Two-dimensionally electronically-steerable artificial impedance surface antenna

An artificial impedance surface antenna comprising:

• a plurality of radiating elements, wherein each of the plurality of radiating elements comprises a number of surface wave channels in which each of the number of surface wave channels is configured to constrain a path of a surface wave and wherein each of the plurality of radiating elements comprises:
• a plurality of impedance elements located on a surface of a dielectric substrate wherein an impedance element in the plurality of impedance elements has a pattern formed by a series of a same shape selected from one of a diamond-type shape and a hexagonal-type shape, and
• a plurality of switch elements located on the surface of the dielectric substrate in which each of the plurality of switch elements has a first state and a second state;
• and
• a plurality of surface wave feeds configured to couple the number of surface wave channels of each of the plurality of radiating elements to a number of transmission lines.

A method for electronically steering an antenna system, the method comprising:

• propagating a surface wave along each of a number of surface wave channels formed in each of a plurality of radiating elements to form a radiation pattern;
• coupling each surface wave channel in the number of surface wave channels formed in each radiating element in the plurality of radiating elements to a transmission line configured to carry a radio frequency signal using a surface wave feed in a plurality of surface wave feeds associated with the plurality of radiating elements;
• and
• electronically steering a main lobe of the radiation pattern in a theta direction and a phi direction by controlling voltages applied to a plurality of switch elements connecting a plurality of impedance elements in each of the number of radiating elements.

An apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of radiating elements, wherein each radiating element in the plurality of radiating elements comprises a number of surface wave channels in which each of the number of surface wave channels is configured to constrain a path of a surface wave and each radiating element in the plurality of radiating elements comprises:
• a plurality of switch elements, and
• a plurality of impedance elements, wherein an impedance element in the plurality of impedance elements has a pattern formed by a series of a same shape selected from one of a diamond-type shape and a hexagonal-type shape;
• and
• a plurality of surface wave feeds, wherein a surface wave feed in the plurality of surface wave feeds is configured to couple a surface wave channel in the number of surface wave channels of a radiating element in the plurality of radiating elements to a transmission line configured to carry a radio frequency signal.