Evaluation of the beam-scanning performance of curved transmitarrays

Abstract

This work presents mechanical wide-angle beam steering antennas based on transmitarrays for mm-Wave communication systems. Elevation steering is achieved by translating the feeder, while azimuth scanning is done by rotating the transmitarray 360°. Traditional methods use planar surfaces and advanced techniques to enhance scan range. This study introduces a convex curved surface to improve performance by reducing scan loss at high tilt angles, achieving nearly 80° of scanning. It examines bifocal phase correction for curved surfaces and compares it with planar designs, emphasizing the benefits of the curved shape. A manufactured bifocal design demonstrates effective scan performance with minimal loss and sidelobe levels, showing that curved surfaces enhance performance beyond what analytical phase correction can achieve on planar surfaces.