Design of Liquid Crystal Based Tunable Reflectarray Antenna Using Slot Embedded Patch Element Configurations

Authors: M. Y. Ismail, M. Inam

Abstract:

This paper presents the design and analysis of Liquid Crystal (LC) based tunable reflectarray antenna with different design configurations within X-band frequency range. The effect of LC volume used for unit cell element on frequency tunability and reflection loss performance has been investigated. Moreover different slot embedded patch element configurations have been proposed for LC based tunable reflectarray antenna design with enhanced performance. The detailed fabrication and measurement procedure for different LC based unit cells has been presented. The waveguide scattering parameter measured results demonstrated that by using the circular slot embedded patch elements, the frequency tunability and dynamic phase range can be increased from 180MHz to 200MHz and 120° to 124° respectively. Furthermore the circular slot embedded patch element can be designed at 10GHz resonant frequency with a patch volume of 2.71mm3 as compared to 3.47mm3 required for rectangular patch without slot.

Keywords: Liquid crystal, Tunable reflectarray, Frequency tunability, Dynamic phase range.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1337475

References:

[1] G. D. G. Berry, R. G. Malech, and W. A.Kennedy, "The reflectarray antenna”, IEEE Trans. Antennas and Propagation, Vol. AP-11, Nov. 1963.
[2] R. D. Javor, X. D. Wu, K. Chang, "Design and Performance of Microstrip Reflectarray Antenna”, IEEE Trans. Antennas and Propagation, Vol. 43, No. 9 pp. 932-938, Sep 1995.
[3] S. D. Targonski and D. M. Pozar, "Analysis and Design of A Microstrip Reflectarray using Patches 0f Variable Size”, IEEE AP-S/URSI Symposium, Seattle,Washington, pp. 1820-1823, June 1994.
[4] J. Huang and R. J. Pogorzelski,”Microstrip Reflectarray with Elements Having Variable Rotation Angle”, IEEE AP-S Symposium Digest, pp. 1280-1283, April 1993.
[5] M. Y. Ismail and M. Inam, "Performance Improvement of Reflectarrays Based on Embedded Slots Configurations". Progress In Electromagnetics Research C, Vol. 14, pp. 67-78, 2010.
[6] M. R. Chahmir, J. Shaker, M. Cuhai, and A. Sebak, "Reflectarray with Variable Slots on Ground Plane”, IEE Proc.-Microwaves, Antennas and Propagation, Vol. 150, No. 6, pp. 436-439, 2003.
[7] M. Y. Ismail and M. Inam, "Analysis of Design optimization of Bandwidth and Loss Performance of Reflectarray Antennas Based on Material Properties”. Modern Applied Sci. J. CCSE., Vol. 4, No. 1, pp. 28-35, 2010.
[8] M. E. Biallowski and J. Encinar, "Reflectarray: Potential and Challenges” International Conference on Electromagnetics in Advanced Applications, pp. 1050-1053, (ICEAA) 2007.
[9] D. M. Pozar and S. D. Targonski, "A Shaped-Beam Microstrip Patch Reflectarray” IEEE Transactions on Antennas propogation, Vol. 47, No. 7, pp. 1167-1173, 1999.
[10] J. Huang and J. Encinar, Reflectarray Antennas, Wiley, interscience, 2007.
[11] K. Y. SZE and L. Shafal, "Analysis of Phase Variation Due to Varying Patch Length in a microstrip Reflectarray” IEEE Trans. Antennas and Propagation, Vol. 46, No. 7, pp. 1134-1137.
[12] S. V. Hum, M. Okoniewski and R. J. Davies, "Realizing an Electronically Tunable Reflectarray Using Varactor Diode-Tuned Elements”. IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters,Vol. 15, pp. 422-424, 2005.
[13] M. Y. Ismail, W. Hu, R. Cahill, V. F. Fusco, H. S. Gamble, D. Linton, R. Dickie, S. P. Rea and N. Grant, "Phase Agile Reflectarray Cells Based On Liquid Crystals”. Proc. IET Microw. Antennas Propag., Vol. 1, No. 4, pp. 809-814, 2007.
[14] W. Hu, M. Y. Ismail, R. Cahill, H. S. Gamble, R. Dickie, V. F. Fusco, D. Linton, S. P. Rea and N. Grant, "Tunable Liquid Crystal Patch Element”. IET Electronic Letters, Vol 42, No 9, 2006.
[15] A. Mossinger. R. Marin, S. Mueller, J. Freese and R. Jakoby, "Electronically Reconfigurable Reflectarrays with Nematic Liquid Crystals”. IET Electronics Letters, Vol. 42, No. 16, 2006.
[16] H. Rajagopalan, Y. Rahmat and W. A. Imbriale, "RF MEMES Actuated Reconfigurable Reflectarray Patch-Slot Element”. IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., Vol. 56, No. 12,pp. 369-3699, 2008.
[17] F. A. Tahir, H. Aubert and E. Girard, "Equivalent Electrical Circuit for Designing MEMS-Controlled Reflectarray Phase Shifters”. Progress In Electromagnetics Research, Vol. 100, pp. 1-12, 2010.
[18] L. Boccia, F. Venneri, G. Amendola and G. D. Massa, "Application of Varactor Diodes for Reflectarray Phase Control”. IEEE International Symposium of Antennas and Propagation Society, Vol 4, pp. 132-135, 2002.
[19] S. V. Hum, M. Okoniewski and R. Davies, "Modeling and Design of Electronically Tunable Reflectarrays”. IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., Vol. 55, No. 8, pp. 2200-2210, 2007.
[20] M. Riel and J. J. Laurin, "Design of an Electronically Beam Scanning Reflectarray Using Aperture-Coupled Elements”. IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, Vol. 55, No. 5, pp. 1260- 1266, 2007.