Design of innovative metamaterial microwave components

In this contribution, we propose the design of innovative microwave components based on metamaterials, such as patch and leaky wave radiators, absorbers, and directional couplers. The employment of metamaterials aims to overcome the intrinsic limitations of the standard components, based on the diffraction limit. In this way, patch antennas can be miniaturized compared to their traditional counterparts, leaky wave radiators can achieve improved directivity performances, resonant microwave absorbers can be miniaturized beyond 1/100 of the operating wavelength in terms of thickness, microstrip directional couplers can be made very short and with very high coupling values. The physical mechanisms behind the operation of such components, the analysis and design steps, and the experiments conducted in cooperation with other universities will be presented. Part of this work has been performed in the frame of the Network of Excellence Metamorphose and in the national project PRIN 2006 leaded by Roma Tre.