07/21/2026
By Marley O'Neil

The Francis College of Engineering, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), invites you to attend a master's thesis Electrical and Computer Engineering defense by Boris Berkovich titled: "Design and Optimization of a Periodically Ridge-Loaded W-Band Leaky-Wave Antenna for Enhanced Frequency Scanning and Manufacturable Implementation."

Tuesday, August 4, 2026
3 to 4 p.m.
Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center (ETIC) 445

Committee:

  • Advisor: Alkim Akyurtlu, Ph.D., Professor, ECE UML
  • Hualiang Zhang, Ph.D., Professor, ECE UML
  • Jason Soric, Ph.D., Principal Electrical Engineer, Raytheon Technologies (RTX)

Abstract:
This thesis presents the design, simulation, and analysis of a millimeter-wave frequency-scanning leaky-wave antenna (LWA) operating in the W-band for high-frequency communication and sensing applications. Conventional frequency-scanning antennas at these frequencies often require large waveguide dimensions that can introduce grating lobes and limit achievable scanning performance. To address these challenges, a periodically loaded waveguide structure was investigated to enable controlled radiation and enhanced beam scanning while maintaining compact dimensions. The proposed antenna is based on a rectangular waveguide with periodic ridge loading that modifies the propagation characteristics of the guided wave to achieve frequency-dependent beam steering. The antenna was designed and optimized in Ansys HFSS while satisfying the geometric constraints of an electrochemical additive manufacturing (ECAM) process. Parametric studies were performed to evaluate the influence of key geometric parameters on impedance matching, gain, and frequency-scanning performance. Simulation results demonstrate continuous beam scanning across the target W-band frequency range with stable radiation characteristics and directional gain. The antenna achieves frequency-controlled beam steering without the need for active phase shifters, reducing system complexity compared to conventional phased-array architectures. The final design demonstrates the feasibility of implementing a compact, waveguide-based frequency-scanning antenna that is compatible with ECAM fabrication while meeting the desired electromagnetic performance requirements.