Pattern-reconfigurable integrated array antenna based on a coding metasurface.

Area of Science:

• Electromagnetic Engineering
• Antenna Theory
• Metamaterials

Background:

• Reconfigurable antennas are crucial for modern wireless communication systems.
• Existing designs often face challenges with integration, size, and tunability.
• Metasurfaces offer a promising approach to control electromagnetic waves with sub-wavelength structures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and demonstrate an electrically tunable pattern-reconfigurable integrated array antenna.
• To utilize a 1-bit digital coding metasurface for precise phase control.
• To achieve high integration and reduced profile height in the antenna design.

Main Methods:

• An 8x8 array antenna composed of a radiation antenna and a phase control metasurface.
• Utilizing rectangular microstrip patch antennas as radiation sources.
• Employing a three-stacked layer square slot unit metasurface loaded with varactor diodes for phase regulation.

Main Results:

• The metasurface successfully regulates the transmission phase of quasi-plane waves.
• Pattern reconfigurability demonstrated through switching coding sequences.
• Achieved pencil-beam radiation, beam deflection, and multi-beam radiation at 5 GHz.

Conclusions:

• The proposed antenna design offers efficient pattern reconfigurability using a compact, integrated metasurface.
• Eliminates the need for additional horn antennas, simplifying the structure.
• Presents a new method for developing highly integrated, tunable reconfigurable array antennas.