Enhanced RF Characteristics of Slotted Frequency-Reconfigurable Microstrip Patch Antenna Using RF MEMS Switches at 3.5 GHz

In this study,a frequency-reconfigurable microstrip patch antenna that has a central slot and RF MEMS shunt switches is optimized and improved. The substrate material for the investigation was chosen to be FR4 epoxy, with dimensions of 40 mm by 65 mm and 1.6 mm for height. The measurements of the microstrip patch were found to be 19.5 mm by 31 mm, and the feed dimension was 16.4 mm by 1.3 mm. After preliminary research, a center slot was added and slots were added on both sides of the patch to accommodate RF MEMS switches. In order to maximize the antenna's performance, parametric analysis was carried out, which involved making iterative changes to the patch dimensions and slot characteristics. Notably, the improved antenna configuration produced a gain of 5.1 dBi and a VSWR of 1, making it appropriate for 3.5 GHz applications such as wireless local area networks (WLANs), mobile phones, and radar systems. The outcomes show how well the suggested design strategy works to improve antenna performance for real-world implementation in modern communication systems.