Modelling of multiferroic microwave patch antenna

This paper presents a modelling of the microwave antenna based on multiferroic layered structures. The multiferroic layered structures consist of a double layer of an yttrium-iron garnet film 5 µm in thickness, which is epitaxially grown on a gadolinium-gallium garnet substrate 500 µm in thickness, and a lead zirconate titanate film 5 µm in thickness. The development of such antennas enables us to realize small size, light weight and low profile planar antenna, of which the performance can be controlled by electric voltage. Control of radiation pattern is due to the magnetoelectric effect. Characteristics of a single multiferroic microwave patch antenna element in microwave range are simulated. When we simulate the radiation pattern of a two-element antenna array operating at frequency of 1.841 GHz with the bias magnetic field 55200A/m reflection coefficient S
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is −40 dB. The microwaves deflect from −20° to +20° when applying a magnetic field of several hundred A/m, which corresponds to the application of voltage to the structure at several hundred volts. Present numerical simulation demonstrates that it is possible to control the antenna pattern when multiferroic magnetoelectric materials are used as the antenna substrate.