yz;
10 patterns obtained by means of an antenna according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0037] The recently developed air-filled substrate integrated waveguide (AFSIW)
technology has only recently been used to produce guided transmission lines on a
substrate. Hereinafter in the text, such a structure is qualified as "AFSIW waveguide".
15 [0038] This technology advantageously allows guided transmission lines to be
obtained that exhibit enhanced performance levels, notably in terms of dielectric
losses, compared to the structures in SIW technology used hitherto, structures
illustrated by figure 2.
[0039] Compared to the structures of metal waveguide type, illustrated by figure 1,
20 such transmission lines also exhibit advantageous characteristics in terms of weight
and bulk.
[0040] From the technological point of view, the leaky wave antenna according to the
invention relies on the AFSIW waveguide production technology.
[0041] As figures 3A and 3B, profile view and a cross-sectional view respectively,
25 illustrate, the structure of an AFSIW waveguide comprises three dielectric substrate
layers, an intermediate substrate layer (layer n°2) that has a central longitudinal void
32, of length L and of width W2, sandwiched between a bottom substrate layer 31
(layer n°1) and a top substrate layer 33 (layer n°3); the substrate layers n°1 and n°3
close the top and bottom walls (large sides) of the waveguide.
30 [0042] The three dielectric substrate layers are stacked on an axis y.
6
[0043] In a conventional AFSIW structure, the layers n°1 and n°3 have an identical
structure composed of a dielectric substrate whose inner and outer surfaces are
covered by metallized planes (conductive planes), the planes 311 and 313 for the
layer n°1 and 331 and 333 for the layer n°3 respectively.
5 [0044] The central longitudinal void 323, constituting the cavity of the guide, is
bordered laterally by two rows of conductive vias, or simply vias, 322, which pass
right through the dielectric substrate layer and allow an electrical continuity to be
ensured between the inner conductive planes of the top and bottom layers. These
rows of vias form the lateral walls (small sides) of the waveguide.
10 [0045] According to the invention, each of said rows of vias is disposed so as to form
a layer of dielectric material of thickness w(z) bordering the inner face of the lateral
wall of the guide defined by the row of vias considered; such that the AFSIW
waveguide thus constituted has lateral walls (small sides) coated with a layer of
dielectric substrate of thickness w(z).
15 [0046] The thickness of the dielectric substrate layer is taken on an axis x at right
angles to the axis y and to the axis z along which the waveguide extends.
[0047] The AFSIW waveguide thus formed thus has a width W1=W2+2w.
[0048] According to the invention, the total width W1 is determined so as to allow the
propagation of waves at the desired operating frequency.
20 [0049] The vias 322 are, moreover, generally arranged so that the thickness w(z) of
substrate bordering the lateral walls of the guide is as small as possible in order to
minimize the dielectric losses in the guide.
[0050] The structure of the AFSIW waveguide considered preferentially in the context
of the antenna according to the invention is a structure conforming to figures 3A and
25 3B. Such a structure in fact advantageously allows the properties of the wave which
is propagated inside the duly formed guide to be modified.
[0051] However, it should be noted that it is possible, through the AFSIW technique,
to construct waveguide structures that do not have dielectric on their lateral walls,
notably by producing a continuous metallization of these walls.
30 [0052] In this case, a structure equivalent to the structure of figures 3A and 3B can
nevertheless be envisaged, in the context of the invention, by arranging, in the cavity
323 of the guide on each of the lateral walls (small sides) of the guide, a layer of
7
dielectric material of thickness w(z) that, as in the preceding case, allows the
properties of the wave which is propagated inside the guide that is formed to be
modified.
[0053] Figures 4A and 4B, a profile view and a cross-sectional view respectively,
5 schematically present the antenna structure according to the invention, according to
an embodiment for which the lateral walls (small sides) of the AFSIW guide are
produced by means of vias.
[0054] Generally, the structure of the antenna according to the invention comprises,
unlike an AFSIW waveguide structure, a top substrate layer 51 (layer n°3) having at
10 least one longitudinal slot 52 (oriented along the axis z) placed facing the cavity 323
of the median substrate layer 32 (layer n°2).
[0055] This slot, of width Wf, which passes right through the top substrate layer
connects the cavity 323 of the guide with the outside environment.
