Design of reconfigurable stacked patch microstrip antenna / Kartini Abdullah

This paper presents a Reconfigurable Stacked Patch Microstrip Antenna (RSPMA). The antenna uses a combination of aperture coupled technique and stacked patch technology for reducing feigned radiation patterns. This RSPMA consists of three FR-4 substrate layers with 4.7 mm thickness each and 3mm thick of an air filled substrate between stacked patches and the ground plane. The top patches are a rectangular shaped with a Tshaped hole at the center and the bottom patches is a T-shaped, both etched on top of substrate 1 and substrate 2 respectively act as a radiating element. Two (2) H-shape designs of aperture slots of different sizes on the ground plane are positioned at the center of ground plane with reference to the top patches and bottom patches. A copper strip is used as an ideal RF switch is implemented at the feed line network for the ON and OFF mode. Thus, by adjusting the switch mode, the resonance frequencies can be varied, thus frequency reconfigurable is achieved. These designs are distinguished by the length of feed line which will activate the particular aperture slots on the ground. The activation of the selected aperture slots will produce waves and radiates the signal to the particular radiating layers of the patch antenna. Hence, two different frequencies, either at 1.8 GHz or 2.3 GHz were achieved through the RSPMA. The antenna designed was simulated using CST Microwave Studio at operating frequency of 1 GHz to 2.7 GHz. The RSPMA is said to be potentially beneficial to the wireless communication system.