MEMS-loaded millimeter wave frequency reconfigurable quasi-Yagi dipole antenna

A new millimeter-wave frequency reconfigurable quasi-Yagi antenna is presented. The quasi-Yagi antenna is printed on a quartz substrate integrated with RF MEMS switches. It consists of one driven dipole, two dipole directors, and one truncated ground plane as reflector. By controlling the actuation of the RF MEMS loaded on the driven and director dipole elements, the antenna operation frequency is switchable in the millimeter wave wireless personal area network (WPAN) band (57-66 GHz) and E-band (71-86 GHz). The end-fire pattern of the Yagi-antenna is maintained in both two-bands. Theoretical results show that the antenna gain varies from 5.5 to 6.7 dBi in the lower band and from 6.5 dBi to 8.1 dBi in the higher band respectively. A high resistive biasing line configuration is presented and its effect on the antenna reflection coefficient is investigated.