Abstract
A synthesis procedure of a mechanically reconfigurable antenna based on tetra-circle fractal patch elements is presented, enabling to change both resonant frequencies and radiation pattern performance. The antenna geometry reconfiguration is implemented by tilting the ground plane of the microstrip antenna with respect to the fractal patch and substrate layer. The tilt angle is defined as the angle between the back of the dielectric substrate and the tilted ground plane and is electromechanically varied using a thin rod of dielectric material sliding up and down, in a simple geometry. Simulation results for the proposed antenna parameters are obtained using Ansoft HFSS software. In addition to promoting frequency and pattern reconfiguration, the tilting of the ground plane has proven to be an alternative to increase the antenna gain and enable single-band or dual-band operation. Prototypes were fabricated and measured for comparison purpose showing a good agreement between simulation and measurement results.
Index Terms
Reconfigurable antenna; mechanically reconfiguration; fractal patch; tetra-circle fractal
