Reconfigurable MEMS Antennas

Haridas, Nakul; Erdogan, A.T.; Arslan, Tughrul; Walton, A.J.; Smith, S.; Stevenson, T. J.; Dunare, Camelia; Gundlach, A.M.; Terry, Jonathan G.; Argyrakis, P.; Tierney, Kevin M.; Ross, A.W.S.; O'Hara, T.

doi:10.1109/ahs.2008.28

Cited by 29 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…A n t e n n a 1 A n t e n n a RF out RF out RF feed line 4.3 Block diagram of a radar system employing electronically steerable beam antennae (Haridas et al ., 2008). (a) Scheme employing phase shifters in standard technology, requiring power amplifi ers on each branch to regenerate the signal attenuated by the lossy phase shifting elements.…”

Section: Applications Of Rf Mems Passive Componentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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RF MEMS passive components for wireless applications

Iannacci

2013

Handbook of Mems for Wireless and Mobile Applications

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Section: Applications Of Rf Mems Passive Componentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A block diagram of the radar system, close to the transmitting antennae array and featuring standard phase shifters, is depicted in Fig. 4.3a and discussed in Haridas et al . (2008).…”

Section: Applications Of Rf Mems Passive Componentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

RF MEMS passive components for wireless applications

Iannacci

2013

Handbook of Mems for Wireless and Mobile Applications

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“…After etching with ferric chloride, the electrodeposited copper layer only remains on those areas of the substrate not exposed to the ultraviolet light. The MEMS components are fabricated through the multiuser nickel electroplated micromachining MetalMUMPs process [3]. The process allows for two conducting layers: a 21-m thick electroplated nickel layer and a 0.7-m thick polysilicon layer on an n-type silicon substrate.…”

Section: Fabricationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Discrete frequency tuning has been achieved using MEMS switches that reconfigure antenna geometries [3], and continuous frequency tuning has been achieved by loading antenna structures with MEMS variable capacitors. Although reactive loading with MEMS variable capacitors is a welldocumented method in reconfigurable antenna design [1], MEMS variable inductors have not received the same attention in that role.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microstrip antenna tuning using variable reactive microelectromechanical systems

Yee

Anderson

Charles

et al. 2011

2011 IEEE 61st Electronic Components and Technology Conference (ECTC)

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Due to their small size, low loss, and compatibility with integrated circuits, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have been the focus of recent efforts at developing frequency reconfigurable patch antennas able to operate at a number of different user-selected frequencies. IntroductionMicrostrip patch antennas are desirable due to their ease of production, ruggedness, and conformability. However, such resonant antennas suffer from narrow bandwidths and fixed operating frequencies. Tuning the operating frequency of a patch antenna can overcome these limitations, allowing a single antenna design to serve a communications system operating on multiple channels.Recent reconfigurable planar antenna designs have capitalized on the low power, small geometries, and high performance characteristics of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) to develop frequency tunable patch antennas. Discrete frequency tuning has been achieved using MEMS switches that reconfigure antenna geometries [3], and continuous frequency tuning has been achieved by loading antenna structures with MEMS variable capacitors. Although reactive loading with MEMS variable capacitors is a welldocumented method in reconfigurable antenna design [1], MEMS variable inductors have not received the same attention in that role.We present a continuous tuning method for a microstrip patch antenna using MEMS tunable inductors and capacitors. The tunable antennas studied in this research are designed for the 4-7 GHz range a 5.5 GHz unaltered operating frequency. The thermally actuated MEMS variable inductors and electrostatically actuated variable capacitors are variations of prior work on RF MEMS components [1]- [2]. The components are fabricated through the MetalMUMPs multiuser electroplated nickel micromachining process and are ultimately intended for use in a coplanar waveguide-fed patch antenna design described later in this paper.

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“…Many different methods and architectures have been utilized to build frequency-reconfigurable antennas [1]- [5]; most of these employ switches, varactors or some type of mechanical mechanism to change the resonant frequency. Papers [6]- [8] utilize conductive fluids to form flexible and tunable antennas.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Frequency-Reconfigurable Antenna Architecture Using Dielectric Fluids

Konca

Warr

2015

IEEE Trans. Antennas Propagat.

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A new frequency-reconfigurable antenna architecture is presented, in which a dielectric fluid is pumped into a cavity behind the antenna in order to change its resonant frequency. The continuous tuning provided by the changing fluid volume allows the resonant frequency to be adjusted to any value within the tunable range. This tuning method does not affect the power handling capability of the antenna and does not consume power while the resonant frequency is kept constant. This method of tuning also stands out in its class by offering a wide tuning range, high efficiency and very good electrical isolation between the antenna and the control circuitry. The antenna was designed and optimized using Ansys HFSS software and several prototypes were built and tested. Measured results of the input response, radiation pattern and efficiency are presented. Castor Oil (=2.7) and Ethyl Acetate (=6) were used in physical tests as the tuning fluids to verify the simulated results. Good agreement between simulated and measured results was observed which is also in line with the behavior suggested by theory and earlier investigations.

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Reconfigurable MEMS Antennas

Cited by 29 publications

References 15 publications

RF MEMS passive components for wireless applications

RF MEMS passive components for wireless applications

Microstrip antenna tuning using variable reactive microelectromechanical systems

A Frequency-Reconfigurable Antenna Architecture Using Dielectric Fluids

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