Transmission and backscattering characteristics of electromagnetic waves in single layer combined plasma array

Abstract

Abstract Manipulation of electromagnetic (EM) waves is essential for various microwave applications. This research studies the modulation of EM waves by using single-layer plasma arrays consisting of discharge tubes. We experimentally investigate the transmission spectra and backscattering attenuation characteristics of the plasma arrays, and numerical simulations further reveal the modulation mechanism and influences of the plasma arrays. The experimental and numerical results show that broadband tunable photonic bandgaps can be achieved in frequency ranges of 4–7.5 GHz and 7–9.5 GHz for the transmission spectrum and the backscattering spectrum, respectively. In addition, the proposed plasma array can achieve different modulation effects to satisfy the corresponding scenario requirements by adjusting the configuration and parameters such as the plasma frequency, spacing of the plasma tubes, and the discharge tube’s excitation or extinction of the plasma array. The wave manipulation of the combined plasma array creates opportunities for developing numerous applications, including large-area spatial filtering, radar stealth, and reconfigurable antennas.