A frequency-tunable mechanically actuated microstrip patch antenna

A frequency-tunable microstrip patch antenna with a stacked air-glass substrate is presented in this paper. Adjusting the air-gap height between the patch and ground plane varies the antenna's effective dielectric constant, resulting in a shift in resonant frequency. Ensemble simulations and experimental results are presented for the bulk-machined model. Microstrip patch antennas of frequencies ranging between 5 GHz to 20 GHz exhibited frequency shifts of up to 12%. The 8.8 GHz antenna tested experienced a frequency shift of nearly 400 MHz (8.47 GHz to 8.79 GHz).