Reconfigurable stacked patch antenna for satellite and terrestrial applications

Reconfigurable antennas are becoming more and more important in defense and commercial wireless applications because a single aperture can be used to support multiple functions at multiple frequency bands. This can result in significant size reduction for the antenna, less complexity in design and development, and reduction in cost. An antenna can be reconfigured using PIN diodes, transistors, or MEMs switches. We present a stacked microstrip patch antenna that can been reconfigured for operation at 2 GHz and 600 MHz. Reconfiguration is achieved by using PIN diode switches. The antenna has an impedance bandwidth of 20.7%. It generates right-hand circular polarization with a broadside beam at 2 GHz. The same structure can also operate as a planar inverted-F antenna at 600 MHz with a pattern directed toward the azimuth. The antenna is linearly polarized in the latter case and is suitable for terrestrial communication.