Grant: Idea to Innovation

This proposal is directed to prototype development of a Smart Electromagnetic (EM) Reflector surface and a related Smart Reflectarray as an advanced version of standard high-gain parabolic reflectors in the microwave (e.g. 8-12 GHz) and millimeter-wave band (e.g. 24-30 GHz). The reflection characteristics of the Smart EM Reflector can be electronically configured in real-time to provide complete and independent control over the amplitude, phase and polarization of the reflected wave, i.e. complete beam-forming system. The proposed technology is based on 2D Metamaterials (or metasurfaces) consisting of a 2D array of unique geometrical arrangement of electromagnetically coupled resonators, which are loaded with phase shifting and amplitude tuning elements to provide unprecedented control of the reflection characteristics of the surface through an on-board software module. The structures are programmatically controlled such that the EM reflection state of the surface/reflectarray can be configured in real time. Since the proposed reflector provides independent control of reflection phase and amplitude, a virtually unlimited number of wave transformations are unlocked, as opposed to state-of-the-art phase-only reflection surfaces that form the core of many practical systems ranging from wireless communication in typical urban and sub-urban environments to satellite tracking and near-Line-of-Sight (LOS) microwave backhaul and point-to-point links.