A planar Van Atta array reflector with retrodirectivity in both E-plane and H-plane

Abstract

A planar antenna array reflector with retrodirectivity in both the E-plane and the H-plane is analyzed and demonstrated at X band. The reflector consists of six pairs of slot-coupled patch antennas arranged using the Van Atta approach. The total reflected field from the reflector is separated into three primary components; that is, the reradiation field from the patch antennas (RFPA), the scattering field from the patch antennas (SFPA), and the scattering field from the ground plane (SFGP). The first two components are calculated by using the method of moments together with a mixed potential integral equation and the last one is by the physical optics (PO) method combined with the method of equivalent currents (MEC). By tuning the microstrip-line lengths, the total reflected held contributed by the three components is designed to possess a broad-beamed pattern in both the E-plane and the H-plane. The measured patterns show good agreement with the designed ones.