Design and analysis of reconfigurable fractal antenna with RF-switches on a flexible substrate for X-band applications

Abstract

This paper presents a compact reconfigurable elliptical shaped fractal patch (ESFP) antenna with elliptical shaped RF MEMS switch is used for satellite applications at X-band. The proposed work involves the incorporation of RF MEMS switches loaded using parasitic elements with ease of simpler implementation without using DC bias lines. The proposed antenna is integrated with two MEMS switches and reconfigurability is obtained for varying the capacitance of the switch by actuating the switch to ON and OFF states. The elliptical shape is considered for the proposed microstrip patch antenna is to attain large flexibility in the design and attain good return loss, radiation patterns, gain and bandwidth of the antenna. The proposed antenna is designed on flexible polyamide substrate and resonating frequency is obtained at 9.07 GHz frequency with − 43 dB return loss with gain of 6.05 dB. When the proposed switch is integrated on to the elliptical patch fractal antenna it resonates at four different operating frequencies. Among all the four states the state-4 resonates at 9.02 GHz frequency with − 52.8 dB return loss with gain of 6.36 dB. The ESFP antenna has perform four operating frequencies with two RF-MEMS switches for reconfigurability applications. The simulated results are in good agreement between the measured results. A small deviation is observed between simulated and measured results.