A Planar 4-Bit Reconfigurable Antenna Array Based on the Design Philosophy of Information Metasurfaces
Zheng Xing Wang,
Hanqing Yang,
Ruiwen Shao,
Jun Wei Wu,
Guobiao Liu,
Feng Zhai,
Qiang Cheng,
Tie Jun Cui
Affiliations
Zheng Xing Wang
State Key Laboratory of Millimeter Waves, School of Information Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China; The Institute of Electromagnetic Space, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
Hanqing Yang
State Key Laboratory of Millimeter Waves, School of Information Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China; The Institute of Electromagnetic Space, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
Ruiwen Shao
State Key Laboratory of Millimeter Waves, School of Information Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China; The Institute of Electromagnetic Space, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
Jun Wei Wu
State Key Laboratory of Millimeter Waves, School of Information Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China; The Institute of Electromagnetic Space, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
Guobiao Liu
State Key Laboratory of Millimeter Waves, School of Information Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China; The Institute of Electromagnetic Space, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
Feng Zhai
State Key Laboratory of Millimeter Waves, School of Information Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China; The Institute of Electromagnetic Space, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
Qiang Cheng
State Key Laboratory of Millimeter Waves, School of Information Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China; The Institute of Electromagnetic Space, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China; Corresponding authors.
Tie Jun Cui
State Key Laboratory of Millimeter Waves, School of Information Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China; The Institute of Electromagnetic Space, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China; Corresponding authors.
Inspired by the design philosophy of information metasurfaces based on the digital coding concept, a planar 4-bit reconfigurable antenna array with low profile of 0.15λ0 (where λ0 is the free-space wavelength) is presented. The array is based on a digital coding radiation element consisting of a 1-bit magnetoelectric (ME) dipole and a miniaturized reflection-type phase shifter (RTPS). The proposed 1-bit ME dipole can provide two digital states of “0” and “1” (with 0° and 180° phase responses) over a wide frequency band by individually exciting its two symmetrical feeding ports. The designed RTPS is able to realize a relative phase shift of 173°. By digitally quantizing its phase in the range of 157.5°, additional eight digital states at intervals of 22.5° are obtained. To achieve low sidelobe levels, a 1:16 power divider based on the Taylor line source method is employed to feed the array. A prototype of the proposed 4-bit antenna array has been fabricated and tested, and the experimental results are in good agreement with the simulations. Scanning beams within a ±45° range were measured with a maximum realized gain of 13.4 dBi at 12 GHz. The sidelobe and cross-polarization levels are below –14.3 and –23.0 dB, respectively. Furthermore, the beam pointing error is within 0.8°, and the 3 dB gain bandwidth of the broadside beam is 25%. Due to its outstanding performance, the array holds potential for significant applications in radar and wireless communication systems.
