Modeling of active reconfigurable reflectarray elements

Reconfigurable reflectarrays based on elements incorporating gain have significant potential for realizing low-cost beamforming transmitters with high output powers. This paper considers cross-polarized antennas for realizing stable, phase-agile active reflectarray elements. A network model is derived that can be used to aid in the design of such cells. The model is shown to accurately predict the vector scattering response of a passive cross-polarized cell, compared to full-wave simulations. The integration of the cell with active devices is also discussed.