Dielectric Lenses for the Reduction of Grating Lobes in Antenna Arrays with Large Inter-Element Spacing

Implementing mm-wave antennas involves working with shorter wavelengths, which can challenge conventional design and manufacturing, especially in the context of array antennas. This may lead to prohibitive design sizes and manufacturing limitations for the arrays to prevent grating lobes from appearing. This study introduces a novel approach that combines dielectric lenses with antenna arrays that have a large inter-element spacing, aimed at reducing the occurrence of grating lobes that arise at specific scanning angles. Moreover, the proposed dielectric lens solution improves the antenna directivity in the main beam direction.