Huygens Metasurface Lens for W-Band Switched Beam Antenna Applications

Abstract

Switched beam antennas provide an efficient and cost effective alternative to complex phased array and digital beam forming techniques. In this paper, we present the design and characterization of an electrically thin Huygens metasurface lens operating at 83 GHz with high transmission efficiency and we demonstrate its applicability to switched beam antenna applications. We accurately characterize the 3D scattered field distribution and determine the focal length and transmission efficiency of the lens by near-field scanning. A model based on ideal Huygens sources is used to predict the focal performance, allowing the geometrical measurement parameters to be determined in advance. Finally, the ability of the lens to operate as a switched beam antenna is experimentally verified by exciting it with an omnidirectional waveguide antenna placed at different positions. The experimental results are in very good agreement with numerical simulations, showing steering angles up to 12 • while keeping the side lobe level below-15 dB.

Ultra-Compact 60-GHz Near-Field Focusing Configuration Using SIW Slot Array Loaded by Transmission Coding Metasurface Lens

“…It requires a one-meter distance to generate the plane wave and necessitates a bulky clean area suitable for plane wave propagation. A similar difficulty is observed in [18], where a transmission-type lens at 83 GHz has been illuminated from a long distance.…”

Characterization of Broadband Focusing Microwave Metasurfaces at Oblique Incidence

“…The ideal field distribution from the point dipole calculation can be consistently used as a reference when characterizing off-axis aberrations, as will be shown in Section III. This characterization is relevant for applications where a static local wave source is used, such as in metasurface for far-field beam forming [26], [27] and reflectarray antennas [28], [29] as well as for wireless power transfer applications [7], [8].…”

Laser-Drilled All-Dielectric Huygens’ Transmit-Arrays as 120 GHz Band Beamformers

“…We experimentally demonstrate these all-dielectric structures which are co-designed with planar slot array antennas, using them as transmit-arrays with beamforming capabilities. We further note that this is the first implementation of a Huygens' metasurface at these frequencies beyond 120 GHz, where the latest Huygens metasurfaces have been demonstrated up to 83 GHz only based on multilayer metallic configuration [52], [53].…”

“…The proposed laser drilled all-dielectric Huygens' transmit-array may thus represent an attractive alternate to a standard PCB based fabrication for passive antenna beam-forming above 100-GHz for beyond 5G communication networks. [60] Standard PCB process 4 9.4 to 10.6 GHz Beam-focusing [61] Standard PCB process 6 5.6 & 15 GHz Beam-focusing [62] Standard PCB process 2 20 GHz Beam-tilting [19] Standard PCB process 2 24 to 28 GHz Lens [46] Standard PCB process 2 58 to 63 GHz Beam-tilting, splitting & lens [52] Standard PCB process 3 83 GHz Lens [53] Standard PCB process 3 83 GHz Beam-tilting [63] All-dielectric CNC-machining 3 9 to 11 GHz Beam-tilting [47] CNC…”