Design of a 2-bit reconfigurable reflectarray element using two MEMS switches

The design of a Ku-band reconfigurable reflectarray element is presented in this paper. The element structure of a microstrip patch loaded with two asymmetric slots are employed, on which two MEMS switches are integrated to achieve a 2-bit phase reconfigurability. Simulation results show that four well-distributed phase states can be electronically controlled, and the maximum element amplitude loss is less than 0.70 dB. The proposed element design successfully balances the element performance and system complexity, becoming a potential candidate for high-performance reconfigurable reflectarray antenna applications.