2013 7th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP)

Frequency Selective Surface Design for Blinds

Applications

1
In-Gon Leeo, Ie-Pya Hong
1 Dept. of Information & communication Engineering, Kongju National University, Korea
ingon8838@gmail.com, iphong@kongju.ac.kr

Abstract-In this paper, the reconfigurable blind structure variety of different building-structure environments, because it
with frequency selective surfaces(FSS) for the building is not necessarily to design any separate window that requires a
applications are presented. Frequency transmission special design like placing an FSS on the window, by applying
characteristics for different angles of the proposed blind-FSSs the FSS to the blind. Unlike active FSS structures which can
are investigated and verified through simulation and produce changes in frequency characteristics, the new type of
measurement. The simulation results show that we can
FSS structure does not need any complicated bias circuit and
implement the reconfigurable blind-FSS for multiband wireless
enables complete shielding or complete opening as necessary
applications. To verify the proposed paper, two kinds of blind­
by adjusting the angle of blind.
FSSs, crossed dipole FSS and circular ring FSS are fabricated
and measurements are performed for different angles. The In examining FSS structures applicable to blinds and
proposed structure in this paper which is very simple, can be different communication environments, this study used the
easily applied to any planar surface for wireless security general forms of FSS structures, crossed dipole and circular
applications at low cost. ring structures, to design and analyze a frequency-selective
surface that has characteristics of a band-stop filter reflecting
Index Terms-blind;frequency selective surface; multiband certain bands of frequencies and can control the stop bands at
the same time. For the validation of this paper, we fabricated
1. INTRODUCTION the simulated FSS structures and measured the transmission
For the communication environment in a building, it is characteristics are presented.
required to provide sufficient communication service coverage
with limited radio resources and achieve wireless security from IT. BUND-FSS DESIGN AND SIMULATION
outside the building through complete electromagnetic wave The FSS structure refers to an electromagnetic structure
shielding equipments[1]. In improving service shadow zones that has conductors or slots arranged periodically on dielectric
which may be caused by a complicated structure inside the substrate and serves to transmit or reflect specific frequencies
building, the additional installation of equipment such as as a kind of spatial wave filter. In general, the FSS structure
repeaters not only costs a lot, but also causes more interference depends on the shapes and sizes of basic unit elements and
in the external communication environment and weakens their arrangement cycles and forms. In this study, we designed
wireless security as the leakage or radio waves increases. crossed dipole and circular ring structures to have band-stop
Therefore, it is necessary to find a way to ensure both the characteristics at 2 GHz. Those FSS structures were designed
efficiency and security of limited radio resources by preventing with unit cells arranged on FR-4 (q 4.3, taneS 0.025), and
= =

the leakage of radio waves outside the building at relatively the Floquet mode analysis of Ansoft's HFSS was used to
low cost. simulate the structure, as shown in Figure I (a) and (b).
In order to meet those requirements, there have been studies
that apply frequency-selective surfaces(FSS) structures which
act as a band-stop filter reflecting certain frequency bands [1-3].
Recent studies have mainly conducted with focus on creating
FSS on building windows [4-5], and there have also been
studies of attempts to install FSS structures on the inner walls
of buildings [6]. However, most of the previous studies are
limited to certain frequency bands or certain structures and thus
there are limitations in applying their findings in view of
different communication environments.
This study regarding the application of blind-type FSS
(a) (b)
applied FSS to a light-blocking blind and examined a new type
of reconfigurable FSS structure that can bring changes in Figure I. Frequency Selective Surface Dimensions (Substrate
frequency characteristics according to the angle of the blind. Thickness: 1.6mm) (a) Crossed Dipole (b) Circular Ring
The proposed blind-FSS structure is easily applicable to a

This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the
National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF) funded by the Ministry of
Education, Science and Technology(2010-0023742)

978-88-907018-3-2/13 ©2013 IEEE 2753

 2013 7th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP)

