Enhanced signal coverage in Metropolitan areas using slotted square reflectarray antennas

Abstract

Efficient wireless communication in densely populated urban environments often encounters challenges related to signal propagation, especially in indoor and obstructed settings. Passive reflectarray antennas with beam-steering capabilities have emerged as a promising solution to address these limitations. However, conventional designs, especially in lower frequency bands, face challenges in achieving precise phase control in single-layer configurations and consistent performance. This work presents a single-layer slotted square reflectarray antenna operating at 5 GHz. The proposed unit cell enables a continuous 360° reflection phase variation through geometric tuning of the slotted patch. A 15 × 15 reflectarray fabricated on FR4 achieves beam steering at 20° and 45°. Experimental results show a peak gain of 21 dBi with stable performance over the 4.5–5.5 GHz range. This reflectarray design significantly improves signal coverage and mitigates propagation impairments in urban environments, making it a viable passive solution for next-generation wireless communication systems, including Wi-Fi and beyond.