1-Bit Reconfigurable Transmit- and Reflect-Array Antenna Using Patch-Ground-Patch Structure

In this letter, a novel 1-bit transmit- and reflect-array (TRA) antenna is presented for B5G beam scanning applications. Each unit includes a patch-ground-patch layered structure with two embedded PIN diodes and delay lines to serve as binary phase shifters. By properly loading the positions of the two PIN diodes, the sandwiched structure can not only operate in receive-transmit mode, but also work in receive-reflect mode, which greatly increases the beam scanning coverage. All possible four states of the two diodes are fully utilized to allow for 1-bit reflection phase shifter and 1-bit transmission phase shifter. A 12 × 12-elements TRA is fabricated. A ±50° beam scanning range is obtained in reflection and transmission modes. The measured broadside gain of reflection and transmission modes is 19.3 and 19.5 dBi, corresponding to an aperture efficiency of 19.6% and 20.5%.