Compact Dual-Frequency 2-D Van Atta Array Using the Reconfigurable AMC Antenna

The complexity of the Van Atta array increases sharply with the expansion of scanning dimensions and working frequencies, making it difficult to achieve a planar dual-frequency 2-D Van Atta array. This study proposes a planar, compact, dual-frequency 2-D Van Atta array with 25 antennas and 13 microstrip lines. A novel reconfigurable artificial magnetic conductor (AMC) structure and a 2-D dual-frequency interleaving array are designed to reduce the complexity of the Van Atta array. The reconfigurable AMC is used to reduce the thickness of the planar monopole antenna at 11.6 GHz and is reused as a patch antenna at 5.8 GHz. The total size of the Van Atta array is 2.98 × 2.98 × 0.068
λ_h
³
. According to the measured results, the Van Atta array operates at 5.75 and 11.4 GHz. The −4 dB beamwidths of the monostatic radar cross section (RCS) at 5.75 GHz are 87° (
H
plane) and 145° (
E
plane), and the −4.5 dB beamwidths of the monostatic RCS at 11.4 GHz are 75° (
H
plane) and 96° (
E
plane).