A frequency reconfigurable slot antenna with a conductive microfluidic switching mechanism

frequency reconfigurable antenna;fluid antenna;liquid antenna;reconfigurable slot antenna;fluidic switching mechanism

King, Aaron J. ; Bernhard ; Jennifer T.

关键词: frequency reconfigurable antenna;    fluid antenna;    liquid antenna;    reconfigurable slot antenna;    fluidic switching mechanism;   

Others  :  https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/30990/King_Aaron.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

美国|英语

来源: The Illinois Digital Environment for Access to Learning and Scholarship

【 摘 要 】

Reconfigurable antennas have the potential to provide functionality to radio systems which will make them more robust and allow for much more efficient use of the electromagnetic spectrum when combined with cognitive radio.High power applications, however, cannot benefit from the advances made in reconfigurable antenna technology in recent years due to the inability of current reconfiguration mechanisms to handle high power levels. Diodes suffer from nonlinear effects while RF MEMS have issues with self-actuation and stiction. Fluidic reconfiguration mechanisms provide an alternative to these devices which do not suffer from the same effects due to their passive behavior that is not influenced by RF signal strength. In order to investigate the suitability of fluidic conductor as a switch, a frequency reconfigurable slot antenna is designed using fluid-filled microchannels. A transmission line model is developed to provide an explanation for the behavior of the switches as well as a design procedure for the reconfigurable slot. The model is verified by building and measuring slot antennas using the microfluidic switches.