Polarization reconfigurable antenna for 5G cellular networks operating at millimeter waves

A polarization reconfigurable patch antenna suitable for future fifth generation (5G) mobile systems operating at millimeter waves (mm-Wave) is presented. The proposed antenna consists of a square radiating element, microstrip transmission line feed, and two independently biased PIN diodes. The polarization type is switched between right-hand circular polarization (RHCP) and left-hand circular polarization (LHCP) by altering the states of the PIN diodes. Simulations of the proposed design demonstrate that the antenna operates from 27.6 to 28.6 GHz at -10 dB reflection coefficient level. A good axial ratio (less than 3 dB) is also achieved in both RHCP and LHCP states over the 27.65-28.35 GHz band. The simple structure and ease of fabrication make the proposed antenna a good candidate for 5G mobile applications.