A millimeter wave imaging system that includes at least one millimeter wave frequency
scanning antenna for collecting frequency dependent beams of millimeter wave radiation
from a narrow one-dimensional field of view. The collected radiation is amplified
at the collected frequencies and the amplified signals are separated into frequency
dependent bins with a tapped-delay beam-former. These bins are then sampled to
produce a one-dimensional image of the antenna field of view. A two dimensional
image of a target may be obtained by moving the target across the field of view
of the scanning antenna. In a preferred embodiment the antenna is only 4.5 inches
in length and constructed from WR-10 waveguide with inclined slots cut in one of
the narrow walls at 79 mil spacings. This geometry creates a frequency-scanned
antenna spanning a 20 degree vertical field of view over a 75.5-93.5 GHz operational
band of the sensor, starting at approximately 1 degree below horizontal at 93.5
GHz and ranging to approximately 21 degrees below horizontal at 75.5 GHz. In this
embodiment 64 of these antenna elements are arranged in four stacks of 16 antennas
focused at about 18 inches to construct a portal contraband screener.