[0056] In order to allow the radiation of a leaky wave, the longitudinal slot 52 typically
15 has a length, along the axis z, greater than or equal to twice the operating
wavelength of the antenna, that is to say of the wavelength of the radiated wave.
[0057] The slot is positioned with respect to the cavity so as to be radiating, that is to
say so as to radiate the wave which is propagated in the guide.
[0058] To this end, the median axis 53 of the slot 52 is, advantageously, positioned
20 with respect to the median axis 41 of the cavity 323 of the guide so as to radiate the
wave which is propagated in the guide.
[0059] In the nonlimiting embodiment of figures 4A and 4B, the longitudinal slot 52 is
disposed so that its median axis 53 is offset by a distance d with respect to the
median axis 41 of the cavity 323 of the guide.
25 [0060] The distance d is the distance separating, in the direction x, the median axis
53 of the slot 52 from the median axis 41 of the cavity 41.
[0061] The distance d is non-zero in the embodiment of figures 4A and 4B.
[0062] The longitudinal slot 52 thus formed makes it possible to produce, from an
AFSIW guide, a slotted guide capable of radiating the wave which is propagated
30 therein.
8
[0063] As a variant, the distance d is zero. That can, for example, be the case in a
particular embodiment in which the thicknesses of dielectric material disposed on the
two lateral walls of the cavity 323 are different.
[0064] According to the invention, the various dimensioning parameters of the cavity
5 323 of the guide, in particular the widths W1 and w(z), and those which dimension
the radiating slot 52, in particular the width Wf, are defined so as to produce an
antenna whose radiating pattern exhibits a desired direction, aperture and level of
given side lobes. In other words, these dimensional parameters are determined so
as to obtain given laws of variation of the phase Beta(z) and of the amplitude
10 Alpha(z) of the leaky wave of the AFSIW guide on the longitudinal axis z of the
antenna according to the invention; the variation of the phase and of the amplitude
on the axis z of the leaky wave of the AFSIW guide determining the radiation pattern
obtained.
[0065] Thus, the invention consists primarily in determining the direction, the
15 aperture, and the level of the side lobes of the pattern of the AFSIW antenna that is
to be produced by acting on these Alpha(z) and Beta(z) parameters.
[0066] The rest of the description explains different embodiments of the invention
according to which one or more dimensional parameters which define the AFSIW
waveguide with radiating slot that constitutes the antenna according to the invention
20 are adjusted, so as to obtain the desired radiation pattern, by varying, along the axis
z, the phase Beta(z) and the amplitude Alpha(z) of the wave passing through the
waveguide.
[0067] Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a particular embodiment taken as nonlimiting
example of the scope of the invention. They respectively present a plan view of the
25 intermediate substrate layer 32 (layer n°2) forming the cavity 323 of the guide and a
plan view of the top substrate layer 51 (layer n°3), layers which constitute the AFSIW
structure of the antenna according to the invention.
To obtain an AFSIW antenna according to the invention that exhibits a radiation
pattern having the desired characteristics (gain, directivity and level of side lobes in
30 particular), it is notably possible to adjust the following parameters:
- the length of the antenna L, which allows the gain of the antenna and the angular
aperture of its radiation pattern to be adjusted, a higher gain and a smaller angular
aperture being able to be obtained with a longer antenna and radiating slot
9
- the width, W1, of the AFSIW line which determines the total width of the waveguide,
- the W2 and w pairing determines the cutoff frequency of the fundamental mode of
the waveguide. It may be necessary to reduce W2 when w is increased in order to
keep the same cutoff frequency of the fundamental mode;
5 - the width, Wf, of the slot 52 formed in the top substrate layer 51 (layer n°2);
- the distance d, from the longitudinal axis 53 of the slot 52 with respect to the
longitudinal axis 41 of the cavity 323.
[0068] However, in the case of the device according to the invention, the phase and
the amplitude of the wave being propagated in the cavity 323 of the waveguide per
10 unit of length, are controlled primarily by varying the value w of the thickness of
dielectric substrate bordering the lateral walls of the cavity 323 of the guide along the
longitudinal axis z, the value w of the thickness of dielectric substrate being thus
defined as a function w(z).
[0069] Advantageously, the thickness w of dielectric substrate bordering the lateral
15 walls of the cavity of the guide are varied, facing the radiating slot, along the axis z.
[0070] This control action advantageously allows the values of the parameters
Alpha(z) and Beta(z) which determine the parameters defining the radiation pattern
of the antenna to be controlled.
