Pattern Reconfigurable Antenna Research Articles

Radiation Pattern Reconfigurable Arch-Shaped Dual-Band Antenna for Wi-Fi and WLAN Applications

This paper describes the design and analysis of a reconfigurable radiation pattern dual-band antenna for Wi-Fi and WLAN applications. The antenna patch comprises two parts: the upper part, which consists of three symmetrical oval rings, and the lower part, which is shaped like a lotus flower. By controlling the ON and OFF states of lumped p-i-n switches to control the direction of the radiation beams, the proposed pattern reconfigurable antenna achieves three reconfigurable states. The beam's direction change is performed by two switches that are connected in the gap between the feedline and the arch. The proposed antenna operates at 2.4 and 5.5 GHz, covering the bands from 2.1882 to 2.55 GHz and from 5.31 to 5.96 GHz, respectively. Additionally, the directivity over the working bands is about 1.92 to 4 dBi while the gain lies in the range of 1.66 to 3.5 dB. Moreover, the voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) varies from 1 to 1.20. The size of the antenna is 47×59.5 mm2 which is printed on a 1.6 mm thickness FR-4 substrate of 4.4 relative permittivity. Computer simulation technology Microwave Studio is used to design and study the recommended constructions. The proposed design achieves an acceptable value of VSWR, stable gain, and good directivity, which makes it a suitable choice for future radiation pattern reconfiguration applications. The proposed antenna is distinguished by a simple shape, compact size, respectable return loss, good radiation characteristics, and high efficiency. The obtained results from measurements are quite close to the simulations.

Electronically Switchable Frequency and Pattern Reconfigurable Segmented Patch Antenna for Internet of Vehicles

Electronically Switchable Frequency and Pattern Reconfigurable Segmented Patch Antenna for Internet of Vehicles

Compact reconfigurable antenna with pattern diversity for K band applications

SummaryA novel pattern reconfigurable antenna is proposed in this letter. The overall dimension of the antenna is 11 × 11 × 0.787 mm. The proposed antenna is fabricated on Rogers RO4003C substrate. The antenna has two meandered monopoles and two straight monopoles. Two PIN diodes are connected between meandered monopoles and feed. The proposed design has three states of switching, that is, ON‐ON, ON‐OFF, and OFF‐ON. The antenna radiates from 18.5 to 26.25 GHz band with more than 5 GHz (−10 dB) bandwidth for all states. The proposed geometry exhibits 270° radiation beamwidth with 45° and 135° directions for ON‐OFF and OFF‐ON state, respectively.

Design and development of low-profile hybrid reconfigurable antenna for 5G sub-6 GHz applications

This paper reports a low-profile hybrid reconfigurable antenna for 5G sub-6 GHz applications, measuring 14 × 15 × 0.787 mm3. A hybrid, frequency-and pattern-reconfigurable antenna with a semi-circular patch makes up the design. The Rogers RT5880 substrate, having a dielectric constant of 2.2, is used to build the design. Two PIN diodes are employed in the top layer to reconfigure frequency, and two diodes are used in the bottom layer to achieve pattern reconfigurability. Inverted L-shaped stubs and a defective ground structure (DGS) are put onto the antenna's ground plane. The ground plane uses the DGS to cover the necessary sub-6 GHz frequency spectrum. The suggested design covers two distinct frequency bands having −10 dB impedance bandwidth of 260 MHz for 3.4 GHz-3.6 GHz when the top layer diodes are ON and 270 MHz for 3.6 GHz-3.8 GHz when they are OFF. In addition, the suggested design is manufactured and tested, and the simulation and measurement resultsshow good association.

Frequency and Pattern Reconfigurable Antenna Using Double Layer Petal Shaped Parasitic Structure

Frequency and Pattern Reconfigurable Antenna Using Double Layer Petal Shaped Parasitic Structure

Low-Profile Dual-Polarized Pattern-Reconfigurable Antenna With Independent Beam Control Capability in Both Polarizations for Indoor Application

Low-Profile Dual-Polarized Pattern-Reconfigurable Antenna With Independent Beam Control Capability in Both Polarizations for Indoor Application

Wirelessly Pattern Reconfigurable Yagi Antenna Based on Radio Frequency Identification

This paper presents, for the first time, the implementation of a pattern reconfigurable Yagi-Uda antenna utilizing radio frequency identification (RFID) technology for remote pattern control. The proposed scheme emphasizes the use of wireless communication instead of long metal cables, resulting in improved stability of the antenna’s pattern and return loss. Two low-power consumption single-pole-double-throw (SPDT) switches are employed on a passive resonator, enabling it to function as a director or reflector under the long-range control (up to 25 m) of an RFID reader. Measurement results demonstrate a −10 dB impedance bandwidth of 4.2% and a gain of 7 dBi at 2.41 GHz. The entire system operates with an ultra-low power consumption of 12 μW.

