José A. Encinar

Design of two-layer printed reflectarrays using patches of variable size

A multilayer reflectarray composed of two stacked arrays with rectangular patches of variable size is demonstrated. A progressive phase distribution on the reflector surface is achieved by adjusting the dimensions of the patches. The phase of the reflection coefficient at each element is computed by the method of moments in the spectral domain, assuming local periodicity. A technique is presented for the design of dual polarization reflectarrays that yields all the dimensions for the photo-etching mask. A prototype has been design, built and measured, and a superior bandwidth performance has been verified, compared to conventional single layer reflectarrays.

Broadband design of three-layer printed reflectarrays

A method is proposed to design three-layer printed reflectarrays with patches of variable size for broadband operation. The patch dimensions are adjusted by an optimization routine to achieve the required phase distribution in a given frequency band. A 1-meter reflectarray was designed, and significant bandwidth and gain stability improvements were obtained.

Three-layer printed reflectarrays for contoured beam space applications

A procedure for designing contoured beam reflectarrays in a defined frequency band is proposed. The reflectarray consists of three layers of rectangular patch arrays backed by a ground plane. The phase of the reflection coefficient for both linear polarizations is controlled at each reflective element by adjusting the patch dimensions. To overcome the frequency band limitation of reflectarrays, the patch dimensions are adjusted to match the required phase distribution and its variation with frequency. A phase-only synthesis technique based on the intersection approach has been applied to obtain the phase distribution on the reflectarray surface. An experimental demonstration is presented by means of a medium-size two-layer reflectarray that radiates two pencil beams separated by 55/spl deg/. An 80-cm three-layer reflectarray has been designed for typical South America DBS coverage at Ku-band for dual polarization. After the optimization of the patch dimensions to match the phase distribution in the 12.8-14.2 GHz band significant improvements have been achieved in the contoured patterns. As a result, the theoretical radiation patterns practically fulfill the requirements in the coverage region within a 10% bandwidth.

Bandwidth Improvement in Large Reflectarrays by Using True-Time Delay

A significant improvement in the bandwidth of large reflectarrays is demonstrated using elements which allow true-time delay. Two identical, large reflectarrays have been designed using different phase distributions to generate a collimated beam. In the former, the phase distribution is truncated to 360deg as is usual in reflectarray antennas, while in the second, the true phase delay is maintained (three cycles of 360deg). The chosen phase-shifter elements are based on previously measured and validated patches aperture-coupled to delay lines. The radiation patterns for both reflectarrays have been computed at several frequencies and the gain is represented as a function of frequency for both cases. Bandwidth curves are presented as a function of the reflectarray size.

Design and Measurement of Reconfigurable Millimeter Wave Reflectarray Cells With Nematic Liquid Crystal

Numerical simulations are used to study the electromagnetic scattering from phase agile microstrip reflectarray cells which exploit the voltage controlled dielectric anisotropy property of nematic state liquid crystals (LCs). In the computer model two arrays of equal size elements constructed on a 15 mum thick tuneable LC layer were designed to operate at center frequencies of 102 GHz and 130 GHz. Micromachining processes based on the metallization of quartz/silicon wafers and an industry compatible LCD packaging technique were employed to fabricate the grounded periodic structures. The loss and the phase of the reflected signals were measured using a quasi-optical test bench with the reflectarray inserted at the beam waist of the imaged Gaussian beam, thus eliminating some of the major problems associated with traditional free-space characterization at these frequencies. By applying a low frequency AC bias voltage of 10 V, a 165deg phase shift with a loss 4.5-6.4 dB at 102 GHz and 130deg phase shift with a loss variation between 4.3-7 dB at 130 GHz was obtained. The experimental results are shown to be in close agreement with the computer model.

