Pattern-Reconfigurable Dual-Polarized Dielectric Resonator Antenna

We present a portable pattern-reconfigurable dual-polarized dielectric resonator antenna (DRA). Low-cost gallium arsenide (GaAs) single-pole, double-throw (SPDT) switches are utilized to select one of the feedline paths of the DRA, giving a boresight or cardioid pattern electronically. The measured results verify the proposed antenna switches its radiation patterns between cardioid and boresight shape, without significantly affecting its matching in the operating frequency range of 5-6 GHz. Results also confirm that the pattern configuration in one port with one polarization does not affect the RF characteristics of the other port with alternative polarization of the antenna. This two-port configuration makes the proposed antenna a suitable candidate for IEEE 802.11ac multi-user multiple-input-multiple-output (MU-MIMO) applications.