[0071] Indeed, varying the thickness of substrate bordering the lateral walls of the
20 cavity 323 advantageously allows the phase per unit of length of the wave being
propagated inside the cavity 323 of the device to be varied, the variation of phase of
the wave being propagated along the cavity 323 facing the radiating slot 52
determining the orientation of the radiation pattern.
[0072] According to the embodiment considered, the variation of the width w can be
25 done in different ways, depending on the antenna pattern desired.
[0073] Thus, according to a first embodiment, the width w of dielectric substrate
bordering the lateral walls of the cavity 323 forming the AFSIW guide varies
identically for each of the lateral walls.
[0074] Alternatively, according to another embodiment, the thickness w of dielectric
30 substrate can vary according to different laws w1(z) and w2(z) along the longitudinal
axis of the cavity 323. The thickness w of dielectric substrate can notably remain
10
constant (w1(z)=cte) on one lateral wall of the cavity 323 and vary according to a
given law of variation w2(z) l on the other lateral wall of the cavity.
[0075] Figures 5 and 6 present a first simple exemplary embodiment for which the
parameters defining the radiation pattern are exclusively controlled by simply varying
5 the value w of the thickness of substrate along the axis z.
[0076] The structure of the intermediate layer 32 (layer n°2) is, here, perfectly
symmetrical with respect to the centre of symmetry of the cavity 323 of the AFSIW
slotted guide according to the invention.
[0077] The radiating slot 52 formed in the top substrate layer 51 appears as a slot of
10 rectangular form of length L and of width Wf which has a constant value along the
longitudinal axis z.
[0078] In the exemplary embodiment considered, the slot 52 passes right through the
substrate layer n°3, its lateral walls formed in the thickness of the substrate are also
metallized by using the PCB metallization methods.
15 [0079] However, according to an alternative embodiment, the slot is etched on the
metallized surfaces forming the outer faces of the substrate layer n°3, the lateral
walls of the slot then consisting of metallized vias passing through the thickness of
the substrate.
[0080] The distance, d, from the axis of symmetry 53 of the slot 52 with respect to
20 the axis of symmetry 41 of the cavity 323 also has a constant value along the
longitudinal axis z.
[0081] Concerning the intermediate substrate layer 32 (layer n°2), the total width W1
of the cavity 323 of the guide, the width between the two rows of vias bordering the
cavity in the embodiment illustrated by figures 4A, 4B, 5 and 6, is kept constant, at
25 least over all the length of the cavity 323 of the intermediate substrate layer 32 facing
the radiating slot 52;
[0082] Moreover, as figure 6 shows, the thickness w of dielectric substrate bordering
the lateral walls of the cavity 323 varies identically, for each of the lateral walls,
according to a law of variation w(z).
30 [0083] This law of variation can be a simple linear law as illustrated by figure 6. Such
a law of variation allows a radiation pattern to be formed in the desired direction, a
11
radiation pattern such as those, 71 and 72, presented according to a 2D (twodimensional) representation in figure 7.
[0084] In the exemplary embodiment illustrated by figures 5 and 6, the antenna
produced is symmetrical in the direction x (same value w of thickness of dielectric
5 material bordering the lateral faces of the cavity 323 of the guide) and the direction z
(it has a plane of symmetry 42), with two access ports allowing the waves to be
radiated or received according to two radiation patterns oriented in two directions
forming opposite angles + and – with respect to the vertical plane passing
through the axis of symmetry 53 of the radiating slot 52.
10 [0085] It is however possible to design an antenna with a single port and therefore a
single direction of propagation. A non-symmetrical topology with a single supply port
can in fact be implemented, by terminating the guide with a load.
[0086] It should be noted that, according to the invention, the law of variation w(z)
considered can be more complex than a simple linear law, notably in order to reduce
15 the level of the side lobes of the radiation pattern produced.
[0087] In the exemplary embodiment illustrated by figures 5 and 6, the radiating slot
52 has a rectangular form of length L with a width Wf that is constant over all the
length L. It is however possible, in the context of the invention, to envisage another
embodiment of the invention: the radiating slot may not have a rectangular form.
