This letter presents a novel transmission metasurface to achieve orbital angular momentum (OAM) waves at the X-band. The unit cell of the proposed metasurface consists of three dielectric layers and four metallic layers, where the metallic layer is composed of an outer metallic ring and a center quasi-snow patch. A good transmission coefficient of the unit cell is obtained at the operating frequency. Meanwhile, a full 360° phase shift can be achieved by changing the length of the quasi-snow patch. The method of generating OAM waves is studied and analyzed. Based on this method, a metasurface producing a +1-mode OAM wave is designed and simulated. To verify this concept, one prototype is fabricated, assembled, and measured. The measured results agree well with the simulated ones, showing that the +1-mode OAM wave can be generated successfully with a high gain of 14.5 dBi. Moreover, a narrow divergence angle of +/-9° is achieved in the produced OAM wave.

This paper presents a novel shared-aperture dual-band dual-polarized (DBDP) high-gain antenna for potential applications in synthetic aperture radars (SARs). To reduce the complexity of SAR antennae, a DBDP high-gain antenna based on the concept of Fabry-Perot resonant cavity is designed. This antenna operates in both Cand X-bands with a frequency ratio of 1:1.8. To form two separate resonant cavities, two frequency selective surface layers are employed, leading to high flexibility in choosing desired frequencies for each band. The beam-scanning capability of this proposed antenna is also investigated, where a beam-scanning angle range of ±15° is achieved in two orthogonal polarizations. To verify this design concept, three passive antenna prototypes were designed, fabricated, and measured. One prototype has broadside radiation patterns, while the other two prototypes have frozen beam scanned to +15°. The measured results agree well with the simulated ones, showing that the high gain, high port isolation, and low cross-polarization levels are obtained in both the bands. Compared with the conventional high-gain DBDP SAR antennae, the proposed antenna has achieved a significant reduction in the complexity, mass, size, loss, and cost of the feed network.

This paper presents the design of a smart antenna that can achieve three-dimensional beam scanning coverage. The antenna consists of a novel planar feed array and a cylindrical active frequency selective surface (AFSS). First, an array fed metallic reflector is studied as a reference antenna to validate the beam scanning characteristics in the elevation plane. Then the AFSS is assessed through simulation and measurement results. Finally, the complete structure containing the planar collinear array and the AFSS is analyzed. A prototype at S-band has been designed, manufactured and measured. The resulting antenna is shown to be able to operate at the 2.4 − 2.5 GHz frequency band and switch beams in both the azimuth and elevation planes. In the azimuth plane, the proposed antenna is capable of sweeping beams towards different directions to cover a full range of 360°. In the elevation plane, it can achieve beam steering within an angle range of +16°/−15°. The measured maximum gain of the antenna is 9.2 dBi. This is the first report of a low-cost 3D coverage beam scanning antenna based on AFSS.

This communication presents an a cylindrical active frequency selective surface (AFSS)-based electronically beam-switching antenna, which can operate at two different frequency bands. The antenna consists of a slot AFSS and an omnidirectional dual-band feed antenna. The p-i-n diodes of the AFSS can be switched on or off to reconfigure the AFSS as transparent or opaque to the incident electromagnetic waves, respectively. Thus, by controlling the dc bias voltages to different columns of p-i-n diodes, the directive beams of the antenna can be swept to cover the whole azimuth plane. To validate the design concept, the transmission coefficients of the active FSS sheet are experimentally examined. An antenna prototype operating at 2.5 and 5.3 GHz frequency bands is also fabricated and measured. Simulation and measurement results of the antenna are presented to verify the design principle. A comparison between this communication and other recent designs is provided. The antenna has advantages of low power, low cost, easy fabrication, and electronic beam switching covering a full 360° angular range.

A tri-band antenna with high gain and low profile is proposed. This antenna is based on the concept of Fabry-Perot cavity antenna (FPCA) and three resonances are obtained by employing two frequency selective surface (FSS) layers. Two FSS layers lead to two resonant frequencies by making each FSS layer satisfy the resonant condition of Fabry-Perot cavity. The third resonant frequency is obtained by exploiting the combined effects of the two FSS layers together. The operating principle of this proposed antenna is explained and the achievable frequency range is investigated. It is shown that the proposed method enables all three resonant frequencies to be independently tuned within certain frequency range. Because of the 0o reflection phase of the combined-FSSs, the present antenna has a low profile. To verify the design concept, one C/X/Ku-band FPCA is designed, fabricated and tested. Experimental results agree well with the simulated results. High gain with good impedance matching in three bands is obtained, which reaches a peak gain of 13.4 dBi at 5.2 GHz, 18.9 dBi at 9.7 GHz and 20 dBi at 14.6 GHz. The overall height of the proposed antenna is approximately 0.36 wavelength at its lowest operating frequency.

This paper proposes a novel transmitarray antenna which can achieve high gain and produce dual-mode orbital angular momentum (OAM) beams in Ku band. Two back-to-back wideband dual-polarized microstrip antennas are employed as the unit cells, which are connected using metalized via holes. Full 360o phase ranges can be obtained by varying the length of feeding lines in two orthogonal polarizations. Due to high isolation between the two orthogonal polarizations, dual-mode OAM beams can be formed simultaneously by tuning phase distributions in x- and y-polarizations, respectively. The approach for generating OAM beams is explained. To verify this concept, one prototype carrying 0 and +1 mode OAM beams is designed, fabricated and measured. Experimental results demonstrate that the both 0 and +1 mode OAM beams can be generated successfully, and the measured results agree well with the simulated results. Because of high directivity and focusing effects of transmitarray, the proposed +1 mode OAM beam has stable performance at a long propagation distance. The maximum gain reaches 26 dBi and 20 dBi in 0 and +1 mode OAM beams, respectively. Meanwhile, a narrow divergence angle of +/-5° is obtained in +1 mode OAM beam. Compared to other OAM antennas reported, main advantages of the proposed antenna include high gain, narrow divergence angle, low cost, planar structure and the capability of producing dual-mode OAM beams.