Analysis and Design of Thin Circular Polarizers Based on Meander Lines

Abstract

A circular polarizer is a single layer or multi-layer structure that converts linearly polarized waves into circularly polarized ones and vice versa. In this communication, a simple method based on transmission line circuit theory is proposed to model and design circular polarizers. This technique is more flexible than those previously presented in the way that it permits to design polarizers with the desired spacing between layers, while obtaining surfaces that may be easier to fabricate and less sensitive to fabrication errors. As an illustrating example, a modified version of the meander-line polarizer being twice as thin as its conventional counterpart is designed. Then, both polarizers are fabricated and measured. Results are shown and compared for normal and oblique incidence angles in the planes φ = 0 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">°</sup> and φ = 90 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">°</sup> .