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Ahmad A. Gheethan*, and Dimitrios E. Anagnostou South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD, 57701 E-mail: danagn@ieee.org
Introduction
This paper shows the design of a reconfigurable log periodic dipole array antenna (LPDA). The design is based on utilizing switches and high resistive DC bias lines to achieve the reconfigurable LPDA. The operating frequency and maximum directivity of the design can be manipulated according to the switches positions and their state ('on' or 'off). The simulated and measured results of the return loss and gain responses are shown. The results are promising for the implementation of such new reconfigurable antenna designs.
Theory
The general schematic of the proposed reconfigurable design is illustrated in Fig. 1. The antenna consists of N planar dipoles placed on the top and bottom of a substrate of thickness t. The antenna's feed is similar to that in [1]. The length and width ratios of each adjacent dipole are given by the geometry constant i. The spacing between the dipoles is related to the spacing factor (1. The spacing factor and geometry constant determine the apex angle a, where [2] l-r tan(a) = (1)
40-
With these three factors one can specify the maximum directivity of the array. This is also shown in the directivity contours in Fig. 2 [3]. A previous work [4] has illustrated a mechanically reconfigurable LPDA which is achievable through the adjustment of its physical dimensions such as the dipoles length and their separation. However, this is a complicated procedure to be done manually or by using bulky mechanical equipment, and it can easily result in inaccurate LPDA structures that do not match with the 'log-periodic' definition. In addition, this kind of reconfigurable antenna is not applicable with printed LPDAs. It is challenging, yet possible to change the design shown in Fig. 1 to an electrically or micro-electrically-mechanically reconfigurable antenna. This can be accomplished by adding switching elements such as PIN diodes or MEMS to each printed dipole. The switching element on the largest dipole should be placed at a distance X n measured from the antenna's boom. The remaining distances should be chosen relative to ireconf, where ireconfis the geometry constant of the antenna when the switches are 'off given by:
T reconf
1 =-n-
X -
Xn
(2)
When the switches are in the 'off state, the antenna will exhibit a geometry constant ireconf that may equal or not equal to i, which contributes to the antenna when the switches are 'on'. However, the resultant apex angle will show a new value areconf, thus, a new
value for the spacing factor called O"reconf. As a result, the same antenna will have different directivities depending on the switches' state, according to Fig. 2. For example, let us consider an LPDA antenna designed with a geometry constant r = 0.9 and spacing factor 0" = 0.12 at its 'on' state. From Fig. 2, the expected maximum directivity is 8dBi. For that antenna, when the switches tum 'off', the antenna exhibits ratios of r = 0.88 and 0" = 0.11. Then, the anticipated directivity is 7.5dBi (a similar value), but most important the antenna's frequency of operation will double. This illustration is marked by the squares in Fig. 2, and the operating frequency and bandwidth are determined by the dipoles active length and number of elements respectively, at the two different switch states. The switches require a DC bias to alter their state. However, the DC bias requires highlyresistive bias lines that will not deteriorate the antenna's return loss and radiation pattern. High resistive materials can be utilized to fabricate such bias lines, which reject the RF and pass the DC current simultaneously [5]. Such lines are bandwidth independent and do not require a ground plane underneath or next to the antenna.
Acknowledgement This research was supported by NSF Award #0554609, "The 2010 Initiative: Science-Based Leadership for South Dakota". References
[I] A. A. Gheethan and D. E. Anagnostou, "Reduced Size Planar Log-Periodic Dipole Arrays (LPDA) Using Rectangular Meander Line Elements," IEEE APS/URSI International Symposium 2008, San Diego, CA, USA, July 5-12, 2008. [2] R. L. Carrel, "Analysis and Design of the Log-Periodic Dipole Antenna," Ph.D. Dissertation, Elec. Eng. Dep., University of Illinois, University Microfilms, Inc,. Ann Arbor, MI, 1961. [3] P. C. Buston, G. T. Thompson, "A Note on the Calculation of the Gain of LogPeriodic Dipole Antennas," IEEE Trans. on Ant. & Prop., v.24, pp.105-106, Jan. 1976 [4] A. Galmon, G. Pacheco and Marco Terada, "A Novel Reconfigurable UWB LogPeriodic Antenna," Proceeding of the 2006 IEEE International Symposium on Antenna and Propagation, pp 213-216, Albuquerque, NM, 2006. [5] D. E. Anagnostou, G. Zheng, M. Chryssomallis, J. Papapolymerou, C. G. Christodoulou, J. Lyke and G. Ponchak, "Design, Fabrication and Measurements of a Self-Similar Re-configurable Antenna with RF-MEMS Switches", IEEE Transactions on Antennas & Propagation, Special Issue on Multifunction Antennas and Antenna Systems, Vol. 54, Issue 2, Part I, Pages: 422 - 432; 432, Feb 2006. [6] IE3DTM is a trademark of Zeland Software Inc., 2006.
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Fig. 1. The structure of an LPDA: a) The schematic of the reconfigurable (LPDA). The switches are represented by a diode symbol. Only the largest antenna elements are shown, and b) A photograph of the two fabricated LPDAs.
0.12
0.10
0.94
0.92
0.90
0.88
0.86
0.84
Fig. 2. Computed contours of directivities versus (f and r for log-periodic dipole arrays [2].
a) Freq. (GHz) b) Freq. (GHz) Fig. 3. a) Simulated and b) measured return loss response of the reconfigurable LPDA. The wide total frequency coverage [1-4GHz] can also be seen from the -IOdB dotted line.
90
210
-----_ _ _ .
Simulated (On mode) Simulated (Off mode) Measured (On mode) Measured (Off mode)
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Fig. 4. Simulated and measured H-plane radiation pattern of the LPDA at its two different configurations.