Bias network and diode parasitics of a reconfigurable stacked microstrip patch antenna at 60 GHz

We present results on the implementation of switches for a reconfigurable antenna at 60 GHz. The switches are realized by diodes, which are characterized by measurements on a coplanar waveguide test bed. From the measurements, we extract different circuit models. The models are used as lumped elements in a full wave simulation of a reconfigurable antenna, where it is shown that the different models produce very similar results for the return loss and radiation pattern from the antenna. Due to the dominating linear polarization of the antenna, it is possible to route the bias lines for the switches so that they present a minimal interference with the radiation pattern.