Electronically reconfigurable microwave lens and shutter using cascaded frequency selective surfaces and polyimide macro-electro-mechanical systems

A method of shifting the phase of a radio frequency signal, comprising:

• generating a radio frequency signal;
• positioning a first frequency selective surface in a path of said radio frequency signal;
• positioning a second frequency selective surface in a path of said radio frequency signal;
• positioning at least a first portion of said second frequency selective surface a first distance from at least a first portion of said first frequency selective surface to phase shift at least a first portion of said radio frequency signal by a first amount;
• and
• positioning said at least a first portion of said second frequency selective surface a second distance from said at least a first portion of said first frequency selective surface to phase shift said at least a first portion of said radio frequency signal by a second amount.

A radio frequency lens, comprising:

• a first frequency selective surface, comprising:
• an array of unit cells;
• a second frequency selective surface, comprising;
• an array of unit cells, wherein said first and second frequency selective surfaces are registered with respect to one another such that at least a first edge of at least a first unit cell of said first frequency selective surface is not aligned with at least a first edge of at least a first unit cell of said second frequency selective surface, wherein said first frequency selective surface and said second frequency selective surface are a first distance from one another when said lens is in a first mode of operation, and wherein at least a portion of said second frequency selective surface is movable with respect to at least a first portion of said first frequency selective surface to position said at least a first portion of said second frequency selective surface a second distance from said at least a first portion of said first frequency selective surface when said lens is in a second mode of operation.

A method of steering a radio frequency beam, comprising:

• providing a first array of unit cells;
• providing a second array of unit cells;
• registering said first array with respect to said second array, wherein at least a first edge of a one of said unit cells of said first array is not aligned with at least a first edge of a corresponding one of said unit cells of said second array;
• separating said first and second arrays by a first amount, wherein a first phase shifter is formed, and wherein a first radio frequency signal incident on said first and second arrays is phase shifted a first amount;
• and
• separating at least a portion of said first array from at least a portion of said second array by a second amount, wherein said first radio frequency signal incident on said at least a portion of said first array and at least a portion of said second array separated by said second amount is phase shifted a second amount.