The FSS structures to be applied to real-world buildings

need to be designed into structures that provide reflection - -
- ---- - - --
1- --
I�I---
- - --

--------.. ····4, / �-\:::=- T

characteristics at a certain frequency band and allow reflection ·5
y
�K"r'
band adjustments in view of different communication
- ,
environments. Therefore, this study attempted to design a
reconfigurable FSS structure that allows the reflection band to
-10
� V/ / • f
I \ I\.!
iij'-15
be adjusted according to the changes in the angle of blind
(theta), by using dielectric loading effects, and identified its
�
;:--20 \
\I \I �
N

�
characteristics through a simulation. Figure 2 shows a form of -25 f-
the reconfigurable Blind-FSS structure to be applied to real­
world buildings. -30
- T h�la= O
- T h�ta=30
-35 - -1"1-1"13=60-
-- T�eta=90

-40
\ indm 1.50 1.75 2.00 2.25 2.50 2.75 3.00 3.25 3.50
Freuqency [GHz]

(b)
.. _- ........

�\
Figure 3. Simulated Tranmission Characteristics of Blind-FSS (a) Crossed
Dipole Blind-FSS (b) Circular Ring Blind-FSS

�\'Ii;;.;; ..
The proposed FSSs were verified through the measurement
of an experimental prototype. Prototypes of the proposed
____ .....
FSSs are shown in Figure 4. They were fabricated on FR-4
substrate with a relative permittivity £Y = 4.3, a loss tangent
tan8 = 0.025 and a thickness h=1.6mm. Figure 4 (a) and (b)
Figure 2. Incorporating the Rotatable Blind-FSS Structure in Building shows the front view and the back view of FSS measurement
setup for the crossed dipole FSSs structure, respectively. For
the measurement of transmission characteristic of FSSs, the
wideband Horn antennas are used. Figure 4 (c) and (d) are the
As can be seen in Figure 3(a) and (b), transmission measurement setup for 30 degree blind angle.
coefficients varied with the angles of blind-FSS (0, 30, 60 and
90 degrees). They were found to resonate between frequencies
of 2 GHz and 2.75 GHz. The crossed dipole structure
displayed relatively linear changes, whereas the circular ring
structure was found to change in a non-linear way. This IS
applicable in those areas where frequency independence IS
required like WLAN, WiMAX wireless services.

o =---- - --- -
--..... "
....-_ ... - -
-:;;=--
-5 -� -,."
\

i- I- -
, ,
- 10 �� 1: --,
, ,
,
(a) (b)

- . . . -�-- - - - .
. ,

�
iij'-15 - "
"
"
�
;:"-20 � _t
�
N

....
-25 ..,

+
� -� �--------

.....
. . . - - . � p----�---
. . . - . . � ��-------
.6, � ... .. .......... �-... -

-30
1- ThFI'�D
... , . .. .. ' .,." , ... _-

- •• " ••• ,.
I
::::::: :::::��:�
- Theta=3D ,,, , . , .
I"
"
"
'.'
--"
,," , -... ..
" .,
-35 rikta=e� II" ' . ' P . WW. �
••••••
I - - Th�ta=9D "III'JJ
Ij'" "
•
" " r• ••••••••
· ·······,·,·, '
••••• ·�·····"
, ...
" " �

"" ., .... '\"" 'III'" ,�

" '.111111" " ' ..

-40
• • • • • • • •

1.50 1.75 2.00 2.25 2.50 2.75 3.00 3.25 3.50

Freuqency [GHz)
(c) (d)

(a) Figure 4. Measurement Setup of FSS of Crossed Dipole Blind-FSS (a) Front
vieweD degree) (b) Back vieweD degree) (c) Front view(3D degree) (d) Back
view(3D degree)

2754
 2013 7th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP)

reason is that the fabricated FSSs in this paper are only have
4 x 4 elements but the simulated structure has the assumption
of infmite periodicity for floquet mode simulation. The second
reason is that the absorber that we used in measurement are
only valid above 5 0Hz, but the measurements are performed
at 20Hz so it causes many scatterings and diffractions instead
!i3 -10
of absorption.
-=
...
til m. CONCLUSION
-16

