A Mechanical Reconfigurable Reflectarray Based on Magnetic Force Tuning

A new method of 1-bit mechanical reconfigurable reflectarray is proposed in this letter. Phase compensation is achieved by tuning the height between the frequency selective surface and the ground plane in the element structure. The ground is connected to the coils, which pass currents to generate magnetic fields in different directions. By generating a repulsive or attractive force between the coils and the permanent magnets, different states are achieved. To verify the concept, a reflectarray composed of 10 x 10 elements operating at the C-band is designed and tested. The ground planes are moved freely by circuit control, which indicates the feasibility of this beam-scanning method.