Phase-varying metamaterial for compact steerable directive antennas

Abstract

The design of a locally phase-varying one-dimensional metamaterial working near 10 GHz is reported. It is made from a capacitive and an inductive grid. The phase-varying behaviour is obtained with a regular incrementation of the spacing between each unit cell of the capacitive grid in one direction. This composite metamaterial is then used as a partially reflecting surface in a resonant Fabry-Pérot type cavity together with a patch antenna to constitute a compact steerable directive printed antenna. A ±20° deflection of the antenna beam is obtained.