Intelligent metasurface based antenna with pattern and beam reconfigurability for internet of things applications

The Internet of Things (IoT) devices are distributed randomly in the environment, antennas with multiple switched beams are needed to unlock the full potential of communication systems. This paper presents an intelligent metasurface (IMS) based pattern and beam reconfigurable antenna for indoor as well as outdoor IoT applications including V2X and 5 G Small Cell. The IMS based antenna system consists of a wideband monopole and a programable IMS acting as a reflector. The single–layered metasurface is comprised of 4×4 square ring-shaped unit, where each unit cell can be controlled by a pair of four diodes. Due to the separate control of each unit cell, the shape and size of the reflector can be controlled, resulting in different radiation patterns. The system offers various radiation patterns, starting from omni–directional to broadside, with single or dual beams, along with beam–steering both in elevation and azimuth plane. The antenna system offers a peak gain up to 8.89 dBi with an operational bandwidth of 4.95–7.6 GHz. To validate the design concept, the system is fabricated and tested. A microcontroller is utilized for the switching IMS configuration. The high agreement between simulated and measured results, combined with the low profile, high gain, pattern–beam reconfigurability make the proposed antenna a suitable candidate for the indoor IoT devices along with outdoor application not limited to V2X communication systems as well as for small cell in smart cities.

Pattern reconfigurable antenna with two-dimensional beam steering capability using metasurface

A two-dimensional (2-D) beam steering pattern reconfigurable antenna with an active partially reflecting surface (PRS) is presented in this paper. The proposed design incorporates a U-slot patch antenna functioning as a radiator and a superstrate composed of an active PRS layer. The PRS superstrate layer consists of 6 × 6 unit cells, divided into four sections, each comprised of 3 × 3 unit cells. To achieve reconfigurability, each unit cell within the PRS layer is loaded with two PIN diodes. Phase inconsistency can be introduced by changing the states of the PIN diode at different sections, which causes the PRS antenna to change the direction of its main beam. By controlling the operating states of PIN diodes within each unit cell, a total of sixteen radiation patterns can be generated. The proposed antenna supports 2-D beam steering in both the xz- and yz-planes, allowing for a maximum steered angle of ±40°. The performance of the fabricated antenna is experimentally verified at an operating frequency of 3.5 GHz. The proposed antenna is suitable for the 5G NR frequency band n78 and operates within the frequency range of 3.3 to 3.8 GHz.

A Rotatable Frequency- and Pattern-Reconfigurable Antenna with a Wide Tunable Bandwidth

ABSTRACT The proposed design introduces a novel rotatable frequency- and pattern-reconfigurable antenna, characterised by its wide tunable bandwidth. The proposed design contains a fixed feeding part and a rotatable part. The rotatable part consists of three array antennas. Each of the three array antennas is formed of two elements loaded with varactors. The working frequency of the design is able to be changed through adjusting the varactors’ value and employing the rotatable action within the circular configuration. Design benefits from both independent bias voltages, offering pattern reconfigurability. To attain this function, a phase shift is introduced between the two elements of the operating array antenna. Utilizing the quasi-Yagi antenna mechanism enhances the gain. In the proposed configuration, a measured continuously tunable frequency bandwidth of 37.4% is observed, spanning from 2.65 GHz to 3.87 GHz. Additionally, it achieves maximum beam-tunable angles ranging from −40° to +44° covering the broadside. The scanning gain variation of the proposed design is within 4 dB over the entire band. To validate the proposed method, we present both simulated and measured results.

Intelligent Frequency, Radiation Pattern and Polarization Reconfigurable Antenna for 5G Applications

Intelligent Frequency, Radiation Pattern and Polarization Reconfigurable Antenna for 5G Applications

A fully reconfigurable 1 × 4 power divider with power division reconfiguration and size reduction based on series coupled cascaded transmission lines

