Design of Compound Reconfigurable Antenna for

Wi-Fi, WiMAX and WLAN Applications

P. Ranjith R. Nakkeeran Sobir kumar mech
Department of Electronics Department of Electronics Department of Electronics
Engineering Engineering Engineering
Pondicherry University Pondicherry University Pondicherry University
Pondicherry, India Pondicherry, India Pondicherry, India
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Abstract In todays modern wireless era, reconfigurability at WiMAX (3.5 GHz), Wi-Fi (2.45 GHz) and
reconfigurable antennas play a vital role for functioning WLAN (5.8 GHz) bands.
under selective resonant frequency bands, polarizations Generally, most of the reconfigurable antennas are
and radiation patterns according to the required designed using a solid state microwave switches like the PIN
application. This paper gives an insight on the design of diodes because of easy assembly, high speed and low cost [7],
compound reconfigurable double T-shaped planar [8]. However, PIN diode is produced high power loss in signal
monopole antenna with a slotted ground plane, which path, therefore it uses is limited in the reconfigurable antenna.
employs 1.6 mm thicker FR4 as a substrate material. The In recent years, the reconfigurable antennas are designed
proposed reconfigurable antenna efficiently works in dual based on MEMS switches due to rapid growths of the MEMS
modes Wi-Fi at 2.45 GHz and WLAN at 5.8 GHz) and technology [9], [10]. MEMS switches have more advantage
single mode (WiMAX at 3.5 GHz) but also incorporates than PIN diode in handling power and high isolation in OFF
the reconfigurability in radiation pattern mechanisms state. However, MEMS switches is required relatively high
during the different set of PIN diodes state. Thus the voltage when compare to the PIN diode to turn ON it. In
proposed antennas converge to a solution where a single addition, varactor diodes also used to tune the frequency of
antenna satisfies the needs for multiple applications. antenna in continuous manner.
In this study, BAR 64 PIN diode are considered as
Keywords- Wi-Fi, WLAN, WiMAX, monopole, FEM, FIT, switching element, because it provides high speed switching
PIN diode, reconfiguration. and also it is cheaper than other switches techniques [13]. In
the successive section II discusses about the reconfigurable
I. INTRODUCTION antenna design and geometry. Section III discusses about the
Reconfigurable antennas have a potential to introduce vast frequency and radiation patterns for all configurations of the
degrees of freedom in service of mobile communication diodes. Finally, Section IV discuss about the applications of
system. Most reconfigurable antennas are purposely designed the proposed reconfigurable antenna.
in a manner to regulate their frequency of operation while
maintaining the radiation characteristics. Single reconfigurable II. RECONFIGURABLE ANTENNA DESIGN AND
antennas serves as a great source of aid, when multiple GEOMETRY
antennas hinder the issue of coverage in some of the
communication applications [1], [2]. To view the brighter side The proposed reconfigurable monopole antenna is a double
of these antennas, they decrease the developing price, size and T-shaped patch on FR4 epoxy substrate of thickness 1.6mm
weight of an antenna, which are the mandatory checklist for and an inverted T-shaped slot in the ground plane. While this
efficient satellite and wireless communication. However, slotted ground plane structure is also related to the polarization
altering radiation pattern while maintaining the frequency of reconfigurable antenna [5]. The feeding technique which is
operation and bandwidth could effectively enhance used for this design is a microstrip line feeding technique [6].
performance of wireless communication system [3]. This The dimension of monopole antenna is calculated using
Radiation pattern reconfigurability mainly depends on the following formulas [4], and then dimension is optimized to get
calculated alteration of the circular distribution of radiation required performance.
pattern. Pattern reconfigurable antennas are customarily
designed with the help of movable or rotatable structures or
including switchable and mainly it is used for space diversity (1)
by directing the signal in intended users direction. This work
introduces a double T-shaped microstrip patch with slotted L2.4 = 33.24mm
ground plane capable of frequency and radiation pattern L3.5= 21.8mm
L5.8= 17.8mm
 The wavelength for a particular resonant frequency in
microstrip transmission line is depicted using the following
formula:

