A reconfigurable transmitarray unit cell employing liquid metal

Abstract In this paper, a reconfigurable transmitarray unit cell using liquid metal is presented. It consists of three conducting layers where the geometries of the resonators, on the different layers, differ and consist of an arrow shape together with rotated split rings. The arrow‐shaped conductin...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Zhishu Qu, Yihua Zhou, James R. Kelly, Zhengpeng Wang, Kenneth Lee Ford, Yue Gao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-12-01
Series:IET Microwaves, Antennas & Propagation
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1049/mia2.12518
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850243773292871680
author Zhishu Qu
Yihua Zhou
James R. Kelly
Zhengpeng Wang
Kenneth Lee Ford
Yue Gao
author_facet Zhishu Qu
Yihua Zhou
James R. Kelly
Zhengpeng Wang
Kenneth Lee Ford
Yue Gao
author_sort Zhishu Qu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract In this paper, a reconfigurable transmitarray unit cell using liquid metal is presented. It consists of three conducting layers where the geometries of the resonators, on the different layers, differ and consist of an arrow shape together with rotated split rings. The arrow‐shaped conducting layer has the capability to convert the polarization of the incoming waves by 90°. The split ring resonators, on the upper and lower conducting layers, have the same dimensions but different orientations (horizontal and vertical polarization). Several fluidic channels are placed beneath/above the conducting layers. The transmission behaviour of the unit cell can be changed by altering the geometrical parameters which is achieved by injecting the liquid metal into the channels. More than 300° phase shift range with a maximum S21 of ∼ −1.5 dB at 3.3 GHz is obtained. It exhibits 3 dB of insertion loss over a bandwidth ranging from 3.2 to 3.43 GHz. It is the first time that a transmitarray unit cell, reconfigured employing liquid metal, provides a combination of low insertion loss and large phase shift range. The proposed prototype was fabricated and measured within an open‐ended waveguide and the measured results agree well with the simulations and verify the effectiveness of the design. The reconfigurable transmitarray unit cell can be used to design beam‐scanning arrays, as well as for applications in wireless communications.
format Article
id doaj-art-13a3dfd7496f4881986d53db6dc4152e
institution OA Journals
issn 1751-8725
1751-8733
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series IET Microwaves, Antennas & Propagation
spelling doaj-art-13a3dfd7496f4881986d53db6dc4152e2025-08-20T01:59:56ZengWileyIET Microwaves, Antennas & Propagation1751-87251751-87332024-12-01181298599110.1049/mia2.12518A reconfigurable transmitarray unit cell employing liquid metalZhishu Qu0Yihua Zhou1James R. Kelly2Zhengpeng Wang3Kenneth Lee Ford4Yue Gao5School of Computer Science Fudan University Shanghai ChinaElectronic Engineering and Computer Science Queen Mary University of London London UKElectronic Engineering and Computer Science Queen Mary University of London London UKElectromagnetic Laboratory School of Electronic and Information Engineering Beihang University (BUAA) Beijing ChinaDepartment of Electronic and Electrical Engineering The University of Sheffield Sheffield UKSchool of Computer Science Fudan University Shanghai ChinaAbstract In this paper, a reconfigurable transmitarray unit cell using liquid metal is presented. It consists of three conducting layers where the geometries of the resonators, on the different layers, differ and consist of an arrow shape together with rotated split rings. The arrow‐shaped conducting layer has the capability to convert the polarization of the incoming waves by 90°. The split ring resonators, on the upper and lower conducting layers, have the same dimensions but different orientations (horizontal and vertical polarization). Several fluidic channels are placed beneath/above the conducting layers. The transmission behaviour of the unit cell can be changed by altering the geometrical parameters which is achieved by injecting the liquid metal into the channels. More than 300° phase shift range with a maximum S21 of ∼ −1.5 dB at 3.3 GHz is obtained. It exhibits 3 dB of insertion loss over a bandwidth ranging from 3.2 to 3.43 GHz. It is the first time that a transmitarray unit cell, reconfigured employing liquid metal, provides a combination of low insertion loss and large phase shift range. The proposed prototype was fabricated and measured within an open‐ended waveguide and the measured results agree well with the simulations and verify the effectiveness of the design. The reconfigurable transmitarray unit cell can be used to design beam‐scanning arrays, as well as for applications in wireless communications.https://doi.org/10.1049/mia2.12518antenna arraysmetamaterial antennasmicrowave antenna arraysphase shifterstransmitting antennas
spellingShingle Zhishu Qu
Yihua Zhou
James R. Kelly
Zhengpeng Wang
Kenneth Lee Ford
Yue Gao
A reconfigurable transmitarray unit cell employing liquid metal
IET Microwaves, Antennas & Propagation
antenna arrays
metamaterial antennas
microwave antenna arrays
phase shifters
transmitting antennas
title A reconfigurable transmitarray unit cell employing liquid metal
title_full A reconfigurable transmitarray unit cell employing liquid metal
title_fullStr A reconfigurable transmitarray unit cell employing liquid metal
title_full_unstemmed A reconfigurable transmitarray unit cell employing liquid metal
title_short A reconfigurable transmitarray unit cell employing liquid metal
title_sort reconfigurable transmitarray unit cell employing liquid metal
topic antenna arrays
metamaterial antennas
microwave antenna arrays
phase shifters
transmitting antennas
url https://doi.org/10.1049/mia2.12518
work_keys_str_mv AT zhishuqu areconfigurabletransmitarrayunitcellemployingliquidmetal
AT yihuazhou areconfigurabletransmitarrayunitcellemployingliquidmetal
AT jamesrkelly areconfigurabletransmitarrayunitcellemployingliquidmetal
AT zhengpengwang areconfigurabletransmitarrayunitcellemployingliquidmetal
AT kennethleeford areconfigurabletransmitarrayunitcellemployingliquidmetal
AT yuegao areconfigurabletransmitarrayunitcellemployingliquidmetal
AT zhishuqu reconfigurabletransmitarrayunitcellemployingliquidmetal
AT yihuazhou reconfigurabletransmitarrayunitcellemployingliquidmetal
AT jamesrkelly reconfigurabletransmitarrayunitcellemployingliquidmetal
AT zhengpengwang reconfigurabletransmitarrayunitcellemployingliquidmetal
AT kennethleeford reconfigurabletransmitarrayunitcellemployingliquidmetal
AT yuegao reconfigurabletransmitarrayunitcellemployingliquidmetal