Reconfigurable microstrip rectangular loop antennas using RF MEMS switches

In this article, a low-actuation voltage DC contact RF MEMS switch is developed for a reconfigurable microstrip rectangular loop antenna implementation providing frequency tunability. Electromechanical design optimization, microfabrication through the PolyMUMPS commercial process, and RF simulation is presented. The application of such RF MEMS switches to frequency-tunable reconfigurable microstrip loop antennas is subsequently investigated by electromagnetic full wave analysis,simulation tool. The physical perimeter of the loop antenna is electronically varied by controlling the ON/OFF states of the MEMS switches. The resonance frequency of the microstrip loop antenna is shown to be reconfigurable linearly by 56% with the linear change of the physical perimeter while the radiation pattern is almost invariant. (C) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.