Multiband Reconfigurable Antennas for 5G Wireless and CubeSat Applications: A Review

The rapid development of wireless technology has sparked interest in multi-band reconfigurable antennas as devices and satellites are innovating toward miniaturization. With limited space, reliable and efficient high bandwidth antenna systems are needed for current and next-generation wireless technology as well as for the revolutionary small satellites. The fifth generation of mobile communication technology promises high data rates, low latency and good spectrum efficiency. One of the key enablers of this technology is the integration of satellite technology-particularly CubeSats with terrestrial communication technologies. Next-generation antennas that can meet functional requirements for 5G and CubeSat applications are therefore of fundamental importance. These antenna systems should have large bandwidth, high gain and efficiency and be compact in size. Reconfigurable antennas can provide different configurations in terms of the operating frequency, radiation pattern and polarization. Tuning reconfigurable antennas can be done by changing the physical parameters of the antenna elements through electronic switches, optical switches and the use of meta-materials. The most popular implementation method for reconfigurable antennas for wireless and satellite communication is the electronic switching method due to its high reliability, efficiency, and ease of integration with microwave circuitry. In this article, different techniques for implementing reconfigurable and multi-band antennas are reviewed, with emphasis on two main application areas; 5G wireless communication and CubeSat application. Different reconfiguration techniques have been studied for application in various wireless communication systems such as satellite communication, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, cognitive radio and 5G communication. It has been found that reconfigurable antennas have favourable properties for next-generation wireless technology and small satellites. These properties include low cost, less volume requirements and good isolation between wireless standards.