20 [0088] In particular, a non-rectangular form allows a radiation pattern to be obtained
that has given particular characteristics. Thus, by using, for example, a slot in the
form of an "eye", it is possible to limit the radiated energy (i.e. the gain of the
antenna) at the ends of the slot and maximize the radiated energy at the centre of
the slot. The width of the slot 52 is then defined as a function of the position
25 considered Wf(z) along the slot 52. It is in this way possible to produce a good spatial
weighting of the law of illumination (i.e. of the radiation pattern) and obtain a
radiation pattern that has reduced side lobes.
[0089] Moreover, in the exemplary embodiment illustrated by figures 5 and 6, the
distance d between the central axis 53 of the slot 52 with respect to the central axis
30 41 of the cavity 323 of the AFSIW line remains constant over all the length L of the
antenna, the phase and the amplitude of the wave being propagated in the cavity
323 of the waveguide per unit of length being controlled by varying the value w of the
12
thickness of substrate bordering the lateral walls of the cavity 323 of the guide along
the longitudinal axis z, according to a function w(z).
[0090] It is however possible, in the context of the invention, to envisage another
embodiment in which an adjustment of the radiation pattern of the antenna according
5 to the invention can be obtained by also varying the distance d between the median
axis 53 of the slot 52 with respect to the median axis 41 of the cavity 323 of the
AFSIW line, the distance d being defined in this case as a function d(z) of the
position considered along the slot 52.
[0091] As the paragraphs above explain, the structure of the device according to the
10 invention advantageously allows a leaky wave antenna to be formed in AFSIW
technology that is easy and inexpensive to produce, in which the radiation pattern
can be defined by acting primarily on the thickness of dielectric substrate carpeting
the lateral walls of the waveguide line formed by the AFSIW structure from which the
antenna according to the invention is developed, and by varying in particular this
15 thickness over the length of the transmission line (variation along the longitudinal
axis z). The variation of the gain and of the phase per unit of length of the leaky
wave of the radiating AFSIW guide, obtained by varying the thickness of substrate,
advantageously allows the characteristics of the radiation pattern obtained to be
determined.
20 [0092] Figure 7 presents the radiation patterns 71 and 72 obtained for two AFSIW
antennas according to the invention, formed from AFSIW guides in which the lateral
walls of the cavities 323 are coated with substrate layers whose thicknesses vary
along z with different variation profiles. The radiation pattern 72 is obtained from a
cavity having, on its lateral walls, a thickness of substrate w(z) that varies along the
25 longitudinal axis z with a slope of variation that is greater than in the case of the
radiation pattern 71.
[0093] It can be seen that, in the latter case, the slope of variation of the thickness
w(z) being greater, the pattern obtained 72 approaches the vertical plane of the
antenna whereas, reciprocally, narrowing the interior of the waveguide brings the
30 beam increasingly parallel to the longitudinal axis of the antenna.
[0094] In the part of the description above, the device, the antenna, according to the
invention, is defined by its basic AFSIW structure and by the dimensional
characteristics which allow the different layers forming the AFSIW structure of the
13
antenna to be defined. The technical characteristics described are the dimensional
characteristics preferentially considered to produce an antenna according to the
invention that exhibits the desired radiation pattern.
[0095] It is however possible to incorporate, with these various parameters, other
5 dimensional and/or structural parameters in order, in particular, to have a greater
latitude in the choice of the values of the dimensional parameters that allow an
antenna structure exhibiting the radiation pattern sought to be obtained.
[0096] It is thus notably possible, in the context of the production of the antenna
according to the invention, to act also on the total width W1 of the guide along the
10 longitudinal axis z of the guide (direction of propagation of the wave) such that the
total width of the guide is defined as a function W1(z)). There is thus an additional
means for controlling the variation of the phase Beta(z) and of the amplitude
Alpha(z) of the leaky wave along the longitudinal axis z of the antenna.
[0097] It is also possible to vary the width of the slot and/or the position of its axis of
15 symmetry with respect to that of the cavity of the AFSIW guide in order to have an
additional means of controlling the variation of the phase Alpha(z) and of the
amplitude Beta(z) along the longitudinal axis z of the antenna.
[0098] It is even also possible to replace the continuous radiating slot 52 with several
small slots, forming a network of slots disposed along the axis z of the antenna
20 facing the cavity 323 of the guide.
