Using Rotatable Planar Phase Shifting Surfaces to Steer a High-Gain Beam

Phase shifting surface (PSS) technology has been used to develop a 30 GHz beam steering antenna. The concept is similar to that of a pair of dielectric wedges placed in front of a primary antenna for beam steering. The initial prototype antenna is made of a horn-fed PSS phase-correcting Fresnel zone plate above which are placed two rotatable circular linear phase progression PSSs. These PSSs have rotation capability along their planes. Their rotation allows for achieving beam steering in the upper hemisphere. An additional prototype antenna makes use of a rotatable offset-beam PSS phase-correcting Fresnel zone plate and a single linear phase progression PSS to achieve beam steering with a higher aperture efficiency. These prototypes confirm the feasibility of using PSS technology for achieving a lightweight, low-cost and efficient beam steering antenna.