Frequency and pattern reconfigurable antenna array based on liquid crystal technology
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1109/ICATT.2017.7972606Keywords:
liquid crystals, reconfigurable, frequency-agile, beam scanningAbstract
A reconfigurable antenna array based on liquid crystal (LC) technology is proposed, which can dynamically tune operation frequency and achieve beam steering. The antenna element is mainly composed of two parts: a microstrip series patch array and an inverted microstrip line (IMSL) phase shifter. The LC substrate is used to support the patch array for controlling its resonance frequency, while the LC-based IMSL phase shifter is adopted to tune the transmission phase by changing the effective permittivity of the LC through a DC bias voltage. In order to verify the reconfigurable characteristics of the antenna, the antenna array consisting of 1×4 elements are designed and numerically investigated. Simulation results show that this antenna can realize beam steering with a scanning angle range of (-20°, 20°), while its operation frequency can be actively tuned between 14.5 GHz and 16.4 GHz. The proposed antenna configuration is a promising candidate, which has potential application in communication fields.References
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