Compact Reconfigurable Antennas

This chapter looks at the concept of compact antennas from the point of multi‐functionality of reconfigurable antennas. Reconfigurable antennas offer one way of reducing the antenna size. There have been various methods used to achieve this goal. Some of these methods are the use of metasurfaces, liquid metal, ferrite, and pixel antennas. Pixel antenna or matrix array is based on the concept of dividing a conductor part of the antenna into several smaller pixels that are connected through switches. Liquid metal alloys are a choice for designers of reconfigurable antennas. Galinstan consists of three elements: gallium, indium, and tin. The chapter considers a few methods of using magnetized ferrite materials. Ferrites are commonly used as a choice of magnetic materials in microwave and antenna designs. The combination of the advanced materials and fabrication technology will provide antenna designers with an array of new choices in designing compact multifunctional antennas.