Discrete Holographic Antenna Embedded in a Structural Composite Laminate

This letter utilizes the holographic principal to design two metasurface antennas with an equivalent electromagnetic performance. The first antenna is designed with a continuous metasurface impedance variation and serves as the baseline antenna (comparable to similar antennas in the literature). The second antenna is designed using two discrete metasurface impedance values realized with two distinct unit cell geometries. Both holographic antennas are shown to exhibit the equivalent electromagnetic performance. However, the latter design (requiring only two discrete impedance values) simplifies the holographic pattern manufacture, and therefore suggests a new avenue to realize “switchable” metasurface antennas capable of beam steering. The “continuous” and “discrete” antenna designs presented in this letter are fabricated using a unique manufacturing approach to realize a structurally integrated antenna in a representative aerospace glass fiber reinforced composite laminate.