Miniaturized Polarization Conversion Metasurface for RCS Reduction

In this study, a miniaturized polarization conversion metasurface (PCM) with a cell size of 6×6 mm is utilized to reduce the radar cross-section (RCS) of a circularly polarized antenna array. Each cell circuit of the PCM comprises a pair of folded L-shaped strips with a meander line, which are printed on the surface of the substrate. This configuration demonstrates a polarization rotation (PR) bandwidth of 112% and achieves a high polarization conversion ratio (PCR) of 90%. To confirm the efficacy of the RCS reduction, the PCM is integrated with a circularly polarized 2x2 dipole antenna array. The measured results of the array are in excellent agreement with the simulated data, indicating at least a 5 dB reduction in monostatic RCS for the proposed antenna array. Furthermore, the integration of the PCM does not degrade the radiation performance of the antenna array, confirming the PCM’s suitability for RCS reduction without compromising antenna functionality.