A novel optically controlled reconfigurable antenna for cognitive radio systems

An optically controlled compact reconfigurable antenna with integration of wide and narrow bands is investigated for cognitive radio (CR) systems. The proposed antenna consists of two parts, one for spectrum sensing and the other for communication. With an inherent property, four photoconductive silicon switches are used to achieve reconfigurable frequency characteristics. An antenna prototype has been designed, fabricated and measured. The simulated and measured results show that the proposed antenna is a potential candidate for future cognitive radio communications.