Implementation and simulation of commercial RF switch integration with steerable square loop antenna

Abstract

For the first time, integration of a commercial single-pole four-throw RF switch with beam steerable square loop antenna is presented. By controlling the switch bias the high gain tilted beam of the antenna can be steered electronically in all the four space quadrants. A model of the complete integrated switch with the antenna has been developed and simulated. Further, for achieving distortion-free patterns and errorfree simulation comments are made on the placement of the RF switch and associated meshing considerations. For the test band (4.3 -5.0 GHz) the antenna generates a steerable tilted beam with a directivity of 8.0 dBi + 0.4 dB.

Low-Profile Steerable Loop Antenna With Capacitively Coupled Feeds

“…For RF switching, two possible options can be utilized. As shown experimentally in [14], the CCSLA could use a p-i-ndiode-based RF switch to steer its beams over the four quadrants to cover the entire space in front of the antenna. This coaxial mechanism is fairly simple to implement.…”

Dual-Band Low-Profile Capacitively Coupled Beam-Steerable Square-Loop Antenna

“…This tilted beam in four quadrants of space is of special significance for indoor wireless communications where signals generally arrive from the sideways rather than the axial direction. The feed switching network for four beams can be implemented by PIN diode based RF switches as shown in [23]. It was found that the antenna provides tilted beam for both the operating frequency bands.…”

Dual band low-profile switched beam Square Loop Antenna with capacitively coupled feeds

“…This tilted beam in four quadrants of space is very useful for indoor wireless communications where signals generally come from the sideways rather than the axial direction. The feed switching network for four beams can be implemented by PIN diode based RF switches as shown in [11]. The implementation of commercially available switches is relatively simple but this makes the volume of the structure larger.…”