On-demand high gain and directional surface wave antenna with 100° field of view based on grounded dielectric metasurface

Abstract

We present a surface wave antenna based on a grounded dielectric metasurface-integrated Luneburg lens. This innovative design achieves a compact footprint, superior efficiency, and cost-effectiveness relative to traditional phased array antennas. The metasurface unit cells are optimized through an efficient approach to determine their effective refractive index. We leveraged the quasi-conformal transformation optics technique to transform the conventional Luneburg lens into a planar configuration. This planar configuration facilitates beam steering via a sliding feed mechanism or makes it compatible with multi-feed setups. A prototype operating in the Ku-band (14–18 GHz) demonstrates effective performance, delivering a peak gain of 16.5 dBi and a wide 100° field of view. Furthermore, simulations of a terahertz (THz)-band version underscore the versatility of this design methodology across frequency regimes. The grounded dielectric metasurface architecture minimizes Ohmic losses, positioning this Luneburg lens antenna as a promising candidate for high-performance applications in elevated frequency bands.