Title :
MEMS-Tunable Half Phase Gradient Partially Reflective Surface for Beam-Shaping
Author :
Moghadas, Hamid ; Daneshmand, Mojgan ; Mousavi, Parvin
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., Univ. of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
Abstract :
A MEMS-tunable beam-shaping half phase-gradient (HPG) resonant cavity antenna (RCA) is presented. Traditionally, the full phase-gradient (FPG) partially reflective surface (PRS) is used in center-fed RCA for generating asymmetric off-broadside beams. Here, the novel configuration of HPG-PRS is offered with the advantages of faster real-time tracking and an improved scan profile compared to the FPG-PRS. A HPG-PRS is designed to scan 12 - 50° off broadside with frequency and also steer its beam for 69° at fixed frequency. Finally, the tunable PRS unit cell required for beam-steering in an RCA is realized using hybrid-integrated in-house developed RF-MEMS switches. These switches can be used to control the beam shape among: broadside, symmetric conical, and also an asymmetric single beam which is either frequency-scanned or steered at fixed frequency.
Keywords :
antennas; beam steering; micromechanical devices; HPG-PRS; MEMS-tunable beam-shaping half phase-gradient; MEMS-tunable half phase gradient partially reflective surface; RF-MEMS switches; asymmetric off-broadside beams; asymmetric single beam; center-fed RCA; full phase-gradient partially reflective surface; resonant cavity antenna; tunable PRS unit cell; Apertures; Cavity resonators; Frequency measurement; Leaky wave antennas; Microswitches; Tuning; Micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS); partially reflective surface (PRS); resonant cavity antenna (RCA);
Journal_Title :
Antennas and Propagation, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TAP.2014.2364303
