Dynamic metasurface antennas (DMAs) consist of waveguides patterned with numerous metamaterial radiators loaded with switchable components (such as varactors). Byapplying different direct current (DC) signals to each element, DMAs can generate a multitude of radiation patterns ranging from directive beams useful for wireless communication to spatially diverse ones useful for computational imaging and sensing. In this thesis, DMAs are extended to conformal configurations. Using full-wave simulation, it is shown that a conformal DMA can detect the angle of the incident signal over the horizon using a two port device at a single frequency. The design and operation of the conformal DMA will be detailed. In addition, it shows that DMAs can be implemented using a single substrate layer, significantly simplifying its structure compared to conventional multiple-layer ones. Using full-wave simulation, this thesis demonstrates a mechanism to bring DC signal to metamaterial elements without requiring an extra layer. This design can be instrumental in implementing the conformal DMA in the future AoA detection was achieved over unique diode distributions of the conformal DCMA at a 10-degree resolution. Investigations into additive noise of the simulated measured data as well as the minimum amount of diode distributions to accurately detect AoA were conducted and documented within this thesis. The single-layer DMA yielded both directive and complex patterns that allow for many potential applications. With success in bringing the DC signal to the metamaterial elements on a single-layer, further advances in conformal DMAs can be achieved.

The reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) shown in this work is a programmable metasurface integrated with a dedicated microcontroller that redirects an impinging signal to the desired direction. Its characteristic allows the RIS to act as a mirror for microwave signals. Unlike a perfect electric conductor (PEC), the RIS has much more flexibility in redirecting signals. This work involves the measurement of a passive, fixed beam, 25x32 element mmWave RIS that operates at 28.5 GHz. Bistatic and monostatic measurement setups are both used to find the radar cross section (RCS) of the RIS. The process of creating the measurement setups and the final measurement results is discussed. The measurement setup is further characterized using the High-Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS) software and the final measurement results are compared to analytical solutions computed using MATLAB. The first prototype of the RIS has a loss of 8.4 dB when compared to a PEC and is physically curved. There is also a side lobe at the boresight of the RIS board that is only 8 dB less than the main beam in best-case scenario. This curvature causes issues with the monostatic measurement because it changes the phase that arrives at the RIS. The second prototype of the RIS has only 5.84 dB of loss compared to PEC. This measurement setup behaves mostly as expected when comparing the measurement results to the analytical solutions and given the limitations of the setup. A collimating lens was used as a part of the setup which reflects part of the incoming signal. The edge of the lens also causes diffraction. These factors contribute to multipath interference arriving at the receive antenna and increases measurement error. The lens also creates unequal amplitude illumination across the surface of the RIS which changes the RCS pattern. Using the lens allows a more space-efficient setup while still obtaining relatively constant phase illuminating across the RIS board.