Topic 3: Reflectarray Antennas

SIW-based Reflectarray Antennas

Eduardo Carrasco
ETSI Telecomunicación,
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
eduardo.carrasco@upm.es

Advanced Topics on Antenna Technologies (2020/2021)

Máster Universitario en Ingeniería de Telecomunicación
Master in SignalTheoryand Communications
Outline

 Motivation

 Proposed element: patch aperture-coupled to a SIW

 Filter perspective

 Experimental validation using WGS

 Complete reflectarray response

 Towards new functionalities: electronic phase control, non-reciprocal response

 Conclusions

1
Outline

 Motivation

 Proposed element: patch aperture-coupled to a SIW

 Filter perspective

 Experimental validation using WGS

 Complete reflectarray response

 Towards new functionalities: electronic phase control, non-reciprocal response

 Conclusions

2
 Motivation (1)
Multi-resonances
Element bandwidth

Spatial phase-delay 200

Fase coef. refl.(º )

Bandwidth (large reflectarrays) 100

-100

True-time delay -200

6 8 10 12 14
a1(mm)

E. Carrasco, J. A. Encinar, M. Barba,

“Bandwidth Improvement in Large Encinar, J.A., Zornoza, J.A., “Three-Layer Printed Reflectarrays
Reflectarrays by Using True-Time Delay”, for Contoured Beam Space Applications”, IEEE Transactions on
IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., vol. 56, pp. Antennas and Propagation, Vol. 52, No. 5, May 2004, pp. 1138-
2496-2503, Aug. 2008. 1148.

0
0 0 40
Phase (degrees)

45 45 -100 Reflectarray limited to 360º

-1000 35
-50 Reflectarray with TTD
40 -200 9.90 GHz
40
Element number in y-direction
Element number in y-direction

10.40 GHz
-300 -2000 30
35 -100 35 10.90 GHz
-400 ideal phase-shifter, -2L

Bandwidth (%)
30 30 -3000 25
-150
-500 0 10 20 30 40 50
25 25 Line length (mm)
-600 20
-200 0
20 20
-700
Amplitude (dB)

15
15 -250 15 -800 -0.5
10 10 -900 10
-300 9.90 GHz
-1
5 -1000 10.40 GHz
5 5
-350 10.90 GHz
-1100
10 20 30 40 50 10 20 30 40 50 -1.5
0 10 20 30 40 50 0
Element number in x-direction Element number in x-direction Line length (mm) 5 10 15 20 25 30
Reflectarray size (d/)

3
Motivation (2)

The SIW (also known as postwall

waveguide or a laminated waveguide)
is a rectangular waveguide-like
structure in an integrated planar form.

Hirokawa, J., Ando, M,”Single-layer feed waveguide consisting of posts for

plane TEM wave excitation in parallel plates”, IEEE Transactions on antennas
and propagation, VOL. 46, NO. 5, pp 625 - 630, Mayo 1998.

Djerafi T., Doghri A., Wu K. (2016) Substrate Integrated Waveguide

Antennas. In: Chen Z., Liu D., Nakano H., Qing X., Zwick T. (eds)
Handbook of Antenna Technologies. Springer, Singapore

4
Motivation (3)

C. Fan, W. Choi, W. Yang, W. Che, K. W. Tam,., “A Low Cross-Polarization Reflectarray Antenna

Based on SIW Slot Antenna”, IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters, Vol. 16, 2017

E. Carrasco, J. A. Encinar, M. Barba,

“Bandwidth Improvement in Large
Reflectarrays by Using True-Time Delay”,
IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., vol. 56, pp.
2496-2503, Aug. 2008.

Z. W. Miao and Z. C. Hao, “A Wideband Reflectarray Antenna Using SICL True-Time Delay Lines
for QLink-Pan Applications”, IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters, Vol. 16, 2017.

5
Outline

 Motivation

 Proposed element: patch aperture-coupled to a SIW

 Filter perspective

 Experimental validation using WGS

 Complete reflectarray response

 Towards new functionalities: electronic phase control, non-reciprocal response

 Conclusions

6
Proposed element: Patch apertura-coupled to a SIW (1)
 Low radiation losses due to the inherent shielding
 Higher power capability
 Cost effective
 Higher frequency operation
 Low profile (2 dielectrics instead of 3 dielectrics)
 Relative simple fabrication (PCB, LTCC, additive manufacturing)
 SIW as a delay line  True-time delay responses

7
Proposed element: Patch aperture-coupled to a SIW
• More features
– High selectivity
– Large bandwidth
– Reconfiguration
– Nonreciprocity

