New fractal metamaterial unit-cell for microwave applications

In this paper, the design and simulation of a new metamaterial unit-cell is presented. The proposed unit-cell is based on the concept of fractals and also takes advantage of having a reconfigurable structure. Two PIN diodes are embedded in the unit-cell so it can be switched between two different modes, providing a reconfigurable feature. The S parameters of the structure in both modes are simulated using CST Microwave studio and then a well-known algorithm is used to extract the effective permittivity and permeability. According to the simulation results, this structure demonstrates two different behaviors for permittivity and permeability in each state of the diodes. The unit-cell will be used for microwave applications, such as agile lens antennas with reconfigurable pattern properties.