A high-gain and frequency-tunable bow tie antenna with epsilon-negative metasurface

Abstract

Various wireless communication systems require simple and high-gain radiating element operating in different working frequency bands. In this paper, an epsilon-negative metasurface antenna (ENG-MS antenna) with high-gain and frequency-tunable properties is proposed, fabricated and studied. This antenna is composed of an original double-sided printed bow tie antenna (source antenna) and an ENG-MS frequency selecting reflection layer. The strong electric interaction between ENG-MS (allowing evanescent wave only) and source antenna exhibits a significant effect on antenna’s radiation pattern and gain. Antenna’s gain can be selectively enhanced over the source antenna’s working frequency band. It is demonstrated that the resonant frequencies of this ENG-MS antenna can be continuously tuned by changing the distance between source antenna and ENG-MS. The proposed ENG-MS antenna in this paper shows a promising result to introduce metamaterials/metasurfaces in microwave device to realize high-gain and frequency-tunable functionality.

Keywords:

• high gain
• frequency-tunable
• bow tie antenna
• epsilon-negative metasurface

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the excellent doctorial dissertation cultivation grant from Central China Normal University [grant number 2013YBYB48] and by K.C. Wong Magna Fund in Ningbo University. This work was also supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 41474117].