Matching through the SIW Operation in reflection

Length

8
Outline

 Motivation

 Proposed element: patch aperture-coupled to a SIW

 Filter perspective

 Experimental validation using WGS

 Complete reflectarray response

 Towards new functionalities: electronic phase control, non-reciprocal response

 Conclusions

9
Patch with stub

In-line filter
Small rejection  Smooth gain response

10
SIW-based element (1, 2, 3 slots): filter perspective
How to increase of selectivity and rejection to adjacent channels?
Design of complex filtering transfer functions between the delay line and the free-
space.
Free space
(load)
J12 J2L
z
y L2 C2 Y2
x
J S1
Y0 L1 J1L
C1 Y1 YL
y
x

Source

Free space
(load)
z J S1 J12 J1L
y P
x W2 W3 Slot 1 1 Y0 L1 Y1 Y2 J2L
C1
D3 S2 S3 Patch 2 JS3 J 32
Y3 C2 YL
Slot2 Slot1 Source Load L2
3 (free space)
(SIW) Slot 2 L3
G1 y C3 J 3L
T2 x
Source

Free space
(load) J S1 J12 J1L
L1 Y1 Y2 J2L
z
y P 1 Patch
C1
x W4 W5 W Y0 JS3 J 32 YL
6 Slot 1 2 Y3 C2
L2
D4 S 4 S5 S6 3 L3 J 3L
Slot 2 C3
Slot3 Slot1 Source
(SIW) Load J 42
G2G3 y 4 JS4 J4L
T3 x
Slot 3
(free space)
Slot2 Source L4
C4 Y4

11
SIW-based element: 1 slot

Patch 2

1
Source Slot Load
(SIW) (free space)

12
 SIW-based element: 2 slots

Slot 1 1
Patch 2
Source Load
(SIW)
3 Slot 2 (free space)

13
SIW-based element: 3 slots

1 Patch
Slot 1 2
3
Source Slot 2
(SIW) Load
4 (free space)
Slot 3

14
SIW-based element (comparison)

BW 10.5 % BW 18.3 % BW 22.5 %

15
Outline

 Motivation

 Proposed element: patch aperture-coupled to a SIW

 Filter perspective

 Experimental validation using WGS

 Complete reflectarray response

 Towards new functionalities: electronic phase control, non-reciprocal response

 Conclusions

16
Experimental validation
 Third order filter structure
L  Waveguide simulator method
 Standard WR90
 Variation of L
 High quality linear phase
 Broadband response

8.4 GHz
8.6 GHz
9.2 GHz

9.7 GHz
10 GHz

17
Outline

 Motivation

 Proposed element: patch aperture-coupled to a SIW

 Filter perspective

 Experimental validation using WGS

 Complete reflectarray response

 Towards new functionalities: electronic phase control, non-reciprocal response

 Conclusions

18
Complete reflectarray response

Main beam
Feeder direction

50x50 unit-cells

19
Gain versus frequency

20
Outline

 Motivation

 Proposed element: patch aperture-coupled to a SIW

 Filter perspective

 Experimental validation using WGS

 Complete reflectarray response

 Towards new functionalities: electronic phase control, non-reciprocal response

 Conclusions

21
Electronic control of phase

15 0 15 0
V (V) V (V)

22
Outline

 Motivation

 Proposed element: patch aperture-coupled to a SIW

 Filter perspective

 Experimental validation using WGS

 Complete reflectarray response

 Towards new functionalities: electronic phase control, non-reciprocal response

 Conclusions

23
Conclusions
• Reflectarray antennas
– Bandwidth & gain selectivity
• New class of SIW-based unit-cells
– Two dielectrics layer
– Coupling through slots
– True-time delay responses
• A filter approach perspective
– Transmission zeros
– Sharp gain selectivity 40
Two slots
– Relatively large bandwidth 35 Full copper

Gain (dB)
– Preliminary measurements 30
• Complete RA response 25
– Gain & selectivity
20
• Towards new functionalities
15
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Frequency (GHz)
24
Reference

25
Towards nonreciprocal response

f0 f0+fm  Subwavelength unit-cell whose

reflection coefficient oscillates at
low frequency (time-modulation).
 Such modulation permits tailoring
the phase and amplitude of any
desired nonlinear harmonic and
determines the behavior of all other
emerging fields.

26
Towards nonreciprocal response

 Subwavelength unit-cell whose

f0+fm reflection coefficient oscillates at
low frequency (time-modulation).
f0+fm  Such modulation permits tailoring
the phase and amplitude of any
desired nonlinear harmonic and
determines the behavior of all other
emerging fields.

27
Topic 3: Reflectarray Antennas

SIW-based Reflectarray Antennas

Eduardo Carrasco
ETSI Telecomunicación,
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
eduardo.carrasco@upm.es

Advanced Topics on Antenna Technologies (2020/2021)

Máster Universitario en Ingeniería de Telecomunicación
Master in SignalTheoryand Communications