This work presents a 1X4 fully reconfigurable power divider with a wide range of power divisions and reduced size, designed for adaptive null forming and beam steering networks in RF front ends. The design is based on the impedance transformation of series-coupled cascaded transmission lines and a reconfigurable isolation network. The impedance of power-dividing arms is transformed by tuning the voltage-dependent equivalent capacitor, controlling insertion loss, and indirectly influencing the power division ratio. Four transmission states with sixteen different power levels are realized. This design approach is validated by fabricating a prototype with four output ports. The measured power division varies from 6.5 dB to 18 dB at the center frequency, and the return loss is greater than -32 dB. Output port isolation is greater than -30 dB, and the phase response at output ports only shows a difference of less than 2 degrees. The power at any output port can be reconfigured independently without affecting the system’s overall performance, achieved through a series-coupled transmission line, contributing to a reduction in size. A size reduction of 37 percent is attained in this design. The proposed power divider can provide a wide range of power levels at all output ports within a narrow band around the center frequency. Hence, the design is suitable for beam steering networks, pattern, and polarization reconfigurable antenna arrays. The design also has extension capability into N-way configurations.

Shape-Morphing Antenna Array by 4D-Printed Multimaterial Miura Origami.

The rapid development of four-dimensional (4D) printing technology has resulted in its application in various fields, including radiofrequency (RF) electronics. Moreover, because origami-inspired RF electronics provide a physically deformable geometry, they are good candidates for reconfigurable RF applications. However, previous origami-inspired RF electronics have generally been fabricated on paper for easy folding and unfolding. Although this facilitates easy fabrication, the resultant structures suffer from a lack of rigidity and stability. In this paper, we propose a 4D-printed multimaterial Miura origami structure for RF spectrum applications. For thermal actuation and robustness, the proposed structure consists of high-temperature durable cores with shape memory polymer (SMP) hinges. The high-temperature durable cores provide rigidity to the desired part and reduce the level of distortion of the conductive pattern, while the SMP hinges enable shape morphing. To demonstrate the feasibility of the technique for RF electronics, a shape-morphing pattern reconfigurable antenna array is designed at 2.4 GHz using the proposed 4D-printed multimaterial structure. Through numerical and experimental demonstrations, the proposed antenna's maximum beam direction is changed from 0° to 50° by thermally morphing the Miura origami. In addition, the antenna successfully recovers to its memorized original state.

A Pattern Reconfigurable Antenna Using Eight-Dipole Configuration for Energy Harvesting Applications.

A pattern reconfigurable antenna, composed of eight elements, is proposed for energy harvesting applications. Pattern reconfigurable antennas are a promising technique for harvesting from different wireless sources. The radiation pattern of the proposed antenna can be steered electronically using an RF switch matrix, covering an angle range from 0 to 360 degrees with a step size of 45 degrees. The proposed antenna primarily consists of an eight-dipole configuration that shares the same excitation. Each dipole is excited using a balun comprising a quarter-wavelength grounded stub and a quarter-wavelength open-circuit stub. The proposed antenna operates in the frequency range of 4.17 to 4.5 GHz, with an impedance bandwidth of 7.6%. By switching between the different switches, the antenna can be steered with a narrower rotational angle. In addition, the antenna can work in an omnidirectional mode when all switches are in the ON state simultaneously. The results demonstrate a good agreement between the numerical and experimental findings for the reflection coefficient and radiation characteristics of the proposed reconfigurable antenna.

A 3-D Pattern-Reconfigurable Antenna Array With Multipolarization

In this letter, a 3-D pattern reconfigurable antenna array with multi-polarization is presented. It comprises four vertically placed reconfigurable end-fire dipole-pair elements and a compact four-path switchable feed network. By utilizing switchable operating dipoles of each element and appropriate pathways on the feed network, the antenna can achieve adaptive control of broadside patterns and backfire patterns with independent left-handed/right-handed circular polarization (LHCP/RHCP) and ±45° linear polarization (LP) in the elevation plane. Moreover, four end-fire patterns with vertical polarization (VP) can be adaptively controlled in the azimuth plane. The proposed antenna is fabricated and measured. With a compact 3-D structure of <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><tex-math>$0.49\lambda_0 \times 0.49\lambda_0 \times 0.39\lambda_0$</tex-math></inline-formula> , the measured -10 dB overlapped impedance band for the twelve operating states is 2.3 GHz-2.75 GHz (17.8%). Besides, the corresponding crosspolarization discrimination (XPD) is more than 17.4 dB.

