Design of a Beam-Steering Algorithm with a Reconfigurable Reflectarray

With the electromagnetic spectrum becoming increasingly crowded, reconfigurable transmitter arrays can use spatial diversity to avoid interference. Tunable reflectarrays provide a useful implementation of this capability. A beam-steering algorithm is presented on a 1-bit quantizing, real-time reconfigurable reflectarray which determines the phases required for the array’s unit cells to perform beam steering in a desired direction. The algorithm utilizes a closed-form mathematical solution based on demonstrated reflectarray theory. The Fourier transform of a given array’s phase mapping can be used to calculate necessary phase shifts to obtain a desired beam angle. Arrays using these calculations have been constructed in the CST simulator. Radiation patterns are assessed in simulation, and the simulated peaks are compared to the desired input beam direction. Good correspondence has been seen between the desired and simulated beam angles. Based on these initial results, future applications of this algorithm are discussed.