A low-profile broadband circularly polarized metasurface antenna based on characteristic mode analysis

A new broadband circularly polarized (CP) metasurface (MS) antenna based on characteristic mode analysis (CMA) is proposed. The antenna consists of 4×4 truncated Γ-shaped unit cells and is fed by an improved slot coupling structure. The characteristic modes required to achieve CP are analyzed by CMA, and the CP performance is improved by changing the characteristic currents distribution. By introducing a stepped slot structure on the slot floor, the bandwidth of the antenna has been further broadened. By loading the microstrip line to feed the MS, left-handed circular polarization (LHCP) can be realized. In addition, the equivalent circuit method is used to explain how the designed MS antenna achieves CP. The overall size of the designed and fabricated MS antenna is 0.72λ0×0.72λ0×0.08λ0 at 6.2 GHz. The measured −10 dB impedance bandwidth of the antenna is 25.17% (5.21 GHz-6.71 GHz) and the measured 3 dB axial ratio bandwidth is 17.42% (5.87 GHz-6.99 GHz). Moreover, the highest gain in the working frequency band is 7.52 dBic. The proposed CP MS antenna has good application prospects in C-band satellite communications.