[0099] From a functional point of view, the AFSIW antenna according to the invention
appears as a device with two access ports, as figures 4A and 4B illustrate, such that,
depending on the manner in which it is used, it can advantageously have two
radiation patterns oriented in two directions exhibiting opposite angles with respect to
25 the vertical (use of ports 1 and 2) or else, alternatively, a single radiation pattern, one
of the ports, unused, being terminated by a load

Claims
[Revendication 1] Leaky wave antenna formed from a waveguide structure of
AFSIW type (40) comprising three dielectric substrate layers, two substrate layers, a
top layer (51) and a bottom layer (31), sandwiching an intermediate layer (32)
comprising a longitudinal aperture (323) of length L defining a waveguide whose top
and bottom walls are formed by the conductive planes covering the top (51) and
bottom (31) layers and whose width W1 is delimited by two conductive lateral walls,
the inner faces of the conductive lateral walls being coated with a layer of dielectric
material of thickness w(z); said antenna being characterized in that the top layer (51)
of the structure has an aperture (52) forming a longitudinal radiating slot of width Wf
(z) positioned facing the longitudinal aperture (323) formed in the intermediate layer,
the thickness w(z) of the coating of dielectric material disposed on the inner face of
each of the lateral walls varying along the longitudinal axis z according to a given law,
defined so as to obtain variations along the axis z of the amplitude Alpha(z) and of
the phase Beta(z) of the leaky wave of the guide, allowing an antenna to be
produced that has the desired radiating pattern (71, 72).
[Revendication 2] Antenna according to Claim 1, wherein the law of variation w(z)
of the thickness of dielectric substrate bordering the inner face of each of the lateral
walls of the cavity (323) of the AFSIW guide is a linear law.
[Revendication 3] Antenna according to one of Claims 1 and 2, wherein the
thicknesses of dielectric substrate bordering the inner face of each of the lateral
walls of the cavity (323) of the AFSIW guide follow one and the same law of variation
w(z).
[Revendication 4] Antenna according to one of Claims 1 and 2, wherein the
thickness of dielectric substrate bordering the inner face of one of the lateral walls of
the cavity (323) of the AFSIW guide follows a linear law of variation w(z), the
thickness of dielectric substrate bordering the inner face of the other lateral wall of
the AFSIW guide being kept constant, even zero.
[Revendication 5] Antenna according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein
the aperture (52) forming the longitudinal radiating slot is positioned facing the
longitudinal aperture (323) formed in the intermediate layer such that the median

axis of the radiating slot (52) is distant from the median axis of the cavity (323) by a
distance d.
[Revendication 6] Antenna according to the preceding claim, wherein the median
axis (53) of the radiating slot is distant from the median axis (41) of the cavity of the
guide, by a given distance d taken along an axis at right angles to the axis z and to
an axis of stacking of the three layers of dielectric substrate.
[Revendication 7] Antenna according to Claim 5, wherein the distance d(z)
separating the median axis of the radiating slot from the median axis of the cavity of
the guide varies along longitudinal axis z of the antenna, the distance d(z) being
taken along an axis at right angles to the axis z and to an axis of stacking of the
three layers of dielectric substrate.
[Revendication 8] Antenna according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein
the radiating slot is a rectangular slot of constant width wf.
[Revendication 9] Antenna according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the
radiating slot (52) is a slot whose width wf(z) varies along the longitudinal axis z of
the guide.
[Revendication 10] Antenna according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein
the total width W1 of the guide along the longitudinal axis z of the antenna is defined
as a function W1(z).
[Revendication 11] Antenna according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein
the intermediate layer (32) comprises a longitudinal aperture (323) of length L and of
width W2, forming the cavity of the waveguide, delimited by the conductive planes
covering the bottom (31) and top (51) layers and by two rows of vias (322) in
electrical contact with said conductive planes and forming the lateral walls of said
waveguides, each of said rows of vias (322) being disposed so as to form one of the
lateral walls of the guide, the inner face of the wall thus formed being coated with a
layer of dielectric material of thickness w(z).
[Revendication 12] Antenna according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein
the intermediate layer (32) comprises a longitudinal aperture (323) of length L and of
width W2, forming the cavity of the waveguide, delimited by the conductive planes
covering the bottom (31) and top (51) layers; one of the lateral walls of said guide
being formed by a row of vias (322) in electrical contact with said conductive planes,
the other lateral wall being coated with a layer of conductive material, said row of

vias (322) being disposed so as to form one of the lateral walls of the guide, the
inner face of the wall thus formed being coated with a layer of dielectric material of
thickness w(z).