This paper describes a beam scanning antenna that consists of a movable dielectric plate loaded onto a microstrip comb-line antenna. This type of antenna uses a mechanical system and so offers a simple structure and low cost. The main beam direction of the proposed antenna is changed by moving the dielectric plate. The guide wavelength of the microstrip line was measured at the quasi-millimeter wave band (20 GHz) when moving the dielectric plate to investigate the possibility of beam scanning. The proposed antenna was fabricated to experimentally demonstrate its principle operation. A possible beam scanning angle of 20 degrees was confirmed.

A mechanical phase shifter is designed for beam scanning in co-phase fed single-layer slotted waveguide arrays. The multiple-way power divider in this array consists of a series of π-junctions with one guide wavelength spacing in a feed waveguide. The movable narrow walls placed between the π-junctions perturb the guide wavelength as well as the phase of output ports. Method of Moment (MoM) analysis for one unit consisting of one movable plate and two junctions is conducted to estimate the available phase shift as well as the degradation of reflection. A phase shift of 86 degrees is predicted between two π-junctions under the condition of reflection below -20 dB; experiments at 4 GHz confirmed the design. The beam scanning capability of the arrays is also surveyed and the beam-scanning of about 10 degrees is predicted.