Single/bidirectional pattern and beamwidth reconfigurable array antenna using reconfigurable reflecting surface

Abstract

This study describes an array antenna that allows for reconfiguration of the three significant antenna properties, that is, radiation pattern, half‐power beamwidth (HPBW), and single and bi‐directional beam. A reconfigurable reflecting surface (RRS) has been designed and incorporated with the array antenna on the top and bottom. The RRS works to reflect or pass the incident electromagnetic wave. It enables us to reconfigure from single to multibeam radiation in the ±z direction. It also provides two levels of HPBW, that is, 49.6° and 95°. Eventually, the same three sets of antennae have been stacked and rotated with a 60° angle to achieve the radiation pattern reconfiguration in the entire azimuth plane. It conforms to reconfigure all three antenna properties in six directions at an equal interval of 60° angle. The achieved maximum gain in a narrow beam is 9.56 dBi. The proposed reconfigurable antenna array can be used in modern wireless communication applications.