Novel Wideband Reflectarray Antenna Supporting Multiple V2X Links

A novel circularly polarized (CP) wideband high-gain reflectarray antenna (WHG-RA) is designed to cater to the requirements of future vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication links. The WHG-RA offers a gain bandwidth spanning from 12 GHz to 32 GHz, encompassing crucial V2X frequency bands, including vehicle-to-satellite (V2S) Ku/Ka downlinks and uplinks frequencies (12.25 GHz to 12.75 GHz, 14.0 GHz to 14.5 GHz, 19.6 GHz to 21.2 GHz, and 29.4 GHz to 31.0 GHz), the 24.25 GHz to 26.65 GHz range designated for vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) short-range radars, and all 5G millimeter-wave spectrums, such as n258 (24.25 GHz to 27.5 GHz) and n257 (26.5 GHz to 29.5 GHz), intended for vehicle-to-5G networks (V2N) links. The design of the wideband unit cell within the WHG-RA is rooted in a rotational technique grounded in geometric phase theory and has multiple resonances. As a proof-of-concept, a 180 mm × 180 mm planar WHG-RA consisting of 900 unit cells is designed, fabricated, and rigorously tested across the 12 GHz to 32 GHz frequency range. Both simulation and measurement results affirm the WHG-RA’s prowess, showcasing consistent radiation patterns, a commendable peak aperture efficiency (41.1%), a high gain of 30.3 dBi, and sidelobe levels (<−17.2 dB) averaged over 12 GHz to 32 GHz, offering a substantial 3 dB and 4 dB gain bandwidths of 51% and 91%.