EMNZ metamaterial switch configured for use in a phase array antenna and a leaky-wave antenna

A method for forming a radiation pattern of an EMNZ metamaterial-based phased array antenna, comprising:

• generating, utilizing an mth metamaterial phase shifter of a plurality of metamaterial phase shifters, an mth phase shifted microwave signal of a plurality of phase shifted microwave signals by applying an mth phase shift of a plurality of phase shifts on a microwave signal where 1≤m≤M and M is a number of the plurality of metamaterial phase shifters, the plurality of phase shifts associated with the radiation pattern, applying the mth phase shift comprising:
• adjusting an (i, k)th effective permittivity of an (i, k)th metamaterial switch to an (i, k)th predetermined value, where k∈{1,2}, by:
• placing an (i, k)th first conductive plate of an (i, k)th metamaterial switch in parallel with an (i, k)th first loaded conductive plate of the (i, k)th metamaterial switch;
• positioning an (i, k)th first graphene monolayer of the (i, k)th first loaded conductive plate between the (i, k)th first conductive plate and an (i, k)th second conductive plate of the (i, k)th first loaded conductive plate;
• depositing an (i, k)th magneto-dielectric material of the (i, k)th metamaterial switch on the (i, k)th first loaded conductive plate;
• and
• tuning an (i, k)th first tunable conductivity of the (i, k)th first graphene monolayer;
• and
• routing, utilizing the (i, k)th metamaterial switch, the microwave signal from an input line of the mth metamaterial phase shifter to an output line of the mth metamaterial phase shifter through an ith transmission line of a plurality of transmission lines where 1≤i≤N and N is a number of the plurality of transmission lines;
• and
• radiating, utilizing a plurality of antennas, the plurality of phase shifted microwave signals by coupling an mth antenna of the plurality of antennas with the mth metamaterial phase shifter.

An EMNZ metamaterial-based leaky-wave antenna, comprising:

• a first conductive plate;
• a first loaded conductive plate comprising:
• a second conductive plate parallel with the first conductive plate;
• and
• a first tunable impedance surface set, each tunable impedance surface in the first tunable impedance surface set comprising a respective tunable conductivity, the first tunable impedance surface set positioned between the first conductive plate and the second conductive plate, a length li of an ith tunable impedance surface in the first tunable impedance surface set satisfying a length condition according to li≥λ/2 where 1≤i≤N−1, N is a size of the first tunable impedance surface set, and λ is an operating wavelength of the EMNZ metamaterial-based leaky-wave antenna;
• and
• a magneto-dielectric material deposited on the first loaded conductive plate,
• wherein an effective permittivity of the EMNZ metamaterial-based leaky-wave antenna is configured to be adjusted to a first predetermined value responsive to tuning a respective tunable conductivity of each respective tunable impedance surface in the first tunable impedance surface set.