journal article·2025-04-11Open access

Compact Beam-Scanning Reflectarray Antenna with SLL Reduction Using In-Plane Panel Translations

Andrés Gómez-Álvarez, Sérgio A. Matos, Manuel Arrebola, Marcos R. Pino, Carlos A. Fernandes

Applied Sciences· Volume 15· Issue 8

Abstract

A mechanical beam-scanning reflectarray (RA) antenna is presented for Ka band. The 1D steering of the beam is achieved through linear in-plane panel translations, which can be implemented at low cost using a rail-mounted moving RA panel. Compared to related works, a highly uniform beam level is achieved with a remarkably compact antenna profile. A new technique is also proposed to mitigate the high side lobes caused by the compact antenna optics, achieving an estimated 2.3 dB reduction in maximum SLL. The manufactured prototype has a panel size of 256.4 by 187.2 mm with 2898 elements, and an F/D of only 0.47. A measured scan loss of 1.1 dB is achieved over a 45-degree scanning range. The measured gain is 31.6 dBi and the aperture efficiency is 24.7% at the design frequency of 29.5 GHz, with SLL between −9.4 and −17.5 dB. In-band measurements show a 1 dB bandwidth from 28 to over 32 GHz (11.9%).
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Advanced Antenna and Metasurface Technologies · Antenna Design and Analysis · Antenna Design and Optimization

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Department of Electrical Engineering, Group of Signal Theory and Communications, University of Oviedo, 33203 Gijón, Spain

Instituto de Telecomunicações and the Departamento de Ciências e Tecnologias da Informaçao, Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (Iscte-IUL), 1649-026 Lisbon, Portugal

Department of Signals, Systems and Radiocommunications, Group of Applied Electromagnetics, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain

Instituto de Telecomunicações, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal

Funding

MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 · EU (European Union) “NextGenerationEU”/PRTR · FCT/MECI

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