Reconfigurable On-Chip Folded-Patch Antenna using Tunable Electroactive Materials

We report on design and fabrication of a reconfigurable integrated folded shorted-patch (FSP) chip-size antenna for operation in the 5-6 ISM GHz and use in short-range wireless communications. Application of wafer-level chip-scale packaging (WLCSP) techniques like adhesive wafer bonding and through-wafer electrical via formation, combined with the selected antenna type and electroactive materials allows antenna on-chip integration. The operating characteristics of a folded antenna, fabricated on two stacked glass substrates, were analysed with respect to electroactive layer thickness and electrical permittivity values. Antenna size reduction down to 4times4times1 mm3, gain of -8 dB, and bandwidth of 200 MHz at 5,05 GHz were measured. It was also predicted the possibility to reconfigure the antenna operating frequency from 5.55 GHz to 5.95 GHz, with a bandwidth of ~50 MHz.