Description
Beam shaping is one of the most demanding antenna features required by virtually all applications. The novel concept of pattern control by impedance surface modulation is likely to offer a very effective alternative to existing solutions with the potential of reducing complexity and costs. The concept is of interest for a wide range of purposes, including reflector antenna surfaces, their feed (array) as well as individual horns. The activity explored ways to exploit metasurfaces to improve shaped beam antenna designs, addressing a range of potential antenna concepts based on curved metasurfaces, which included: bifocal reflector for GEO telecom satellite, shaped and shallow metasurface lined reflectors (MetaRefractor), metasurface lined horn (Metahorn). The latter was selected as most promising concept in the short term due to its apparent ability to achieve a shaped beam with low cross-polarisation with a conical geometry. A prototype for global Earth coverage at Ku-band was manufactured and tested.
