A Sierpinski shaped patch antenna for beam switching

The idea of this paper is to use simple symmetrical structures offering the possibility of pattern diversity or beam switching by using various feed points. Therefore, this paper focuses on a Sierpinski shaped patch antenna, offering the possibility to adjust the main beam of the antenna in three directions by using three different feed points in one structure. In contrast to the investigations in which a Sierpinski fractal is used for the design of a dual-band antenna, the proposed antenna works at f_res = 5.4 GHz and exploits the geometrical symmetry of the Sierpinski structure to redirect the beam. Combining this antenna with an active switch to electronically reconfigure the pattern provides a smart antenna solution. In the following section the geometrical dimensions and the principle of operation of the proposed Sierpinski shaped patch antenna are described in detail. Subsequently, simulation and measurement results for the developed antenna are shown including reflection coefficient and farfield gain patterns.