Phase-compensated metasurface for a conformal microwave antenna

The in-phase radiation from a conformal metamaterial surface is numerically and experimentally reported. The LC-resonant metasurface is composed of a simultaneously capacitive and an inductive grid constituted by copper strips printed on both sides of a dielectric board. The metasurface is designed to fit a curved surface by modifying its local phase. The latter phase-compensated metasurface is used as a reflector in a conformal Fabry-Perot resonant cavity designed to operate at microwave frequencies. Far-field measurements performed on a fabricated prototype allow showing the good performances of such a phase-compensated metasurface in restoring in-phase emissions from the conformal surface and producing a directive emission in the desired direction. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.