A 2-bit Reconfigurable Metasurface Element with Integrated Phase Shifters

In this paper, a 2-bit reconfigurable intelligent metasurface element with integrated phase shifters operating at 3.75 GHz is proposed. In order to achieve phase shift of reconfigurable metasurface, the variable size method is most commonly used, but the design is complex and especially difficult in multi-bit design. Therefore, the new design method of separating the radiation structure and the phase-shifting structure is used to reduce design complexity, in which the 2-bit phase difference is controlled independently by the phase-shifting structure. Simulation results show that by controlling three PIN diodes, the proposed unit cell can switch between four states with insertion loss less than 1.4 dB at the operating frequency and reflection phases of 85.25°, −4.28°, −89.9°, 177.95° respectively. This design approach significantly reduces the design complexity of multi-bit metasurfaces and has great potential for multi-bit metasurface design and applications in the future.