Circular-polarization reconfigurable monopole antenna with enhanced boresight gain for GNSS applications

A circular-polarization (CP) reconfigurable monopole antenna with enhanced boresight-gain for GNSS applications is proposed. The antenna consists of two meandered monopoles placed perpendicular to each other, a feeding network using the Wilkinson power divider, two switchable 90°-phase-shifters, a defected ground structure (DGS) and a metallic reflector. The metallic reflector is placed at the back of the antenna to improve efficiency and boresight gain. Simulation results show that the metallic reflector can substantially increase the efficiency and boresight-gain of the antenna by about 20% and 5 dB, respectively, in the operating band, yet retaining the impedance bandwidth and axial-ratio bandwidth.