A Reflectarray Based on the Folded SIR Patch-Slot Configuration Backed on FSS for Low RCS

In this letter, a reflectarray antenna based on the folded stepped impedance resonator (SIR) patch-slot configuration with variable size is presented. A novel frequency selective surface (FSS) in the reflectarray as a ground plane for reducing radar cross section (RCS) level is applied. The FSS is based on the folded SIR configuration. Two prime-focus 15 x 15 reflectarray antennas backed on the folded SIR FSS ground and a conventional ground are designed and manufactured. The radiation performance of a reflectarray element backed either by a solid ground plane or a band-stop FSS structure is compared. The measured results demonstrate that the radiation pattern and gain of the FSS-backed reflectarray are almost same to its counterpart backed by a conventional ground plane at the operating band of 11.5 GHz. The RCS is effectively reduced in the out of this band when compared with the reflectarray with a solid metal ground plane of the same dimension.