The present study proposed a reconfigurable Blind-FSS

-- Th cla=O
structure designed to provide sufficient communication service
-20 --0-- Thct.=JO
---A--- Thcla=60 coverage with limited radio resources in the communication
---6- Thcla=90 environments inside buildings and ensure wireless security
-25 ........
. - .. ...._-
... ....-
... ........
.. -.. ....-
.. ........
. - .. ...._-
... ....
1.0 1.6 2.0 2.6 3.0 3.6 4.0
through complete shielding from outside the building. For the
Frcquchl'Y (GHzl validation of this paper, we fabricated the simulated FSS
structures and measured the transmission characteristics. Even
(a) though there are some discrepancies between simulation and
measurement results, the results show the possibilities of
reconfigurable resonant frequency for different angle of blind.
Consequently, we improved the applicability of FSS structure
in consideration of more diverse communication environments
using the band adjustments of reflecting specific frequencies
-5
according to the different angles of the FSS structure. Future
studies should be performed to get more accurate results of this
study by fabricating the Blind-FSSs structure with higher
� -10
resonant frequency.
.S
;::;
OIl
-1 5
REFERENCES
--Thcl.=O
Thcl"=JO
--0--
[ I] M. Raspopoulos and S. Stavrou, "Frequency Selective Buildings through
---A--- Thct.=60
Frequency Selective Surfaces," IEEE Trans. on Antennas & Prop .,
---6-- Thcta=90
VoL59, No. 8, pp. 2998-3005. Aug. 2011.
-25 ........
. - .. ....--....
... ....
.. ........
.. ---
... ....----''--
.. ----'
1.0 1.6 2.0 2.6 3.0 3.6 4.0 [2] P. S. Taylor, A C. M. Austin, E. A Parker, M. l Neve, l C. Batchelor,
Frequency leH1.1 1. T. P. Yiin, M. Leung, G. B. Rowe, A G. Williamson and K. W.
Sowerby, "Angular independent frequency selective surfaces for
interference control in indoor wireless environments", Electronics
(b) Letters, Vol. 48, No.2, pp.61-62, June. 2012.

[3] E. A Parker, l C. Batchelor, R. Chiang, A G. Williamson, B. Sanz­

Izquierdo, M. 1. Neve and K. W. Sowerby, "Frequency Selectively
Figure 5. Measurement Results of Tranmission (a) Crossed Dipole Blind­
Screened Office incorporating Convoluted FSS Window", Electronics
FSS (b) Circular Ring Blind-FSS for Different Angle of Blind
Letters, VoL46, No.5, pp.317-318, 2010.

[4] A P. Pontes Rebelo, Design of Frequency Selective Windows for

Master of Science Thesis,
Imp roved Indoor Outdoor Communication,
Lund University, 2004.
Figure 5 (a) and (b) presents the measurement results of [5] A K Brown, "The wireless friendly building", 2010 Loughborough
transmission characteristics of the proposed crossed dipole pp 62-66, 2010.
Antennas and Propagation Conference,

FSS and circular ring FSS with the variation of different angle
of blind, respectively. The measurement results shows that
there are some differences compared with simulation results
presented in Figure 3 (a) and (b), even though they have
different resonant frequency characteristics for the different
angles. There are two main reasons for this discrepancy. One
[6] M. l Neve, K. W. Sowerby, A G. Williamson, G. B. Rowe, l C.
Batchelor, and E. A Parker, "Physical layer engineering for indoor
wireless systems in the twenty-first century," 2010 Loughborough
Antennas and Propagation Conference, pp. 72-78, 2010.
[7] S. W. Lee, G. Zarrillo, and C. L. Law, "Simple formulas for
transmission through metal periodic grids or plates", IEEE Trans. on
Antennas & Prop ., vol. 30, no. 5, pp. 904-909, Sep. 1982

2755