A dual-broadband dual-function polarization converter based on reflective metasurface

Abstract

In this paper, we introduce a dual-broadband dual-function polarization conversion metasurface, which can convert a linearly polarized (LP) incident electromagnetic wave into a cross-polarized LP wave and a circularly polarized wave, effectively, in different bands. The numerical simulations and experiments show that the metasurface can be used as a high-efficiency cross-polarization converter from 5.50 to 12.4 GHz, where the polarization conversion ratio is greater than 0.9 with a fractional bandwidth of 77.1%. Simultaneously, it can convert the LP incident wave into a right-handed circularly polarized wave from 13.50 to 19.75 GHz, where the axis ratio is lower than 3 dB and the fractional bandwidth is 37.4%. A honeycomb is used as a support layer instead of air gaps, which improves the efficiency of cross-polarization conversion and broadens the bandwidth of linear to circular conversion. To reveal the conversion mechanism of the proposed polarization converter, the surface current is analyzed. Finally, we fabricated and tested it, and the experimental results are in line with the simulation results.