Metamaterial radome composed of negative refractive index lens for mobile base station antennas

Radiation patterns of present mobile base station antennas are designed to be low sidelobe characteristics. To achieve this radiation pattern, linear array feeds are employed. For simplicity of antenna configuration, authors considered to replace antenna radome by a lens antenna. The array feed also replaced by a single feed. However, it is considered that lens thickness will be main problem. This problem may solved by employing metamaterial lens. In this paper, design method of lens antenna and developed MATLAB program are explained. And important antenna parameters to achieve practical radome shapes are studied. In order to achieve a slender radome shape, metamaterial is shown to be effective. And, adequate feed radiation pattern is also clarified.