Metasurface Reflector with Real-Time Independent Magnitude and Phase Control

Abstract: A novel metasurface unit cell architecture is proposed to enable independent control of the reflection magnitude and phase at a desired operation frequency, while maintaining linear polarization of the incoming fields. The proposed structure is based on a coupled-resonator configuration where a Dipole Ring Resonator (DRR) is loaded with a tunable lumped resistive element (e.g. PIN diode) and Split Ring Resonator (SRR) loaded with a lumped tunable capacitor (e.g. varactor diode), are interleaved. The surface is next operated around one of the coupled resonant frequency, where an independent tuning of the lumped capacitance and resistance elements enable a wide coverage of reflection amplitude-phase, which is significantly larger than what would have been achievable using a single resonator configuration. An insightful equivalent circuit model is further developed for investigating the amplitude-phase characteristics of a uniform surface as a function of variable resistance and capacitance, which is next confirmed using full-wave simulations. Finally, using a variety of full-wave examples, the usefulness of simultaneous and independent amplitude-phase control is demonstrated, including cases of variable pattern gain with beam tilting and multi-beam pattern realization, which otherwise would not be possible using either amplitude or phase control only.