Modeling of microwave antenna array with magnetoelectric effect control

The possibility of using multiferroic layered structures in antenna arrays is researched. In this paper the problem of controlling of the radiation pattern using magnetoelectric (ME) effect is considered. The basic structure is substrate of piezoelectric lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate (PMN-PT) 100 μm thick and layer of yttrium iron garnet (YIG) with thickness of 100 µm. This structure allows simultaneously to form the topology of radiating element with reduced linear dimensions due to the high piezoelectric permittivity and to make the ME structure which has a high ME coefficient with the possibility of a substantial shift of line of ferromagnetic resonance (FMR). Characteristics of two-element microwave antenna array in microwave range had obtained by simulation. Modeling of two-element antenna array radiation pattern was performed at frequency of 2.931 GHz at the bias magnetic field 54400 A/m, the value of the S'il coefficient amounted to −30 dB. As a result of simulation, the shift of the radiation pattern has been achieving values from −20° to +10°. Data obtained by simulation had allowed drawing conclusion, that it is possible to control of the antenna pattern, if multiferroic magnetoelectric materials will be using as the antenna substrate.