A shared aperture antenna with reconfigurable pattern by common and differential modes

AbstractIn this letter, a compact pattern‐reconfigurable (PR) antenna for indoor communication is proposed, which can provide one conical, one broadside, and two tilted patterns. The proposed antenna comprises a shared radiation patch with two highly isolated ports and a reconfigurable feeding network. By activating each port independently, a dipole mode with broadside pattern and a monopole mode with conical pattern are acquired, respectively. Meanwhile, inspired by the theory of common and differential modes, two tilted patterns toward and are realized by combining dipole and monopole modes. As a result, four‐type reconfigurable patterns can be obtained. To realize reconfigurability, a functional reconfigurable feeding network is designed with innovation. The proposed antenna is fabricated and measured. The measured overlapped −10 dB impedance bandwidth is 3.28–3.71 GHz (12.3%), and the peak radiation efficiency is superior to 82.7%. The experimental results indicate that the proposed PR antenna has a wide bandwidth and stable radiation patterns, which exhibits attractive potential for fifth‐generation indoor communication in sub‐6 GHz.

A planar switched‐beam antenna with compact size

AbstractA planar pattern reconfigurable patch antenna is proposed. The proposed antenna is a circular array composed of three radiating elements, and each element can generate a horizontally polarized main beam with a half‐power beamwidth of about 135°. To switch the beam direction, a single‐pole three‐through circuit is designed on the same printed circuit board as the radiating elements, and the total area of the integrated planar antenna is a circular shape of diameter 0.37λ0. A prototype operated at 2.45 GHz is constructed, and the measured results demonstrate that the pattern reconfigurable antenna can give three steerable beams in the E plane, and the gain and the front‐to‐back ratio of each beam are 3.2 dBi and 15 dB, respectively; moreover, an operation bandwidth of more than 10% is also achieved. Simulated analyses are also performed to explain the antenna performances mentioned above, and they have good agreements with the experimental data.

Low‐profile multi‐polarization and pattern reconfigurable antenna based on metasurface

AbstractIn this letter, a low‐profile metasurface (MS) antenna with multi‐polarization and pattern reconfigurability is presented. The antenna mainly consists of two parts, including a loop antenna fed by balun, and a MS antenna excited by the coupled aperture. When switching the PIN diode and rotating the MS, the multi‐polarization and pattern reconfigurable ability of the antenna is obtained. While the loop antenna is excited, a horizontally linear polarized (HLP) wave and omnidirectional pattern are obtained. Besides, when the MS is operated, due to the differential phase between the orthogonal surface impedance components, the antenna can be switched between vertical linear polarization (VLP), left‐hand circular polarization (LHCP), and right‐hand circular polarization (RHCP). Furthermore, the antenna could achieve a directional pattern. As the simulated and measured results shown, the proposed antenna has an overlapped impedance bandwidth (IMBW) of 24.7% for all polarization modes and a 3‐dB axial ratio (AR) bandwidth of 11.8% for L/RHCP modes. Moreover, the antenna owns a low profile of 0.06 λ (under the operating centre frequency).

Design and Analysis of Pattern Reconfigurable Antenna Based on RF MEMS Switches

The research on reconfigurable antennas has some disadvantages such as low working frequency and large size. This paper presents a Ka-band patch antenna with pattern reconfigurability using RF MEMS switches. The antenna contains one main patch, two sub-patches, two parasitic patches, and two RF MEMS switches. By controlling the states of the RF MEMS switches, the antenna can achieve three different radiation patterns (−8°, 0°, and +8°) at 35 GHz. The pattern analysis was based on the electric field vector addition method. The analytical, simulated, and measured results agree well with each other. Due to its compact and thin structure of 3.7 mm × 5.2 mm × 0.4 mm, this antenna can be applied in fields such as satellites, smartphones, etc.

Beam-Switching Antennas for 5G Millimeter-Wave Wireless Terminals.

Beam-switching is one of the paramount focuses of 28 GHz millimeter-wave 5G devices. In this paper, a one-dimensional (1D) pattern reconfigurable leaky-wave antenna (LWA) was investigated and developed for wireless terminals. In order to provide a cost-effective solution, a uniform half-width LWA was used. The 1D beam-switching LWA was designed using three feed points at three different positions; by selecting the feeds, the direction of the beam can be switched. The antenna can switch the beam in three different directions along the antenna axis, such as backward, broadside, and forward. The 1D beam-switching antenna was fabricated, and because of the wide beamwidth, the measured radiation patterns can fill 128∘ of space (3 dB coverage), from θ = -64∘ to +64∘ at ϕ = 0∘. Following this, two of these antennas were placed at right angles to each other to achieve two-directional (2D) beam switching. The 2D beam-switching antenna pair was also prototyped and tested after integrating them into the ground plane of a wireless device. The antenna is able to point the beam in five different directions; moreover, its beam covers 167∘ (θ = -89∘ to +78∘) at ϕ = 0∘, and 154∘ (θ = -72∘ to +82∘) at ϕ = 90∘.