With the demanding system requirements for the fifth-generation (5G) wireless communications and the severe spectrum shortage at conventional cellular frequencies, multibeam antenna systems operating in the millimeter-wave frequency bands have attracted a lot of research interest and have been actively investigated. They represent the key antenna technology for supporting a high data transmission rate, an improved signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio, an increased spectral and energy efficiency, and versatile beam shaping, thereby holding a great promise in serving as the critical infrastructure for enabling beamforming and massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) that boost the 5G. This paper provides an overview of the existing multibeam antenna technologies which include the passive multibeam antennas (MBAs) based on quasi-optical components and beamforming circuits, multibeam phased-array antennas enabled by various phase-shifting methods, and digital MBAs with different system architectures. Specifically, their principles of operation, design, and implementation, as well as a number of illustrative application examples are reviewed. Finally, the suitability of these MBAs for the future 5G massive MIMO wireless systems as well as the associated challenges is discussed.

Multibeam Antenna Technologies for 5G Wireless Communications

Advances in reflectarrays and array lenses with electronic beam-forming capabilities are enabling a host of new possibilities for these high-performance, low-cost antenna architectures. This paper reviews enabling technologies and topologies of reconfigurable reflectarray and array lens designs, and surveys a range of experimental implementations and achievements that have been made in this area in recent years. The paper describes the fundamental design approaches employed in realizing reconfigurable designs, and explores advanced capabilities of these nascent architectures, such as multi-band operation, polarization manipulation, frequency agility, and amplification. Finally, the paper concludes by discussing future challenges and possibilities for these antennas.

Reconfigurable Reflectarrays and Array Lenses for Dynamic Antenna Beam Control: A Review

Reflectarray Antennas

The reflectarray has significant promise in applications requiring high-gain, low-profile reflectors. Recent advances in tuning technology have raised the possibility of realizing electronically tunable reflectarrays, which can dynamically adjust their radiation patterns. This paper presents an electronically tunable reflectarray based on elements tuned using varactor diodes. Modeling approaches based on an equivalent circuit representation and computational electromagnetics simulations are presented. Both techniques accurately predict the scattering characteristics of the unit cell as compared to experimental measurements. The development of a unit cell with over 320omicron of phase agility at 5.5 GHz is discussed. Finally, a 70-element electronically tunable reflectarray prototype operating at 5.8 GHz is presented. Radiation pattern measurements with the reflectarray demonstrate its dynamic beam-forming characteristics. Measurements of the gain of the reflectarray correlate well with theoretical expectations.

Modeling and Design of Electronically Tunable Reflectarrays

This paper reports a dual frequency dual layer circularly polarized reflectarray operating in the C and Ka bands. A 0.5-m right-hand circularly polarized planar reflectarray antenna is designed using microstrip ring elements of variable rotations to achieve a cophasal beam at broadside. The microstrip ring elements are more compact than the traditional reflectarray elements and can minimize blockage for the multilayer multifrequency applications. The highest efficiencies measured are 46% at 7.3 GHz and 38% at 31.75 GHz. The tested cross-polarization levels are -21 dB at 7.3 GHz and -29.2 dB at 31.75 GHz at the broadside direction. The tested results show that the designed ring element is suitable for both the single and dual layer applications with good bandwidth and circularly polarized performance.

A C/ka dual frequency dual Layer circularly polarized reflectarray antenna with microstrip ring elements

Modern space-borne applications require large-aperture antennas having capabilities of low mass and high packaging efficiency to overcome the launch vehicle size and weight restrictions. This paper presents a dual-band reflectarray antenna developed for future space inflatable structures with thin membranes. To offset the effects of the thin-membrane substrates required in the inflatable structure, foam layers are inserted below the X and Ka band membranes, allowing broadband CP performance at both bands. More than 50% efficiencies are achieved at both frequency bands, showing potential for even larger high-gain inflatable antennas for future space applications.

A high efficiency offset-fed X/ka-dual-band reflectarray using thin membranes

A simple ring structure to realise a Ka-band circularly polarised microstrip reflectarray is presented. With rotation techniques employed to focus the reflected wave at a focal point, a 0.5 m right-hand circularly polarised microstrip reflectarray is developed and tested at 31.75 GHz resulting in 50% aperture efficiency. The cross-polarisation levels measured are 40.7 dB down at broadside, showing the validity of the structure.

Ka-band reflectarray using ring elements

The development of a 0.75-m Cassegrain offset subreflector-fed X/Ka dual-band reflectarray antenna is presented. The subreflector (SR) is fabricated using combinations of prescribed geometric parameters and two left-hand circularly polarized microstrip patch arrays are designed as feed networks with one covering X-band and the other covering Ka-band. The phase corrections in the reflectarray required to form a planar phase front are realized by rotating microstrip ring elements. Low-dielectric constant foam layers are inserted below both the X- and Ka-band membranes to act as support structures and to minimize the degrading effects of thin substrates. It is believed that this is the first Cassegrain offset-fed reflectarray ever been developed. The measured results show efficiencies around 50% for both frequency bands with room for improvements

Cassegrain Offset Subreflector-Fed X/Ka Dual-Band Reflectarray With Thin Membranes

An X/Ka dual-band microstrip reflectarray with circular polarization (CP) has been constructed using thin membranes and Cassegrain offset-fed configuration. It is believed that this is the first Cassegrain reflectarray ever been developed. This antenna has a 75-cm-diameter aperture and uses metallic subreflector and angular-rotated annular ring elements. It achieved a measured -3 dB-gain bandwidth of 700 MHz at X-band and 1.5 GHz at Ka-band, as well as a CP bandwidth (3 dB axial ratio) of more than 700 MHz at X-band and more than 2 GHz at Ka-band. The measured peak efficiencies are 49.8% at X-band and 48.2% at Ka-band

A Cassegrain Offset-Fed Dual-Band Reflectarray

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