(2)
Where fr is the resonant frequency, c is the velocity of
electromagnetic wave in free space and eff is the effective
permittivity of substrate material given by:
Fig. 3. Biasing circuit for PIN diode
eff (3)
TABLE I. PARAMETER DETAILS OF BAR 64 PIN DIODE
Where r is the relative permittivity of substrate material, h
Values
is the thickness of substrate and W is the width of radiating Parameter
Min. Max. Unit
element. The overall size of the designed reconfigurable
antenna is 35 x 40 x 1.6 mm3. Forward voltage, VF - 1.1 V
Diode Capacitance, CT - 0.17 pF
In order to achieve reconfigurability, three BAR 64 PIN Reverse parallel
- 3 K
diodes are used in the antenna design as shown in Fig 1. And resistance, RP
it behave like a series RL circuit in forward bias, and parallel Forward resistance, RS 0.85 1.35
RC circuit in reverse bias as shown in Fig. 2, and it Insertion loss - 0.16 dB
characteristics is depicted in the Table 1. In order to give a Isolation - 17 dB
proper DC bias to the diodes, the DC blocking/RF bypassing Breakdown voltage,
150 - V
capacitor and RF inductor is used in the antenna as shown in VBR
Fig. 3.
A. Pattern Reconfigurability
The diode between the two T-shaped radiating element is To reconfigure the pattern, two switching elements are used
used to reconfigure the resonant frequency bands of antenna, to change the direction of current flow in ground without
and diodes in the slotted ground plane is used to reconfigure altering the operating frequency of antenna. The diode D3
the direction of radiation pattern and direction of rotation of which is in right side from the feed line is used to steer the
e-field of transmit wave in order to achieve right hand and left radiation pattern in positive x-direction. The diode D2 in left
hand elliptical polarization.
side is used to steer the radiation pattern in negative x-
direction. If both the diodes are in ON state, then the radiation
pattern will be similar to that of dipole radiation pattern.
B. Frequency Reconfigurability
To change the resonant frequency bands of the antenna, the
diode D1 is used. Initially, the reconfigurable antenna operates
in WiMAX (3.5 GHz) band. After turning ON the diode D1,
the upper T-shaped patch element is attached to lower T-shape,
which results in increased conductive path for RF current.
Therefore, the operating frequency is shifted from WiMAX
(3.5 GHz) band to Wi-Fi (2.45 GHz) and WLAN (5.8 GHz)
bands.

Front view Bottom view III. RECONFIGURABLE ANTENNA SIMULATIONS AND

Fig. 1. Geometry and dimension of the proposed antenna.. RESULTS
The proposed reconfigurable monopole antenna is
simulated and analyzed using HFSS v12 software. The
simulated results of S11 parameter for all configurations of
diodes state are shown in Fig 4.
It can be observe clearly that the operating frequency of
the antenna changes from WiMAX (3.5 GHz) band to Wi-Fi
(2.45 GHz) and WLAN (5.8 GHz) bands and also the
radiation pattern of operating bands is changed based on the
state of diodes and is depicted in the Table II.
a) b)
Fig. 2. Equivalent circuit of PIN diode a) forward bias and b) Reverse bias
equivalent circuit of PIN diode
 Fig. 6. Simulated gain at 3.45 GHz for D2, D3 are ON

Fig. 4. S11-parameter for all configurations of diodes

TABLE II. THE ANTENNA RADIATION CHARACTERISTICS FOR DIFFERENT

CONFIGURATIONS OF DIOIDES
2.4 GHz 5.8 GHz
ON state diodes Fig. 7. Simulated gain at 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz for D1, D2 are ON
Antenna
Parameters D1,D2,
D2,D3 D1,D2 D1.D3 D2 D3
D3
Resonant
2.4, -2.4, 2.45,
Frequency 3.45 3.55 3.55
5.8 5.8 5.7
(GHz)
Return Loss -24.77, -42.82, -36,
-20.69 -16.8 -16.6
(dB) -12.28 -19.84 -21.3
Bandwidth 950, 1200, 1200,
1300 1800 1850
(MHz) 450 600 400
-1.12, -0.93, -1.08,
Gain (dBi) 1.12 0.66 0.53
-1.31 0.8 1.35
Plane of Peak 2.45 GHz 5.7 GHz
Radiation
0o 10o 170o Fig. 8. Simulated gain at 2.45 GHz and 5.7 GHz for D1, D3 are ON
angle from x- 0o 180o 0o
0o 135o 45o
axis
(deg)
Axial ratio at
43.5 26.11 27.94
theta 00 61.27 14.26 14.56
48.03 11.22 9.74
(dB)

The 3D pictorial representation of the simulated radiation

patterns for various combinations of diodes described in the
Table 1 are given as follows:

Fig. 9. Simulated gain at 3.55 GHz for D2 is ON

2.4 GHz 5.8 GHz

Fig. 5. Simulated gain at 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz for D1, D2, D3 are ON state

Fig. 10. Simulated gain at 3.55 GHz for D3 is ON

 IV. CONCLUSION International Conference on Open Source Systems and Technologies
(ICOSST)
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