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Abstract—Microfluidically frequency reconfigurable and bandwidth, and efficiency of the antenna is compromised.
polarization reconfigurable probe-fed patch antennas are The liquid metal-based frequency reconfigurable antenna for
presented in this paper. For the frequency reconfigurable temperature sensing application, reported in [5] requires a
antenna, a frequency tuning bandwidth of 14% (4.35–4.5 GHz) high power control circuit for tuning. A voltage-controlled
can be achieved by continuous loading of liquid metal inside
the additively manufactured microfluidic channels on top of flow of liquid metal in 3D printed channels is used to realize
patch slots. During the frequency reconfigurability, the only two bands of frequency reconfigurability in [6]. A dual-
bandwidth remains greater than 5%, the gain remains higher band slot antenna using microfluidic frequency
than 7.5 dBi and there is polarization consistency over the reconfigurability is presented in [7], but it has low gain.
complete tuning range. For the second antenna, switching Polarization reconfiguration can be an important aspect
between left-hand and right-hand circular polarization is in wireless communications with applications in polarization
demonstrated by alternatively inserting or removing metallic
multiplexing, while it can also contribute in reducing
ink inside 3D printed Polylactic Acid (PLA) channels. For both
polarization states stable reflection coefficient with -10 dB S11 undesired signals, minimizing polarization mismatch loss,
bandwidth of 9.6% (4.48-4.93 GHz) and 3-dB axial ratio and avoiding fading effects. The drawback of using
bandwidth (ARBW) of 5.2% (4.48-4.72 GHz, are achieved. electronic switching for polarization diversity is the
Index Terms— reconfigurable, additive manufacturing, degradation of radiation efficiency, gain, and linearity in
microfluidic, liquid metal. transmission scenarios. In [8], Eutectic Gallium–Indium
(EGaIn) has been used to achieve linear polarization (LP),
left-hand circular polarization (LHCP), and right-hand
I. INTRODUCTION
circular polarization (RHCP). A fluidically polarization
Antennas can exhibit reconfigurability in radiation reconfigurable Yagi antenna with the circular patch as a
pattern, frequency, polarization, or in any combination of all driven element is presented in [9]. A quarter-wavelength
[1-3]. Often in wireless communications, the quality of liquid metal stub-loaded patch antenna is presented in [10] to
service provided to the users is highly dependent on achieve frequency tunable polarization reconfiguration. In
multipath fading and interference within the band, which can addition, water is used as a dielectric fluid in [11] for
be avoided by using polarization and frequency polarization reconfigurability.
reconfigurable antennas respectively. Electronic switches This paper presents two patch antennas; one exhibits
like PIN diodes, varactor diodes, and frequency reconfigurability using the flow of liquid metal
microelectromechanical switches (MEMS) are commonly inside additively manufactured fluidic channels, and the
used in reconfiguring slot-based resonators for antennas [4]. second antenna can switch between right-hand circular
Besides electronics-based reconfiguration, optical, polarization (RHCP) and left-hand circular polarization
mechanical, fluidical, and smart materials-based (LHCP) using. Computer Simulation Technology (CST-
reconfiguration has also been explored by researchers. 2020) is used to design the two different probe-fed patch
In recent years, technological advancements in the field antennas. Slots are etched on the top copper layer of the
of additive manufacturing have enabled researchers to patch and fluidic channels carrying EGaIn liquid metal ink
achieve the reconfigurability of antenna parts using 3D are used as switching elements to create either open or short
printed structures. In [3], polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is electric connections. To dynamically change the frequency
etched to make microfluidic channels that are loaded with shift of the antenna, the EGaIn is continuously injected
liquid metallic ink (LMI) to change the polarization and inside the fluidic channel. Both designs are simple to
frequency of a slot antenna. Due to the placement of a thick implement since no multi-layering or complex structure is
PDMS layer on the top of the slot, the overall gain, used. The same Rogers RT/duroid 5880 3.175 mm thick
z 4.15 7 3.17 2 1
y
x
(a) (b)
(a) (b)
(c) (c)
Fig. 1. Frequency reconfigurable patch antenna structure. Fig. 2. 3D design of a prototype sample for the microfluidic channels
(a) Exploded view, (b) top view and (c) side view printing and testing. (a) 3D printed sample (b) top view and (c) front view
(a) (b)
Fig. 3. Simulated return loss of discrete 04 states of patch antenna Fig. 4. Simulated far-field radiation patterns (Co-pol). (a) E-plane and
(b) H-plane
(a) (b)
hc hp
z Probe h
y
(c)
Fig. 5. Polarization reconfigurable patch antenna geometry. (a) Exploded Fig.6. Simulated S11 and axial ratio (inset) of microfluidically
view, (b) top view and (c) side view polarization reconfigurable patch antenna