Wideband Wide-Angle Scanning Phased Array Based on Miniaturized Metasurface Antenna

Wideband wide-angle scanning metasurface phased arrays are studied in this article. To ensure grating lobe free across the entire operation frequency band and within a wide beam scanning range, a novel metasurface antenna miniaturization method based on metasurface dispersion characteristic analysis is first proposed. Unique metasurface dispersion curves with width independent and high slope characteristics are utilized to miniaturize the metasurface antenna. Compact radiating aperture of 0.38(lambda)h x 0.42 lambda(h) and impedance bandwidth of 30.1% with broadside radiation are achieved, where lambda(h) is the free space wavelength of the highest operation frequency. Subsequently, the proposed miniaturized metasurface elements are applied to construct linear and 2-D phased arrays to study their wideangle beam scanning performance across the entire operation frequency band. Scanning blindness elimination and backward radiation suppression issues are discussed and addressed in arrays. Finally, proof-of-concept prototypes of two eight-element H-plane, E-plane linear phased arrays, and an 8 x 8 2-D phased array achieve +/- 60 degrees beam scanning range across the entire operation frequency band of more than 22% bandwidth.

Automated summary

This article studies wideband wide-angle scanning metasurface phased arrays and proposes a novel method for miniaturization of metasurface antennas based on metasurface dispersion characteristic analysis. The miniaturized metasurface elements achieve compact radiating aperture and impedance bandwidth, and wide-angle beam scanning across the entire operation frequency band. The article also addresses issues of scanning blindness elimination and backward radiation suppression in arrays.