Research on high-power microwave experiments for a magnetic-enhanced reflectarray antenna.

Area of Science:

• Electromagnetics
• Antenna Engineering
• Materials Science

Background:

• Metamaterial-based reflectarray antennas offer potential for high-power microwave (HPM) applications.
• ε-negative metamaterial-based magnetic enhanced reflectarray antenna (MERA) elements show comparable power handling capacity (PHC) to all-metal HPM antennas.
• Existing X-band MERA prototypes exhibit high radiation performance, but lack established PHC evaluation methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and fabricate an experimental HPM platform for PHC evaluation of MERA elements.
• To experimentally verify the PHC characteristics of an X-band MERA prototype.
• To demonstrate the feasibility of MERA application in the HPM field.

Main Methods:

• Design and construction of a 9.4 GHz experimental HPM platform.
• Fabrication of an X-band MERA prototype.
• Conducting HPM experiments to assess MERA stability and PHC.

Main Results:

• The experimental HPM platform was successfully operated at 9.4 GHz.
• The MERA prototype demonstrated stability under HPM illumination.
• The PHC of the MERA element was experimentally confirmed to reach 1 GW/m2.

Conclusions:

• The study experimentally validates the feasibility of using MERA in HPM applications.
• The MERA element exhibits a significant PHC of 1 GW/m2.
• These findings are crucial for advancing microstrip antenna development in the HPM domain.