1-Bit Hexagonal Meander-Shaped Wideband Electronically Reconfigurable Transmitarray for Satellite Communications

This paper proposes a hexagonal meander-shaped wideband electronically reconfigurable transmitarray (HMRTA) at Ku band for satellite communications and radar applications. The proposed transmitarray offers high gain, low profile, and wideband characteristics with beam-scanning and beam-forming features. The cascaded structure is a low-profile and compact transmitarray. The transmitter (T-x) layer has an angular hexagonal patch with a meandered shape and resonating parasitic patches to enhance the bandwidth. The receiver (R-x) layer comprises a two-part hexagonal receiver patch and a dual ring impedance-matching receiver layer. The current reversal phenomena have executed the 180 degrees phase shift by integrating two diodes in opposite directions. The measured results of a unit cell achieve a minimum insertion loss of 0.86 dB and 0.92 dB for state I and state II. The maximum insertion loss is 2.58 dB from 14.12 GHz to 18.02 GHz and is about 24.83% at 16.5 GHz. The full-wave simulations of a 20 x 20 space-fed reconfigurable transmitarray were performed. Good radiation patterns at all scanning angles of two principal planes are achieved, and the cross-polarization level remains less than -20 dB. The simulated 3 dB gain fluctuation bandwidth of the array is 15.85 similar to 18.35 GHz, and the wideband characteristics are verified. The simulation results show that the array can perform beam scanning +/- 60 degrees in the elevation (y-z) plane and obtain the beam-scanning characteristics for +/- 60 degrees in the Azimuth (x-z) plane.

Automated summary

This paper presents a hexagonal meander-shaped wideband electronically reconfigurable transmitarray (HMRTA) for satellite communications and radar applications. The proposed transmitarray offers high gain, low profile, and wideband characteristics with beam-scanning and beam-forming features. It achieves good radiation patterns at all scanning angles, and the cross-polarization level remains low. The array can perform beam scanning in both elevation and azimuth planes.