A Passive Re-Directing Van Atta Type Reflector

TL;DR

This paper presents a passive method to re-direct the re-radiated beam of a Van Atta retro-reflector by altering its phase gradient, using polarization duplexing for isolation, demonstrated with a 4-element array achieving a -15° offset.

Contribution

It introduces a passive, reciprocal approach to re-direct Van Atta reflectors by passive phase gradient alteration using polarization duplexing, validated through simulation and experiments.

Findings

Achieved -15° re-radiation offset over wide incidence angles.

Validated design through full-wave electromagnetic simulations.

Demonstrated effective passive re-direction with a fabricated array.

Abstract

The Van Atta retro-reflector can be envisioned as a self-phasing antenna array; a phase gradient, naturally induced by an external incident wave, is inverted so the device re-radiates back towards the incident direction. This Letter demonstrates how to re-direct the re-radiated beam through passive alteration of this phase gradient. For this purpose, crosspropagating isolation is required between the incident and reradiated signal paths. To this end, polarization duplexing can be used to achieve this isolation with a passive and reciprocal structure. To provide further demonstration, a 4-element redirective array is designed and fabricated to offset its re-radiated beam by -15{\deg} from incidence. Performance is then verified using fullwave electromagnetic simulation and experimental radiation pattern measurements. It is found that the -15{\deg} angular offset is effectively retained over a wide range of incidence angles.