Reconfigurable Slot-Array Antenna With RF-MEMS

Cylindrical near-field measurement systems are being widely demanded, especially for imaging applications at millimeter-wave frequencies. One of their most important drawbacks is the long time required to perform a full measurement of an antenna. To avoid multiple receivers, the probe is mechanically moved to the points where the field must be measured. The mechanical movement increases the time required to take a full measurement. The process may be sped up in several ways. This letter proposes the use of a pattern reconfigurable slot-array antenna as a probe. The switching among the different patterns is carried out electronically by RF-MEMS, which are placed over the different slots. Simulations and measurements of a model in the X-band are shown in this letter.