This research proposed an S-shaped metasurface (MTS)-based wideband circularly polarized (CP) patch antenna for C-band uplink frequency spectrum. The proposed MTS-based CP patch antenna was of low profile and fabricated on three substrate layers: upper, middle, and lower. The upper substrate contained 4 × 4 periodic S-shaped MTS elements, the middle substrate functioned as ground plane with a rectangular-shaped slot at the center, and the lower substrate contained a coplanar waveguide with microstrip and ground. The S-shaped MTS elements converted linearly polarized (LP) into CP wave. Simulations were performed, and an antenna prototype was fabricated and experiments carried out. The measured impedance bandwidth and axial ratio bandwidth (ARBW) at the center frequency of 5.9 GHz were 43.22% (4.05 -6.6 GHz) and 22% (5.3 -6.6 GHz), respectively, rendering the proposed antenna suitable for satellite communication applications. The proposed antenna achieved the maximum gain of 6.16 dBic at 5.6 GHz. The novelty of this research lies in the use of S-shaped MTS elements to efficiently convert LP into CP wave and achieve wider ARBW for the C-band uplink spectrum.

This research proposes a compact quadri-cluster broadband circularly polarized (CP) sequentially-rotated metasurface-based (MTS) antenna array for the C-band frequency spectrum. One cluster of the quadri-cluster MTS-based antenna array consisted of 4 × 4 S-shaped periodically-arranged MTS elements. The sequentially-rotated feed network was utilized to realize circular polarization and improve the impedance bandwidth (IBW), 3-dB axial ratio bandwidth (ARBW) and 3-dB boresight gain bandwidth of the quadri-cluster MTS-based antenna array. Simulations were performed and results were compared with experiments. The measured IBW and ARBW were 84.74% (4.0 -9.0 GHz) and 57.6% (4.2 -7.6 GHz) at the center frequency of 5.9 GHz, rendering the proposed quadri-cluster MTS-based antenna array suitable for satellite communication applications. In addition, the quadri-cluster MTS-based antenna array achieved the measured 3-dB boresight gain bandwidth of 81.3% (3.9 -8.7 GHz), the maximum gain of 10.04 dBic at 5.6 GHz, and low radar cross-section. Specifically, the novelty of this research lies in the use of the sequentially-rotated feed network with the S-shaped MTS elements to effectively enhance ARBW of the quadri-cluster MTS-based antenna array for the C-band frequency spectrum.

This research proposes a low-profile Z-shaped metasurface (MTS)-based wideband circularly polarized (CP) Fabry-Pérot antenna for C-band satellite communication. The proposed low-cost and lowcomplexity CP Fabry-Pérot antenna is realized by using three substrate layers: upper, middle, and lower. The substrates are of FR-4 type with a dielectric constant of 4.3 and loss tangent of 0.025. The upper substrate contains 9 × 9 periodically-arranged Z-shaped MTS unit cells functioning as the partially reflecting surface and circular polarization conversion, and at the center of the middle substrate sits a corners-truncated square patch. The lower substrate consists of a copper plate with an H-shaped slot at the center of the ground plane and a microstrip feed line. The lower and middle substrates function as the source antenna. The periodic Z-shaped MTS unit cells are utilized to enhance the impedance bandwidth (IBW) and gain of the source antenna and also to convert linearly polarized into CP wave. The antenna dimension is 1.5λ0 × 1.5λ0 × 0.51λ0. Simulations are performed and experiments carried out. The measured IBW and axial ratio bandwidth are 64% (4.4 -7.6 GHz) and 18% (4.4 -5.3 GHz) at the center frequency of 5 GHz. In addition, the proposed antenna scheme achieves a measured 3-dB boresight gain bandwidth of 30% (4.3 -5.8 GHz) with the maximum gain of 12.88 dBic at 4.7 GHz, rendering the proposed Z-shaped MTS-based CP Fabry-Pérot antenna operationally suitable for satellite communication. In essence, the novelty of this research lies in the use of the low-cost and low-complexity Z-shaped MTS unit cell to effectively enhance the antenna gain and convert LP into CP wave.INDEX TERMS C-band, fabry-perot, metasurfaces, satellite communication, wideband.

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