2-Dimensional (2D) Beam Steering-Antenna Using Active PRS for 5G Applications

Area of Science:

• Electromagnetics and Wave Propagation
• Antenna Theory and Design
• Metamaterials and Reconfigurable Surfaces

Background:

• Microstrip patch antennas are widely used due to their low profile and ease of integration.
• Beam steering is crucial for modern wireless systems to improve signal quality and coverage.
• Partially Reflective Surfaces (PRS) offer a promising approach for reconfigurable antenna functionalities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and demonstrate a compact, coaxial-fed square microstrip patch antenna integrated with a beam-steering PRS.
• To investigate the beam steering capabilities of a 2-D Fabry-Perot Cavity (FPC) antenna with a reconfigurable PRS superstrate.
• To achieve significant angular steering in both azimuth and elevation planes at 5.5 GHz.

Main Methods:

• A two-dimensional (2-D) Fabry-Perot Cavity (FPC) antenna was used as the radiator.
• A 6x6 reconfigurable unit cell PRS, etched on Rogers 5880, was employed as the beam-steering superstrate.
• PIN diodes were utilized to control the switching states of the PRS unit cells for beam steering.

Main Results:

• The proposed antenna achieved beam steering up to ±47° in the azimuth plane and ±15° in the elevation plane.
• Measured antenna gain was approximately 10 dBi across different steering states.
• The antenna prototype exhibited a 10 dB impedance bandwidth from 5.4 GHz to 5.52 GHz.

Conclusions:

• The integrated FPC antenna and reconfigurable PRS design enables effective and compact beam steering.
• The demonstrated steering capabilities are suitable for advanced wireless communication systems requiring directional flexibility.
• The design offers a practical solution for achieving reconfigurable radiation patterns with high gain.