Switched Beam Antenna Based on RF MEMS SPDT Switch on Quartz Substrate

Author

Cheng, Shi ; Rantakari, Pekka ; Malmqvist, Robert ; Samuelsson, Carl ; Vähä-Heikkilä, Tauno ; Rydberg, Anders ; Varis, Jussi

Author_Institution

Dept. of Eng. Sci., Uppsala Univ., Uppsala

Volume

8

fYear

2009

fDate

7/1/1905 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

383

Lastpage

386

Abstract

This letter demonstrates a 20-GHz radio frequency microelectromechanical system (RF MEMS)-based electrically switchable antenna on a quartz substrate. Two quasi-Yagi antenna elements are monolithically integrated with a single-pole double-throw (SPDT) MEMS switch router network on a 21 mm times 8 mm chip. Electrical beam steering between two opposite directions is achieved using capacitive MEMS SPDT switches in the router. Port impedance and radiation patterns are studied numerically and experimentally. Measured results show that the switched beam antenna features a 27% impedance bandwidth (S₁₁ = -10 dB), a gain of 4.6 dBi, and a front-to-back ratio of 14 dB at 20 GHz when the control voltage is applied to one of the switch pairs of the SPDT switch.

Keywords

Yagi antenna arrays; antenna radiation patterns; beam steering; microswitches; microwave switches; network routing; RF MEMS SPDT switch; capacitive MEMS SPDT switch; electrical beam steering; frequency 20 GHz; port impedance; quartz substrate; quasiYagi antenna element; radiation pattern; radio frequency microelectromechanical system; single-pole double-throw switch router network; switched beam antenna; Front-to-back ratio; half-power beamwidth (HPBW); quasi-Yagi antenna; radio frequency microelectromechanical system (RF MEMS); single-pole double-throw (SPDT) switch;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1536-1225

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LAWP.2009.2018712

Filename

4804726