Dielectric Field Enhancer for Reconfiguring the Beam Pattern and Gain of an Antenna

We demonstrate the use of a dielectric rod, herein called a dielectric field enhancer (DFE), to reconfigure the radiation pattern and gain of an omni-directional antenna. To assess the DFE capability, we demonstrate an increase in gain of a preexisting antenna by near-field coupling with the DFE. The resulting field pattern is observed to be a hybrid of the DFE's directive beam pattern and that of the preexisting antenna. Measurements of a prototype DFE show a gain increase of at least 7.7 dB after the inclusion of the DFE, which compare well with simulations and therefore verify the capability of the DFE.