1-Bit wideband 14 × 14 reconfigurable reflectarray with steady beam scanning at Ku-band

In this paper, a wideband reconfigurable reflectarray antenna (RRA) using 1-bit resolution for beam scanning with two-dimensional (2D) capability is presented at Ku-band. A 1-bit RRA element with a rectangular patch embedded with slots is proposed for broadband operation. Each element is equipped with a single PIN diode, allowing for resonance tuning while ensuring low cost and minimal power consumption. According to the simulation results, the proposed element is capable of 1-bit phase resolution with a phase difference of 180^∘ ± 20^∘ stability from 11.27 to 13.74 GHz, which corresponds to an approximate bandwidth of 19.75%. To demonstrate its capabilities, we developed, fabricated, and tested a wideband electronically RRA with 14 × 14 elements. The experimental results demonstrate that the realized maximum gain in the broadside direction is 21.1 dB with a peak aperture efficiency of 20.9%. 2D beam scanning within ±50^∘ angular range are obtained and the scan gain reduction is 1.88 dB for -50^∘ scanned beam in E-plane while 2.21 dB for 50^∘ scanned beam in H-plane. The 1-dB gain bandwidth of the RRA is 15.1%.