Nowadays, having an inexpensive broadband internet connection no matter where you are is an increasing social demand. In order to have internet access independently on the user’s location, satellite communication is the best solution, since it does not rely on available infrastructure. In this way, by means of a terminal that can communicate continuously with a satellite, users could benefit from a fast data connection anywhere in the world, even when traveling in an airplane, a ship or train. Additionally, a low-cost technology for broadband satellite connectivity could be a viable solution to provide poor countries and isolated areas with broadband internet without strong investments.
Commercial solutions for ground terminals are based on parabolic reflector antennas with mechanical steering. Although they are cost-effective solutions, they require frequent maintenance and are significantly bulky. For low-profile antennas, phased arrays that perform electronic steering can be an appealing alternative, since they can be printed in planar technology and are fast changing the pointing angle. However, they have a corporative feeding network and, additionally, in order to get high gain, the array must contain a significant number of elements and phase shifters, thus leading to expensive and complex structures.
The project investigates a novel low-cost antenna solution for broadband satellite connectivity, so that inexpensive broadband internet connection can be provided without need of deployed infrastructure. With such a technology, the satellite industry could provide enhanced connectivity that would open vast new markets at an unprecedented scale.
More specifically, the project goal is the development of an antenna technology that has the advantages of printed technology (light weight and low profile) but reduces costs and complexity of phased arrays. This technology entails a real challenge and an important market niche that this project is trying to cover. As solution, we propose the combined use of Huygens' metasurfaces with leaky-wave antennas (LWAs) to meet the challenging requirements for broadband mobile satellite communications (broadband beam steering with high gain) at lower costs and complexity than the state-of-the-art solutions. The proposal consists specifically of a parallel-plate waveguide with the top plate being a bianisotropic Huygens' metasurface that allows the desired radiated field to be obtained so that the needed gain and scan angle range are accomplished.
