A single-channel transmitarray antenna with abilities of super resolution and digital beamforming

A single-channel transmitarray antenna with abilities of super resolution and digital beamforming (DBF) is proposed. The amplitude and phase distributions on the array aperture are reconstructed through beam switching with a single channel. By finding and solving relations between distributions and received signals of beams, aperture distributions can be reconstructed. The ill-conditioned problem caused by limited scanning range and angular interval is solved using the regularization method. The obtained distributions can then be delivered to super-resolution algorithm to obtain super resolution, or used to produce shaped beams by DBF. On the basis of the proposed theory, a bifocal beam-reconfigurable transmitarray is designed and tested as a single-channel DBF antenna without special and additional hardware design. It has the outstanding advantages of low cost, simple structure, low energy consumption, and high working frequency.