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W-band beam-steerable MEMS-based reflectarray

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2011

Simone Montori ,
Elisa Chiuppesi ,
Paola Farinelli ,
Luca Marcaccioli ,
Roberto Vincenti Gatti  and
Roberto Sorrentino
Simone Montori*
Affiliation:
Department of Electronic and Information Engineering, University of Perugia, Via G. Duranti 93, 06125 Perugia, Italy. Phone: + 39 0755853832.
Elisa Chiuppesi
Affiliation:
Department of Electronic and Information Engineering, University of Perugia, Via G. Duranti 93, 06125 Perugia, Italy. Phone: + 39 0755853832.
Paola Farinelli
Affiliation:
Department of Electronic and Information Engineering, University of Perugia, Via G. Duranti 93, 06125 Perugia, Italy. Phone: + 39 0755853832.
Luca Marcaccioli
Affiliation:
Department of Electronic and Information Engineering, University of Perugia, Via G. Duranti 93, 06125 Perugia, Italy. Phone: + 39 0755853832.
Roberto Vincenti Gatti
Affiliation:
Department of Electronic and Information Engineering, University of Perugia, Via G. Duranti 93, 06125 Perugia, Italy. Phone: + 39 0755853832.
Roberto Sorrentino
Affiliation:
Department of Electronic and Information Engineering, University of Perugia, Via G. Duranti 93, 06125 Perugia, Italy. Phone: + 39 0755853832.
*
Corresponding author: S. Montori Email: montori@diei.unipg.it
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Abstract

This paper presents recent advances on reconfigurable reflectarrays at the University of Perugia. In particular, the activities carried out in the framework of the FP7 project ARASCOM (“MEMS and Liquid Crystal based” Agile Reflectarray Antennas for Security and COMmunication). As for ARASCOM outcomes, the purpose of the project is the design of a very large reconfigurable reflectarray controlled with micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) for mm-wave imaging system at 76.5 GHz. A system with sufficient resolution to detect concealed weapons impose challenging requirements on the antenna, which shall be made of hundreds of thousands elements. The problem has been addressed by exploiting some innovative solutions and architectures that will be described in this document. In particular, the dimensioning of the reflectarray, the proposed 1-bit geometry of elementary cell, and the innovative biasing control architecture are reported together with the MEMS design and fabrication and the experimental results of a demonstrating board that validated the adopted procedure.

Keywords

RF-MEMS and MOEMSAntennas and propagation for wireless
Type
Research Papers
Information
International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies , Volume 3 , Special Issue 5: RF MEMS , October 2011 , pp. 521 - 532
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and the European Microwave Association 2011

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