In the following, the European Space Agency proposes an invention allowing a different approach to modulated metasurface antenna design. The method leads to advantages as size reduction, more degrees of freedom in the designing process etc. Licence agreements are sought.
Description:
The European Space Agency provides a method for creating an artificial electromagnetic surface (metasurface) pattern applicable to the field of aperture antennas. The metasurface has a modulated impedance allowing an antenna with fixed shape to produce beams with different shapes and polarization.
The invention offers a simple way to implement compact antennas using low-cost technologies. This is due to the fact, that, in comparison to reflector antennas, the feeding element can be placed on the metasurface or near it and does not require a complex feeding network.
Innovations and advantages:
- Increases the degrees of freedom in antenna design.
- Improves larger apertures at reduced size.
- Reduces the overall cost (% depending on the application).
- Implements solutions with low-cost technologies (e.g. standard printed circuit manufacturing).
- Improves performances.
Domain of application:
This technology can be of interest to antenna reflector manufacturers that can adopt this method in order to shape new reflectors based on metasurfaces. Moreover, this solution can benefit sectors such as:
- Telecom services providers (e.g. cell phone communication, electromagnetic shielding)
- Space transportation
- Defence (radars)
- Sensors and remote sensing
- Medical applications (medical imaging)