A new frequency‐reconfigurable antenna using coupling patterns for mobile handsets

Abstract

This letter focuses on the design of a new frequencyreconfigurable antenna for a mobile handset application. The proposed antenna supports the most important long-term evolution bands: band 17 (704-746 MHz), band 13 (746-787 MHz), band 5 (824-894 MHz), and band 8 (880-960 MHz). A digital variable capacitor (DVC) is used via a coupling pattern proximity to the aperture of an inverted F antenna (IFA) to which a single-pole single throw RF switch is connected to take advantages of the two different kinds of tuning elements. We show that the proposed antenna is able to have a quasicontinuous and wide range of frequency tuning capabilities over 700-960 MHz through simulations and experiments. We also show that the coupled aperture used for connection of the DVC to the aperture of IFA is helpful for reducing the ohmic losses in the DVC from the antenna efficiency degradation which is the most important figure of merit for frequency reconfigurable antennas based on the active tuning elements.