Reflectarray Element Based on Aperture-Coupled Patches With Slots and Lines of Variable Length

A phase-shifter element for printed reflectarrays with more than 4 cycles of phase delay is presented in this work. The proposed reflectarray element allows very linear phase curves and is based on the combination of two previously studied and demonstrated concepts: variable length slots on a ground plane and patches coupled through a slot to variable length lines. In the former, the slots act as inductive loading on the patches depending on their length. With the second concept, the effect of nonconstant path delay is alleviated by the introduction of true-time delay (TTD) lines. The mixed effect allows a much larger range of phase delay to be reached and at the same time to improve the linearity of the phase delay behavior. Two ways of increasing the phase delay range are shown: the increase in length using U-shaped delay lines and the use of high permittivity substrates

Multifed Printed Reflectarray With Three Simultaneous Shaped Beams for LMDS Central Station Antenna

A two-layer reflectarray is proposed as a central station antenna for a local multipoint distribution system (LMDS) in the 24.5-26.5 GHz band. The antenna produces three independent beams in an alternate linear polarization that are shaped both in azimuth (sectored) and in elevation (squared cosecant). The design process is divided into several stages. First, the positions of the three feeds are established as well as the antenna geometry to produce the three beams in the required directions. Second, the phase distribution on the reflectarray surface, which produces the required beam shaping, is synthesized. Third, the sizes of the printed stacked patches are adjusted so that the phase-shift introduced by them matches the synthesized phase distribution. Finally, the radiation patterns are computed for the central and lateral beams, showing a shaping close to the requirements. A breadboard has been manufactured and measured in an anechoic chamber, showing a good behavior, which validates the designing methodology.

94 GHz Dual-Reflector Antenna With Reflectarray Subreflector

The design, construction and measured performance is described of an offset parabolic reflector antenna which employs a reflectarray subreflector to tilt the focused beam from the boresight direction at 94 GHz. An analysis technique based on the method of moments (MoM) is used to design the dual-reflector antenna. Numerical simulations were employed to demonstrate that the high gain pattern of the antenna can be tilted to a predetermined angle by introducing a progressive phase shift across the aperture of the reflectarray. Experimental validation of the approach was made by constructing a 28 times 28 element patch reflectarray which was designed to deflect the beam 5deg from the boresight direction in the azimuth plane. The array was printed on a 115 mum thick metal backed quartz wafer and the radiation patterns of the dual reflector antenna were measured from 92.6-95.5 GHz. The experimental results are used to validate the analysis technique by comparing the radiation patterns and the reduction in the peak gain due to beam deflection from the boresight direction. Moreover the results demonstrate that this design concept can be developed further to create an electronically scanned dual reflector antenna by using a tunable reflectarray subreflector.

Clustering and Coupled Gating Modulate the Activity in KcsA, a Potassium Channel Model

Different patterns of channel activity have been detected by patch clamping excised membrane patches from reconstituted giant liposomes containing purified KcsA, a potassium channel from prokaryotes. The more frequent pattern has a characteristic low channel opening probability and exhibits many other features reported for KcsA reconstituted into planar lipid bilayers, including a moderate voltage dependence, blockade by Na+, and a strict dependence on acidic pH for channel opening. The predominant gating event in this low channel opening probability pattern corresponds to the positive coupling of two KcsA channels. However, other activity patterns have been detected as well, which are characterized by a high channel opening probability (HOP patterns), positive coupling of mostly five concerted channels, and profound changes in other KcsA features, including a different voltage dependence, channel opening at neutral pH, and lack of Na+ blockade. The above functional diversity occurs correlatively to the heterogeneous supramolecular assembly of KcsA into clusters. Clustering of KcsA depends on protein concentration and occurs both in detergent solution and more markedly in reconstituted membranes, including giant liposomes, where some of the clusters are large enough (up to micrometer size) to be observed by confocal microscopy. As in the allosteric conformational spread responses observed in receptor clustering (Bray, D. and Duke, T. (2004) Annu. Rev. Biophys. Biomol. Struct. 33, 53-73) our tenet is that physical clustering of KcsA channels is behind the observed multiple coupled gating and diverse functional responses.

X-Band Reflectarray Antenna With Switching-Beam Using PIN Diodes and Gathered Elements

An electronically switching-beam reflectarray antenna to be used in X-band has been designed, manufactured and tested, using PIN diodes as switching device. The antenna has 244 elements arranged in a circular aperture. With the aim of saving electronic devices and reducing both manufacturing complexity and cost, the phase control has been implemented at sub-array level, using aperture-coupled patches gathered by pairs to a common delay line. The antenna was designed to switch the beam between ±5°, in a scanning plane tilted 18.3° with respect to the YZ plane. Each state was obtained by forward biasing one half of the diodes, while the other half remains in reverse biasing. A third state with the beam pointing to 0° was obtained when all the diodes are in reverse biasing. The concept has been demonstrated by manufacturing and testing a breadboard. The measured radiation patterns fulfill the design requirements.